Bluebird Care Lincoln, Bluebird Care North East Lincolnshire and West Lindsey and Bluebird Care South Lincolnshire have partnered up with the University of Lincoln and Lincolnshire Care Association to introduce the Nursing Associate Programme for home care Care Assistants who wish to gain further qualifications.

The franchises have begun offering this apprenticeship-style placement to encourage further training and career development, without having to give up work, or go to university. The Nursing Associate Programme provides the qualification between a Care Assistant and Nurse, a strong career progression for Care Assistants who want to upskill.

The franchises offer a wide range of clinical care services, which is not typical of all homecare providers. Debbie Ferguson is the Nursing Manager and works across all three franchises to offer expert care to her customers.

Over the next two years, Debbie will be training her new student, Rachel Lear. Rachel, 44, began the Nursing Associate Programme in January this year and will finish her training as a qualified Nursing Associate. Rachel has worked at Bluebird Care Lincoln, Bluebird Care North East Lincolnshire and West Lindsey and Bluebird Care South Lincolnshire for almost two years and has progressed during her time with the home care provider. She started as a Care Assistant and, within just six months, had been promoted to a Care Assistant Mentor. Before this, Rachel was a teacher and had been in the teaching profession for 15 years, after which she decided to have a career change and go into domiciliary care.

This opportunity came about after the University of Lincoln, which has been running the Nursing Associates Programme for two years, approached Bluebird Care Lincoln asking if they would like to take part.

The programme was offered to all staff who work for the aforementioned franchises. The idea was received with great interest and, following a formal interview process, Rachel was selected. The university has a new intake of students every year and seeks to grow learners in a professional environment. The programme also offers a placement at another care provider, and Rachel will be doing hers in a hospital, where the hospital student will join Bluebird Care Lincoln, Bluebird Care North East Lincolnshire and West Lindsey and Bluebird Care South Lincolnshire for two weeks. The qualification is funded by the local authority, but the students’ wages are paid by Bluebird Care Lincoln, Bluebird Care North East Lincolnshire and West Lindsey and Bluebird Care South Lincolnshire.

Rachel Lear, Trainee Nursing Associate, Bluebird Care Lincoln, Bluebird Care North East Lincolnshire and West Lindsey and Bluebird Care South Lincolnshire, said: “I am thoroughly enjoying the TNA course. Every day is different, it is a good mixture of delivering care to our customers and training both at university and with our Nurse Manager.”

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