Outstanding Contribution to Widening Participation Award for Better Care Together team

The Better Care Together (BCT) Careers team has won the “Outstanding Contribution to Widening Participation” Award at Health Education England’s (HEE) 2017 National Widening Participation Awards.

The team was also shortlisted for the Widening Participation Partnership and Collaboration Award.

Now in its second year the awards celebrate, promote and recognise widening participation activities that give people from under-represented communities across the country access to health education and employment opportunities. Widening participation is a major strategic priority within health, supporting not only workforce supply and demand, but also the wider social mobility agenda across the country. HEE’s National Widening Participation Awards are a key part of this strategy, as they recognise the achievements of some remarkable individuals and collaborative partnerships.

The BCT Careers Team of Ruth Keeler and Vicky Lumley have engaged with more than 20,000 people, of all age groups, to encourage them to seek careers in the health and care services in the Morecambe Bay area.

Ruth, who is the Bay Health and Care Partners (BHCP) Workforce Business Partner, said she was delighted to have won the award:

“I am really proud of the work we have accomplished in our first year, it is a real achievement and an honour to be shortlisted for the awards.

To win the award for Outstanding Contribution to Widening Participation is fantastic. Widening participation is key to creating opportunities and breaking down the social mobility barriers.”

Vicky, the Careers and Engagement Lead, added:

“It feels amazing to have our work recognised nationally and to know we are making a difference to our communities.”

In January 2016 the BHCP established the Careers and Engagement Hub, with an aim of promoting the range of careers in the health sector, and inspiring people in our local communities to choose a career in healthcare.

The Hub works in partnership with healthcare professionals, local communities, young people, education providers and teams of careers advisors, to:

• deliver an innovative programme of engagement activity
• develop a future workforce for the health economy
• inspire future generations to be the best that they can be
• remove barriers and create opportunities for those who otherwise might have been prevented
• share knowledge, good practice and develop an understanding of the different parts of the system

David Wilkinson, Director of Workforce and OD, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS FT, added:

“I’m so pleased for the team. To be award winners after just 12 months of work is a real achievement. It’s fantastic that, once again, the work being done in Morecambe Bay is recognised nationally, particularly on recruitment, an issue which affects all NHS organisations.”

More information on the BCT Careers team is available at www.betterwithyou.co.uk which is also the central recruitment page for the Better Care Together partner organisations in Morecambe Bay.