University of Greater Manchester’s Bradford satellite nursing centre gives students insight into range of health care careers

Student nurses and nursing associates at the University of Greater Manchester’s satellite centre in Bradford gained an insight into the wide variety of healthcare careers at a specially organised event.

Guest speakers from different healthcare sectors spoke at the ‘Enrichment Day’ at Lister Mill, Bradford.

Geoff Render from the charity Different Strokes spoke about the charity, and shared his own experiences of having a stroke at a young age and how this impacted all aspects of his life.

Assistant Teaching Professor Aleeza Khan talked about her role as a stroke specialist nurse, sharing her personal experiences of her father having strokes and how he inspired her to specialise in this area.

Dan King, who works as a senior clinical educator at the Nuffield Trust, Leeds, shared his experience of working in the independent sector of nursing, how it differs from the NHS, and the career progression possible.

Sophie Graham, a nursing student who graduated last year from the satellite centre, went directly into a nursing position with the Yorkshire Clinic. Sophie is the centre’s first graduate who has gone straight into the private sector and she spoke about her positive experiences so far.

Emma Firth, Regional Primary Care & Safeguarding Lead with the Practice Plus Group, which provide health care in prisons, detailed the variety of skills required when working in prisons.

Finally, award-winning playwright and spoken word artist Errol McGlashan who has spent years as a prison inmate, and is now on tour with 'Something to take the edge off - when the prison blues get to you'.

Danielle Ellis, Senior Lecturer in Adult Nursing, Faculty of Health and Well Being, University of Greater Manchester, said feedback from students had been “brilliant”.

She said: “They absolutely loved it and it was a fantastic day, with fascinating and thought-provoking talks.”

The University of Greater Manchester is the new name of the University of Bolton, following the Office for Students (OfS) agreeing to the change of name at the end of last year.