Simulated hospital room helping adults into work

Annalise Walsh trained in the healthcare room and will start a new job at Doncaster Royal Infirmary in January

A charity helping adults with communication issues into work has opened a simulated hospital room to provide hands-on experience of working in a healthcare setting.

The new facility is run by Aspire to Be, which is managed by the Doncaster Deaf Trust.

Annalise Walsh, 18, who is autistic, said the training room had allowed her to learn "at her own pace" ahead of starting a job with Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's facilities team.

Tina Rafferty, manager of Aspire to Be, said: "This is untapped talent that we are now providing the NHS."

The hospital room is one of several at Aspire, including a warehouse, shop, café and hotel room.

It has been created in partnership with the trust, which manages Doncaster Royal Infirmary, who have supplied equipment no longer used by the hospital to make it as realistic as possible.

Zoe Lintin, the trust's chief people officer said: “The Health and Care Simulation Room is a fantastic initiative led by Aspire to Be.

"It is a testament to what we can achieve together to support individuals with communication and learning challenges in preparing for meaningful careers in health and care.”

Ms Walsh said she had “struggled” at college, but found the room offered a different approach to learning.

“I didn’t like sitting in the classroom. It didn’t feel very supportive," she said.

"Here I can do it in my own pace.

"I want to be a nurse and I know I’m starting at the bottom, but I’ll get there."

Kerry Owusu, 38, from Doncaster said the training room “works for her”.

“This isn’t just theory, it’s hands on as well so it makes it stick. It’s better for me," she said.

Kerry Owusu, 38, said the "hands on training" suits her needs

Since the healthcare room opened in July, 16 of the 17 people to have made use of it have been offered roles with the trust.

Aspire also has links with Premier Inn and GXO and has provided housekeepers and warehouse staff for to the firms.

In 2024 it said 43% of its service users have been offered jobs or are in the very last stages of the recruitment process and expecting a formal job offer imminently.

Jo Holt coaches service users at Aspire To Be in the simulated hotel room and the new health care room.

Jo Holt, who is one of the work coaches said: "It is life changing for people to be part of their community and find work.

"The sense of pride, you can't put a value on that."

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