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Training academy offers access to rewarding NHS careers across west Suffolk
Communities across west Suffolk can access a rewarding NHS career through the upcoming West Suffolk Community Training Academy. This will provide participants with the skills and experience required to begin a rewarding career in NHS diagnostics at the Newmarket Community Diagnostics Centre (CDC), and roles elsewhere at the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust and within local GP practices.
Providing a wide range of diagnostic tests, such as CT, MRI, ultrasound, heart and lung scans, the Newmarket CDC at the Newmarket Community Hospital will carry out around 100,000 tests a year, supporting the WSFT to provide the care our communities need, closer to where they live.
The training academy will be delivered at the West Suffolk College and the West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds over 12-weeks. This will culminate in a guaranteed job interview for positions at the Newmarket CDC and within WSFT, or support to find positions elsewhere in local general practice. Applicants require no previous experience or qualifications, making this the perfect opportunity for those looking for their first NHS career or even a career change.
The positions available after completing the training academy include imaging assistants, phlebotomists, receptionists, administrators, care navigators, care co-ordinators and porters. Other roles for qualified professionals include radiographers, sonographers and cardiac physiologists, as well as clinical and non-clinical positions within the WSFT and local GP practices.
As part of the training academy experience, there will be masterclasses delivered by NHS healthcare professionals and primary care managers. These masterclasses will give applicants the tools they need to carry out the day-to-day functions within the Newmarket CDC and placements at the West Suffolk Hospital or within a local GP practice. After which, applicants will receive comprehensive interview training to ensure they have the best chance of success.
To ensure the academy is open to everyone from all backgrounds, there is an extensive financial support package on offer. This includes lunch every day, travel and mileage, uniform (including trousers and footwear), childcare costs and all educational materials, such as books and stationery. Participants will also benefit from support by a dedicated project team throughout the 12-weeks and afterwards for up to three months, which includes job signposting.
Depending on the role applicants take up after a successful interview, pre-role training or care certificate training will be delivered in the lead up to the opening of the Newmarket CDC later this year by the WSFT or them beginning a relevant role elsewhere within the WSFT or primary care.
Currently under construction, the Newmarket CDC is on track to see its first patients before Christmas 2024.
The training academy is open for applications until Tuesday, 21 May, with enrolment taking place on Tuesday, 28 May. The first masterclasses will begin on Monday, 17 June.
To apply or request more information, please email training.academies@colchester.ac.uk or call 01206 587528.
More details are available on the WSFT website.
The West Suffolk Community Training Academy is being delivered in collaboration with the:
- East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
- Suffolk and North East Essex Training Hub
- West Suffolk College
- Colchester Institute.
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