CARE bosses in Bradford have teamed up with a neighbouring hospitals trust to create a new centre for excellence.

The partnership between Bradford District Care Trust and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has been set up to help improve the training and skills of healthcare support workers across the whole of the West Yorkshire region.

The initiative will see the West Yorkshire Excellence Centre become one of nine across the country being run as part of a network by the National Skills Academy for Health.

The scheme will bring together the resources and expertise of the two NHS trusts to help staff in a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, care homes, dentists and GP practices, get access to high-quality training and opportunities to develop their roles.

Simon Large, chief executive of Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust, said the partnership was a response to the need to increase the availability of good quality training in a planned and sustainable way for support workers.

Support workers make up 40 per cent of the healthcare workforce but their needs for training to keep up their skills and qualifications could sometimes be overlooked, added Mr Large.

“The Trust is delighted to be a key partner in this new venture that will bring together local employers and training providers, across health and social care,” he said.

“Staff are our most valuable asset, and this initiative will provide development opportunities for our healthcare support teams, who are working with local communities and people in our care.”

The West Yorkshire Excellence Centre will be one of the first in the North and will act as a regional hub for healthcare employers to work with education and training providers to design and deliver training and learning programmes, as well as being able to share best practice.