Thousands of Bromley, Bexley and Greenwich students to staff mass Covid-19 vaccination programme

The vaccination of hundreds of thousands of residents in South London and Kent will be staffed by thousands of students from colleges in the area.

London South East Colleges has been selected as a partner by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust to support the imminent roll out of the Covid-19 vaccine.

The NHS is looking to recruit both clinical/healthcare staff and support staff from local communities across Bromley, Bexley, Lewisham and Greenwich – aiming to secure a workforce that can deliver the biggest immunisation programme of our time, both now and over the coming months.

The college will provide essential training to candidates, preparing them to enter the NHS recruitment process as well as supporting experienced staff already working in the NHS. A huge number of roles need to be filled –from clinical staff to deliver the vaccine, through to administration support and customer service roles.

For people with no previous healthcare experience, an entry to employment package – the “Get Ready” programme – has been developed by Oxleas and the college. This will provide participants with the skills, knowledge and behaviours to support them to access the job opportunities generated by the vaccination programme; laying the foundation for an exciting career within the NHS.

A dedicated NHS training page has been set up on London South East Colleges’ website  (www.lsec.ac.uk/nhscareers) and a targeted marketing and recruitment campaign will be launched to highlight the many opportunities on offer.

CEO of London South East Colleges, Dr Sam Parrett OBE, said:  “Following the fantastic news about the first Covid-19 vaccine being approved, London South East Colleges is absolutely delighted to support the NHS with its critical mission. 2020 has been an incredibly tough year for everyone, but an effective roll out this new vaccine will hopefully turn things around quickly.

“We have been developing a strategic relationship with Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust for some time, supporting it to secure a pipeline of skills and ensuring our own students have access to exciting career opportunities within the healthcare sector. Never has there been a better time to consider joining the NHS – and taking on a key role in defeating Covid-19.”

The first ten participants will start the Get Ready programme on Monday 7 December with the College aiming to attract over 300 people. Oxleas expects to enrol around 1000 people in total by the end of March 2021.

Earlier this year, CEO of Oxleas, Matthew Trainer, delivered a Landmark Lecture to students and staff at London South East Colleges – discussing the benefits of an NHS career as well as sharing his own personal journey.

Trainer said yesterday:  “This will be the largest immunisation programme of our time and to deliver it effectively, we need the right people in the right place as soon as possible. Our partnership with London South East Colleges will help the NHS to work with individuals from all backgrounds across our local communities, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to make a difference as we play our part in the international fight against Covid-19.

“I would encourage anyone who is interested in a career within the healthcare sector to get in touch.

Find out what opportunities are available, join our vital effort to help protect the lives of people living in Bromley, Bexley, Lewisham and Greenwich.”

Last month London South East Colleges took part in a virtual careers event led by NHS London and the National Careers Service London. It featured information on application processes, the many roles available within the NHS and advice direct from healthcare professionals.

Representing the education sector, London South East Colleges highlighted the different types of training available to access NHS and healthcare careers – and is now supporting the Trust in its new mission.

Enrolment events will be taking place on the 16 and 22 December –  and a virtual open day is being held on 17 December for people to find out more about the opportunities available. For more information visit: lsec.ac.uk