Health workers in Bolton have been celebrating the vital contribution made by apprentices to the borough’s NHS trust.

Bolton NHS Foundation Trust currently employs around 140 apprentices across almost 70 courses covering both clinical and non-clinical subjects.

One such example is corporate business manager Nicola Caffey, who is also studying health and social care business management at a degree level.

She said: “After such a long time of actually working, it felt like a time to quantify the information that I thought I knew about and develop some of my skills.

“Financial costs always felt like a barrier for me to access higher education, especially with me thinking about my children heading to the university in the not too distant future.

The Bolton News: Royal Bolton HospitalRoyal Bolton Hospital (Image: Newsquest)

“I never thought I could afford higher education for myself.”

The work that apprentices like Ms Caffey do has been highlighted with National Apprenticeship Week, which began on Monday, February 6 and runs until Sunday, February 12.

The week aims to show the positive impact apprenticeships can have on people like Bolton’s Malcolm Wood, an acute paediatric governance and education coordinator who is studying senior management.

He said: “This course will give me more skills to move away from clinical areas into the business side, which is a big ambition of mine.

“I can already see the benefits in how I work and the increased level of strategic thinking that I have and the understanding of how the organisation works.

“I don’t think I would have had those skills to be able to make those moves if I hadn’t done this particular apprenticeship course.”

Another example is student operating department practitioner Claire Girling, who joined the trust 15 years ago and has now decided to start and apprenticeship course.

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She said: “It’s given me the opportunity to expand my skills and knowledge. I’ve worked here as a theatre support worker for 15 years, so this course has allowed me to go to university and have a young family at home.

“The support from both work and the university has been fantastic.

“It is hard work and you have to put the time and effort in, but it’s so beneficial.

“I’m nearly 40 so if I can do it, anyone can do it.”