It's one of our favourite weeks here at CHFT- Apprentice Week.

It's when the country recognises the role and work of apprentices in the workplace and here at CHFT we've plenty of reasons to celebrate, including our newest cohort of 16 new apprentices who picked up their uniforms this week.

Our latest apprentices cover a diverse number of specialities, which is great. Here's a rundown of the areas they'll be working in and the types of duties they'll cover:

• Cardiology – Apprentice Healthcare Assistant – Greeting patients, undertaking cardiology tests, ECG’s, Supporting Dr during procedures, Appling 24 monitors and others test as required by the department.
• Eye Clinic  - Apprentice Healthcare Assistant – Greeting patients, undertaking visual test, inserting eye drops, Supporting Dr during procedures, carrying our other Eye procedures and test as required, giving support to consultants.
• Therapy – Apprentice Therapy Assistant - Undertaking therapy e.g reading  and writing tasks, jigsaws, dominos all to help with coordination with the patient, exercises, regular walks and physio therapy requirements, assisting the physiotherapist and occupational therapist as required to help the patients achieve independence.
• Theatre – Apprentice Theatre orderly – Transfer patients from the ward to theatre and back following surgery.   Ensure the trolley and equipment is available as required for safe theatre transfers.
• Radiology – Nursing – Apprentice Healthcare Assistant – Work with the nursing team in radiology to support patients undergoing radiology procedures and recover them to go home.
• Radiology Helper – Apprentice Radiography Assistant – Work with the Radiographers to assist with the radiographers to prepare patient for CT & MRI as well as book patient in. Insert Cannulas and support patients.
• A&E - Apprentice Healthcare Assistant – Undertake duties in the department to support the nursing staff and Drs, undertaking observations and giving guidance. Providing drinks and mental support.  Escorting patients for admission to the wards.
• Gynae OPD – Apprentice Healthcare Assistant - Greeting patients, Explaining the procedures, preparing them.  Supporting Dr and specialist nurses during procedures, carrying out other  procedures and test as required, giving support to consultants, patients, & relatives.
• Phlebotomy – Apprentice Phlebotomist – Take blood samples from patient in the blood collecting unit and go to wards and clinics to obtain blood samples as requested.  Work on the reception area and greet and book patients in.
• Wards – Apprentice Healthcare Assistant – Supporting the nursing staff on the wards to care for the patients.  Undertaking Blood pressures and patients observations and helping with any personal care needs and the activities of daily living.

Take a look at our website pages.

Every day this week we've featured a different apprentice in a different role on our CHFT social media channels. This week we've featured: 

• Shamyla Akhtar- Trainee Nurse Associate
• Jon Cornwall- Business Administration 
• Darius Edington- Healthcare Support Worker
• Amerjit Dhesi- Radiology Helper
• Lauren Chadwick - Healthcare Science Practitioner (being covered on Friday)