Unique health experts offer multiple support

PATIENTS can now receive multiple care from a single individual thanks to new roles within the Care Plus Group.

Twelve unique health professionals have completed a two-year foundation degree course at the Grimsby Institute to become assistant practitioners.

STUDENT SUCCESS: A celebration lunch was held at the ABP port office, to mark the achievement of 12 Care Plus staff who have completed a Foundation Degree. Far left, is practice learning facilitator Judi Green. Picture: Abby Ruston

This new role will provide a more joined up, multi disciplinary care to those who need it as it combines the skills, knowledge and competencies of three areas of work. These include health, social care and therapy skills.



All 12 assistant practitioners now have posts; four at The Beacon, two in the roving night service, four in intermediate care at home and two in the rapid response service.

Gary McWilliams, 26, of Chapman Road, Cleethorpes, was described by his course tutors as the most outstanding student on the programme.

He is now an assistant practitioner in the intermediate care at home.

Gary said: "Before I signed up to the course I was a care worker at The Beacon for two years.

"I wanted to gain more experience and broaden my knowledge within the health industry.

"Now I have multiple skills which I can use to benefit an individual service user."

Feeling she could do more to help others, Fiona Rudrum, 39, a former home care assistant of 13 years, signed up to the course.

She said: "The opportunity arose to push my career further and I jumped at the chance.

"I was very dubious at first as I had not done any academic work since school.

"However, I had nothing to worry about and for the past three months I have been part of the rapid response service taking on various tasks.

"Using my multiple skills learned from the training I have received, I am able to support physiotherapists, occupational therapists, nurse practitioners or social care workers."

Tutors at Grimsby Institute described Debbie King, 45, as the person who overcame the most adversity while on the course.

Debbie, of Tetney Lock, said: "The programme was brilliant and the college also detected that I suffered with Dyslexia which I never knew before.

"I am now an assistant practitioner working at The Beacon.

"It is a step up for me in my career so I am very grateful for being given this opportunity."

Kirsteen Redmile, head of service at Care Plus Group, said: "The new assistant practitioner roles will remove the duplication and confusion that our service users may face if they require support from a range of services."