Heartbeat December 2019

Heartbeat set to
go digital
We’ll soon be relaunching Heartbeat
as an online magazine that will
be available across various digital
platforms. This is YOUR Trust
magazine and we’re currently
working on a redesign project to
give Heartbeat a fresh new look.
So, what changes can you expect to
see? Well that depends on you. We
want the revamped Heartbeat to be a
reflection of what you want to see and
read so your feedback will be vital to the
look and feel of the magazine.
Look out for the opportunity to give your
feedback via the communications bulletin
and there will also be a chance to take part
in focus groups too. If you’d like to take
part in a focus group or give your feedback
please email swbh.comms@nhs.net with
‘Heartbeat focus group’ in the header.
You can expect to see the new look
Heartbeat by Spring 2020.
CORPORATE AND GENERAL
NEWS
Apprentices celebrated in
awards ceremony
In November, the apprenticeship
provider team hosted their second
annual awards ceremony. It was a day
of celebration as people from across our
organisation came together to collect
their awards after completing their
apprenticeships.
Bethan Downing, Deputy People Director
opened the ceremony. She commented: “As
we change our workforce, it’s important
that our people can develop into roles
they’d like to move into.”
This very much set the tone for the
ceremony. Each apprentice had taken
ownership of their development and was
empowered by our organisation to do so.
The awards ceremony recognised
apprentices in the following categories:
• Business and Administration
Level 2
• Customer Service Practitioner
• Level 2
• Health Care Support Worker
Level 2
• Team Leader/Supervisor Level 3
To be considered for an apprenticeship
certain eligibility criteria needed to be
met. Where extra support was needed the
apprenticeship provider team helped to
upskill learners to improve and refresh their
literacy and numeracy skills.
All training was delivered in house. As a
registered apprenticeship provider within
Sandwell and West Birmingham, the team
act as trainers, assessors and coaches.
The class of 2019
Together, they deliver apprenticeship
standards across healthcare, business and
administration, customer service and team
leader programmes. They provided bespoke
training and support to each apprentice
throughout their learning journey.
This cohort exceeded all expectations.
In particular, all the team leader and
customer service practitioners passed with
a distinction. It was the first time as a Trust
we’d put learners through these two new
apprenticeship standards.
Maxine Griffiths, Widening Participation
Manager told Heartbeat how thrilled she
was about this. “For us this was a first,
extending our apprenticeship programme
in this way had not been done before. Each
learner put so much effort and dedication
into their studies and achieving a distinction
is wholeheartedly deserved.”
Since completing their apprenticeships,
eight individuals have gone on to
secure higher banded posts, become a
nurse associate or move on to a Level 3
qualification.
Libby Marshall, Apprenticeship
Coordinator added: “It’s important
for us to recognise each individual as
we’ve done here today at our awards
ceremony. They’ve all worked so hard
and should be proud of everything
they’ve achieved. As a team, it brings
us great pleasure knowing that we’ve
helped each person grow personally
and professionally. We look forward to
seeing what great things they all achieve
in their careers.”
If you’d like to find out more about
apprenticeship opportunities, please
contact the apprenticeship team on
07976 683565. Alternatively, please
email swbh.apprenticeship@nhs.net
or visit Connect.
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