A joint scheme between NHS Southport and Formby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS South Sefton CCG made it into the final shortlist at the Student Nursing Times Award.

The CCGs were nominated along with seven others in the ‘Student Placement of the Year – Community’ category, after becoming the first accredited hub in the country to offer bespoke placement opportunities to student nurses.

Through the placement scheme the CCGs provide students with a structured learning environment, offering them the support and experience they need for their future careers. The placements that the CCGs offer introduce pre-registration student nurses, student quality ambassadors (SQAs) and care makers into a commissioning setting in order to improve quality of care. 

The collaborative work the CCGs have been doing with Edge Hill University and the North West Placement Development Network (NWPDN) means that students are mentored by the quality team at the CCGs with the opportunity to interact with board level professionals and attend high level strategic meetings. They are also given the opportunity to input into the development of the CCGs' strategic plans and commissioning priorities to ensure that quality of care of patients remain at the centre of what they do in a complex commissioning environment.

Brendan Prescott, deputy chief nurse for both CCGs, said: “We were so thrilled to have been shortlisted for this award.

“We are proud of what we have achieved and have worked extremely hard to put the student placements together working with Edge Hill University and NWPDN, so it means a lot to us all that this has been recognised.”

Sheila Ollerhead, Associate Head of Nursing at Edge Hill said: “The collaborative work Edge Hill University has been doing with the CCGs and the NWPDN means that students have developed an understanding of how a CCG operates within a local economy and have gained first-hand experience of how decisions are made at a strategic and commissioning level.

“The scheme enhances student understanding of the skills to being an effective leader and an ability to form relationships within and across agencies. Importantly, it provides an avenue for newly qualified nurses to explore a future career within a CCG.

“The ability to offer students such high level placement opportunities is a great platform for attracting potential students to undertake a degree in Nursing at Edge Hill. A huge well done to the CCG for making it into the final shortlist.”

These awards are the only one of its kind to celebrate the very best in student nurses and nurse education. They pay tribute to student nurses who have demonstrated the academic achievement, clinical prowess and personal qualities that will make them brilliant nurses.

The event was held at the London Hilton on Park Lane on 28 April. For more details see: www.studentawards.nursingtimes.net