75 years of the NHS
On 5 July 2023, the National Health Service marked 75 years of service. Established in 1948, the NHS is the first universal health system to be available to all. It continues to evolve to meet the needs and challenges of each generation.
Vice-Chancellor and CEO, Professor Jane Harrington said:
“As a university, we stand with each NHS member of staff and appreciate the vital role the service plays in our lives. We recognise and thank the extraordinary NHS staff who are there to guide, support and care for us, day in, day out and we celebrate our long and established partnership with them.”
The NHS has had an enormous impact on British society, and its impact extends far beyond healthcare provision.
Our school of health sciences is at the forefront of NHS workforce development. We are recognised as a leading force in Nursing, Midwifery, and Allied Health education, delivering a range of cutting-edge courses and learning opportunities. We are also growing and seeking out new opportunities and we are delighted to be embarking on a new programme of midwifery at Medway working with the NHS to ensure that the midwifery workforce in Kent is developed and supported to ensure safe and excellent care is delivered.
We are committed to providing a dynamic learning environment, and we’ve heavily invested in our state-of-the-art learning and simulation facilities. In 2021, we established dedicated simulation spaces at its Avery Hill campus in Eltham, south east London that includes three five-bedded clinical wards, consultation and triage rooms; skills labs; and a fully furnished community flat. The facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art simulation equipment and integrated AV/IT support.
The school has extensive, well-established partnerships with a wide range of healthcare organisations including hospital, community, primary care, and paramedic services, and our research is helping to shape health services nationally – from understanding and improving patient outcomes to enhancing integrated care.
We recognise and thank the extraordinary NHS staff who are there to guide, support and care for us, day in, day out and we celebrate our long and established partnership with them.
Student Nursing Times Awards 2023
The Student Nursing Times Awards, organised by Nursing Times, recognises nurses and midwives for their hard work, innovation, and dedication to education.
In April, former student Amie Stocks won the “Learner of the Year: Post-registration” category. Amie now works at Kent Community Healthcare Trust.
Amie said:
"During my MA course at Greenwich I continued to work within my health visiting team full time, fitting studies in around my days off and weekends, whilst juggling family life and two children."
"I was also privileged to have learned from the inspiring Professor David Evans. He taught me that being passionate about learning can inspire others. This is something that I have taken back to the workplace and I hope that I can inspire my colleagues and future nursing students to take their studies, knowledge and desire to learn as far as they can."
The Nursing Memorial Appeal
We are delighted to have received a generous donation from the Nursing Memorial Appeal and have launched a new bursary for students studying nursing programmes.
The Nursing Memorial Appeal has successfully raised the necessary funds for a permanent memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum, dedicated to all the nurses who died in the two World Wars.
Now, the Nursing Memorial Appeal has moved onto its second objective which is to create a living legacy for today’s student nurses with a demonstrable interest in emergency, humanitarian and/or crisis nursing.
To spread the funding as widely as possible, the University of Greenwich has introduced the £500 Bursary Buddy, to support students when they need a helping hand to acquire extra training materials, attend conferences or pay for travel, related to an emergency nursing interest.
Mary Davies, Associate Director, Alumni and Fundraising said:
“The Nursing Memorial Appeal bursary shines a light on the courageous spirit of past nurses and embraces the future of nursing. By providing support to today's student nurses, especially those with a passion for emergency, humanitarian, and crisis nursing, this bursary creates a living legacy that echoes the resilience and dedication of those who served before. Through the University of Greenwich's Bursary Buddy program, we extend a helping hand to deserving individuals, ensuring they have the resources to excel in their studies and make a difference in the world.”
In 2024, the University of Greenwich will work with the Nursing Memorial Appeal to fundraise in support of additional bursaries.
“Having memorialised all those brave nurses who died for us in the two World Wars, we wanted to ensure a permanent link between yesterday’s heroines and tomorrow’s savers of lives. The arrangement we have secured with the University of Greenwich is a great step forward in that direction.
We know how students often struggle to make ends meet, which always presents the danger of dampening enthusiasm, or limiting ambition. We want them to know that we understand and support them, that there is indeed a ‘buddy’ by their side who can chip in on occasions with some financial encouragement.”
-Dr Peter Carter OBE, Chair, Nursing Memorial Appeal
Mary Davies
Associate Director, Alumni and Fundraising
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