The Department of Health is delighted to announce the successful endorsement by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of four community specialist practice degrees to be delivered in the Isle of Man. This endorsement means that the Health and Social Care Teaching Team at Keyll Darree - the Island’s Health and Social Care Education and Training Centre - are now able to offer the programmes on-Island in collaboration with the University of Chester to support care practices in the community. This brings the total number of Higher Education awards available within the Departments of Health and Social Care, which support the development of evidence based practice to service users, to seven. Minister for Health, David Anderson MHK said “These programmes are an excellent addition to the Higher Education offerings from the Department and will do much to maintain and enhance professional standards of care whilst enabling students to study on-Island rather than having to make the journey to the UK or further afield. The UK Government have committed to educating over 4,200 extra Health Visitors by 2015 following the launch of the Health Visitors Implementation Plan. Providing these courses on-Island ensures that we’re able to develop local talent and retain those people and their new advanced skills.” The new degrees are:- · BSc (Hons) Specialist Community Public Health Nurse · MSc Specialist Community Public Health Nurse · BSc (Hons) Specialist Practice Community (District Nursing / Nursing in the Home) · MSc Specialist Practice Community (District Nursing / Nursing in the Home). These programmes build on current Higher Education provision delivered within Keyll Darree:- · BSc (Hons) Nursing (both Adult and Mental Health Nursing) the full time three year programme to train nurses with the University of Chester · BSc (Hons) Community Health Studies part-time for community based professional staff with the University of Chester · BSc (Hons) Health Studies, our multi-professional, modular programme with Manchester Metropolitan University. Access to many of the programmes and modules is multi professional, enhancing links between those who work together to provide health and social care to the people of the Island. This comes from representatives of different professions studying together, learning from each other and then going on to collaborate in the work place. Head of Learning for the Department of Health, Dr Jacqueline Yates said “Our programmes to date have been a tremendous success, with around 150 people enrolled and undertaking study. So far five students have been identified to take the new routes: one on the Health Visitor route, two on School Nursing and two on District Nursing. This may seem a small number but the whole point about this programme is that it provides us with the flexibility to develop small numbers of staff to meet organisational needs using a combination of Distance Learning and study with others who are on different routes. The courses are also sufficiently flexible for others to start at different dates and pursue programmes to individually-agreed timescales. “The new programmes will complement the Department’s work to enhance nursing provision in the community. Much of the study on these programmes will be through Distance Learning with specialist modules through supported independent study and we have been able to combine this with face to face provision for larger numbers of students.” If you are interested in applying for any of the above programmes please contact John Struthers, Nursing and Higher Education Manager on 642931. - ENDS -