ASPIRING nurses, midwives and healthcare workers are being helped to gain the experience they need thanks to a new partnership between a patient watchdog and the University of Worcester.

The institution has signed an agreement with Healthwatch Worcestershire to help facilitate more placements for students in the county.

It is hoped the partnership will mean students at the university – which has a particularly excellent reputation for its nursing and healthcare courses – will be better equipped and qualified to find jobs when the graduate and ultimately be able to offer a higher quality of care.

Speaking at Healthwatch Worcestershire’s annual conference on Friday, June 26, chief executive Simon Adams said he was pleased to sign the partnership.

“It seems to us when we’ve got such a reputable organisation in our doorstep it makes sense to work with them,” he said.

The university’s vice-chancellor Professor David Green also spoke at the conference at the Sixways stadium, where he praised the work of Healthwatch to promote the interests of patients in Worcestershire.

“From the university’s point of view we are very committed to working with you (Healthwatch) to improve services in health and social care,” he said.

“It’s all about people.”

He said 37 potential students apply for each place on the of the university’s midwifery courses, while nursing programmes receive about 12 applications per place.

“They are mostly young people and they need to opportunity to gain experience, he said.

“They are the professionals and carers of the future.

“We work very closely with the acute trust, with the health and care trust and with all other organisations.”

He also appealed to any organisation working in the health or social care sector able to offer student placements to contact the university.

Healthwatch Worcestershire chairman Peter Pinfield also welcomed the partnership.

“The work that the university does is so key to us,” he said.

“I am sure the future relationship with your facility and your staff will prosper.”