'Role model' Lisa is a star healthcare apprentice

13th April 2016

A mental health support worker in Dorset who helps vulnerable people in crisis has been singled out as one of the region’s top NHS apprentices.

Lisa Wilson, who works for Dorset HealthCare in the Blandford area, has been named as runner-up in Health Education England (HEE)’s first Wessex Apprentice of the Year awards.

HEE works to improve patient care through better workforce training and education within the NHS, and launched the awards to recognise and celebrate the work of apprenticeships in the Wessex area.

Lisa is part of the Adult Community Mental Health Team based at Blandford Hospital; helping to assess people’s needs and support their recovery. She was praised by the judging panel for the “positive impact” she had made on her team and her work to “challenge and develop” the service. Judges said she had been “a real advocate and role model” for the job.

It is not the first time Lisa has been recognised for her work. She was awarded Learner of the Year by The Dorset Apprenticeship Institute in 2015 and this was followed by a nomination for HEE Wessex’s Shine Awards recognising training and learning excellence in the NHS.

Dorset HealthCare’s practice development lead Alex Matutino, who nominated Lisa for the awards, said:

“Lisa regularly supports people who are in crisis, quickly building a rapport in often very difficult circumstances. She makes people feel safe and that their situation is not hopeless, and ensures their needs and wishes are properly heard.

“Patients and service users tell us that Lisa helps them to feel empowered when making choices about the care they receive, which often results in people feeling more confident and positive about their own abilities and potential. She is not afraid to challenge how services are delivered, and is a fantastic role model.”

Lisa was presented with her award certificate by HEE Wessex chair Jacqueline Swift and Dorset HealthCare Chief Executive Ron Shields at Blandford Community Hospital.

There are a large number of apprenticeships designed for roles in the health sector, such as healthcare assistants and administrators. Apprenticeships enable young people and adult learners to earn while they learn in a real job, gaining a qualification and improved prospects for the future. For more information about apprenticeship opportunities with Dorset HealthCare, email dhc.apprenticeships@nhs.net

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