TRUST ENTERS PARTNERSHIP WITH NEWMAN UNIVERSITY

A new collaboration between West Midlands Ambulance Service and Newman University is set to boost the opportunities for people from an ethnic minority within the ambulance sector.

The Trust and University are to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand greater collaboration.

This strategic partnership sets the stage for a dynamic partnership that will bring about significant advancements in establishing and maintaining joint staff activities including research, curriculum development, staff exchanges, and collaborative ventures.

The MOU, signed on 17th July, establishes a framework for cooperation between the two organisations, in particular with the newly created School of Nursing and Allied Health. The partnership will foster innovation, knowledge exchange, and professional development opportunities for healthcare practitioners and students.

Key elements of the Memorandum of Understanding include:

A Student Paramedic Course which will train more students to degree level.

Cooperation in Teaching and Research & Development which will comprise joint research, curriculum development, staff exchanges, and collaborative ventures.

Consultancy and Continuing Professional Development which will explore the possible provision of joint services and will collaborate to formulate joint tenders as appropriate.

WMAS Chief Executive, Anthony Marsh said: “As the first and only ‘university’ ambulance service, we have a long history of pioneering education and research. I am delighted that we will together with Newman University offer more opportunities to people from all sectors of our local community.”

Carla Beechey, People Director said: “Our close partnerships and collaborations with Universities’ mean that over the last decade, thousands of students have undertaken placements with the Trust as they learn their profession.

“We know that Newman University have 44% of their students from an ethnic minority background, and 40% of their students are mature learners. Expanding our reach and providing opportunities for these communities is something that is important for our workforce to become even more reflective of the community we serve.

“We’re pleased to be forming this new partnership with Newman University which we hope will enable more students across the West Midlands to uptake opportunities to study.”

Paul Tolley, Head of Education and Training said: “The Trust works in partnership with universities to further develop education, training and research opportunities that take the ambulance sector into the future. This is an exciting development and is one that allows us to further our position in the ambulance sector going forward and to increase the opportunities for people in our region to join the paramedic profession, making this the seventh University the Trust has partnered with since the first partnership in 2018.

“We have a significant role to play in the education and training of our current and future workforce, contribute to the research and evidence base to develop the paramedic profession and extend our understanding of the urgent and emergency care needs in the pre-hospital environment.”

Professor Jackie Dunne, Vice Chancellor of Newman University said: "This partnership with the West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust will open new opportunities for our students in our new School of Nursing and Allied Health. We are delighted to be working in partnership with the Trust in the development of new courses in Paramedic Science and other areas of collaborative working across teaching and research, and our students will be gaining practical experiences that will shape them into future healthcare professionals in the West Midlands and beyond."

As the newest nursing and physiotherapy education provider in the city of Birmingham, the School of Nursing & Allied Health is in the newly refurbished Nursing and Allied Health facility at the Bartley Green campus. The school will provide state-of-the-art nursing and physiotherapy facilities, including an immersive room designed to recreate the experience of working in a busy health environment and using enhanced realism to train and teach students.

Students will be able to choose between three distinct courses in Adult Nursing, Mental Health Nursing, and Physiotherapy from September 2023, developed in collaboration with the university’s practice partners and delivered by a highly experienced and passionate clinical teaching team. From September 2024 Paramedic Science (BSc) Hons and Occupational Therapy (BSc) Hons will also be offered.

For more information on the courses available please visit the website.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact:

West Midlands Ambulance Service Press Office: pressoffice@wmas.nhs.uk / 01384 215 560.

About West Midlands Ambulance Service:

West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust serves a population of 5.6 million people covering an area of more than 5,000 square miles made up of Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Coventry, Birmingham and Black Country conurbation. We are the only ambulance service to be rated ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). WMAS has signed similar agreements with Birmingham City University, Coventry University, Keele University, Staffordshire University, University of Worcester and Warwick University.

Newman University Press Contact: marketing@newman.ac.uk / +44 7300 811968

About Newman University:

Newman University is a distinctive University based in Bartley Green, Birmingham founded in 1968. Newman has a range of courses offered by its two faculties: the Faculty of Arts, Society and Professional Studies; and the Faculty of Education, as well as offering Foundation Year study. Newman students come from a range of social backgrounds, faiths, and cultures, mainly from the West Midlands region.