Ardleigh-based Healthcare Homes Group, a provider of residential and domiciliary care services, has marked the completion of its first 12-month Health Care Practitioner apprenticeship programme, which has seen eight Suffolk and Norfolk employees make the grade.

The health care practitioner role was launched in November 2017 and offers staff the opportunity to undertake the accredited programme, which results in them being able to move to a skilled post alongside the experienced nursing team.

The eight successful participants of the first programme received badges and certificates from the senior management team, and a celebratory lunch.

The staff who completed the programme are:

Hanro Steytler – Oaklands House Care ResidenceDawn Culf – Aldringham Court Nursing Home, Hayley Day – field based (Suffolk). Kelly Duszynski – Barking Hall Nursing Home, Florin Popsecu – Home Close Residential Home, Ingrida Popescu – Home Close Residential Home, Trina Green – Meadow House Nursing Home, Tracy Eves – Meadow House Nursing Home.

The accredited apprenticeship programme was developed by the group’s Head of Learning & Development Fran Brett, in partnership with training provider Steadfast.

The training programme has been led by Steadfast for those who enrolled on the first 12-month course. Fran Brett of Healthcare Homes Group said: “Congratulations to the very first cohort of Health Care Practitioners, who have successfully completed the accredited programme. They are now able to operate as HCPs alongside our busy nursing staff, which is beneficial all round; extra support for our nurses and residents plus it gives staff a new development path within the business.”

A second group of apprentices will be qualifying in February, taking the total number of Health Care Practitioners to 14.

There are two additional cohorts starting this month and December, with a further 22 new trainees in the pipeline.

Following completion of the HCP, Trina Green and Tracy Eves have already signed-up to a new Trainee Nursing Associates Programme, which Healthcare Homes is offering staff.

The programme is managed by the University of East Anglia and the Group is one of only two social care providers to launch a Trainee Nursing Associates scheme, in partnership with Norfolk and Waveney STP.

The Healthcare Homes Group provides nursing care in many of its residential homes across East Anglia and the South of England.