A pioneering partnership between education providers and acute health services in Mansfield and Ashfield to provide local people with a gateway to careers in the NHS is going from strength to strength.

That is the message from leaders of West Nottinghamshire College, Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

It followed a visit by the trust’s acting chief executive, Dr David Selwyn, and acting chair Graham Ward to the college and NTU’s healthcare training centre, to see the state-of-the-art facilities that equip students to work in the health and care sectors.

College principal and chief executive Andrew Cropley, who led the tour, said: “Our partnership with Sherwood Forest Hospitals is invaluable to us and our students, and it was great to explore how we might make ever more of this going forward, to the benefit of the communities we both serve.”

Starting at the college’s Derby Road campus, the two guests saw the college’s recently-upgraded Robin Hood Ward — a simulated clinical environment where T-Level health students undertake practical learning in a realistic setting. The ward boasts the latest equipment, including robotic patients with artificial intelligence to help learners practise their skills, and an interactive digital dissection table that teaches them about body and skeletal systems in 3D.

This was followed by a visit to NTU’s Centre for Health and Allied Professions, also on the Derby Road site, to see the university’s own hi-tech virtual hospital wards, where undergraduates are training to become the healthcare professionals of tomorrow.

Among other stops, they also saw the college’s simulated nursery, where education and early years students experience a childcare setting that mirrors industry, and the sixth-form college on the Chesterfield Road site.

David and Graham took part in a discussion with college and university leaders to explore future projects and ways to further build on the partnership’s strengths. Joint working between the three organisations is already providing increased opportunities for people to train for occupations in the health and care sectors through further and higher education courses, apprenticeships, and work placements.

Together, they have run a series of Step into the NHS events, aimed at promoting job roles available in the area’s hospitals and the educational routes towards them.

In addition, college students with additional needs have the chance to undertake a year-long supported internship programme at King’s Mill Hospital, Sutton, to gain confidence and employability skills for the workplace.

Meanwhile, learners on its T-Level in health course are undertaking long-term industrial placements at the hospital, under the supervision of a nurse jointly employed by both partners.

There are now plans to create work experience opportunities for sixth-form students, with discussions also under way to explore potential placements in building services and property maintenance in the hospital and its facilities management provider, Skanska, to expose students to some of the non-clinical roles essential to patient care.

David said: “It was interesting to look at the development of their training wards, virtual capability, and other aspects of technology — and see the training that West Notts provides in conjunction with NTU.

“I was very impressed by the developments that have taken place and the phenomenal difference that investment can make for the students of today and the workforce of tomorrow.”

Graham added: “As one of the largest employers in the area, there are a lot of opportunities in the trust, in completely different areas of work.

“By working closely with our local education-providers, we can look at how we provide our local population with employment that encourages them to stay in the area, which also helps sustain the hospital and all the facilities we have.”