New nursing course opens up career to all ages

Students will do some of their training in a simulated ward at Wiltshire College in Salisbury

A new nursing course starting later this year hopes to attract people of "all ages".

The two-year degree course is being run jointly by Wiltshire College and Salisbury District Hospital in collaboration with Coventry University.

Senior nursing officer at Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, Judy Dyos, described the course as: "An exciting and fresh approach to training the nurses of the future".

Jo Grenfell, vice-principal of skills and student services, said: "We welcome applications from anyone looking to retrain to enter into a health career.

Chief nursing officer at Salisbury District Hospital, Judy Dyos, and Jo Grenfell, vice-principal at Wiltshire College, will oversee the new course

A new 'sim suite' - which will provide a mock ward - is being built at the college to help students with their practical training.

The course, which will start in September 2024, will be taught by specialist nurse tutors from Wiltshire College and Coventry University with practical placements at the hospital.

It will enable local people to stay living at home while they study and train.

Currently the nearest nursing courses available to people in the Salisbury area are in Bristol, Oxford and Southampton.

Ms Grenfell said: "It will bring local jobs to local people.

"It's good news for the hosptial and for anyone in the Salisbury area who is thinking about nursing as a career.

"This course will open that door to them," she said.

Work will start shortly on the 'sim-suite' in the college building on Southampton Road.

College principal and CEO Iain Hatt said they have made "significant investment to develop state-of-the-art facilities".