About the region
The South West has a population of just over 5 million and between 1995 and 2005 it had one of the fastest growing populations in England – although this was largely due to people moving into the region. This trend is expected to continue.
The region also has the highest percentage, among the nine English regions, of people of retirement age and above, likewise it has a higher than average employment rate. Around 12% of registered health and medical workers live in the South West.
The region has good educational links with the University of Bristol and the Peninsula Medical School offering dental and medical, allied health professional and nursing degree courses. It also has nine Centres of Excellence in Teaching and Learning including the initiative “Placement Learning in Health and Social Care” at Plymouth University.
Skills for Health is actively working with employers and stakeholders to look at better and more productive ways of working as well as to address any skills shortages.
We are currently involved in a number of pilot projects with a variety of organisations looking at a range of solutions across a spectrum of healthcare specialities. Learning from these pilots will be transferable across the NHS.
Projects
Skills for Health is involved in:
- One European Working Time Directive pilot site looking at cooperative solutions, team working and 24/7 care
- Working with West Dorset Health Community on a pilot to create a clinical decision unit and adopt new ways of working to reduce the waiting time for assessment and treatment
- Higher Education Demonstrator site at Plymouth University
- Working with the Strategic Health Authorities (SHA) on widening participation.
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