Competitors from South West College and Southern Regional College, which are both in Northern Ireland, scooped the first prizes in the two final qualifying heats in this year’s WorldSkills UK 2016 Health and Social Care Competition, which were held at Shipley College in Shipley and are part of the world’s largest vocational skills competition.
The last two of five qualifying heats were held on the 30th of June 1st July 2016 and the competitors from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, were able to demonstrate their skills in delivering health care in a competitive environment. This year’s competitions are organised by Profiles4Care and sponsored by the NHS Leadership academy.
Heat 4
Heat 4 winners Emma Middlehurst, Sophie McCann and Haleema Shaheen
1st place – Sophie McCann, South West College
2nd place – Emma Middlehurst, Riverside College
3rd place – Haleema Shaheen, South & City College Birmingham
Heat 5
1st place – Rachael McCullough, Southern Regional College
2nd place – Sanna Khan, City of Glasgow College
3rd place – James Holes, Scarborough 6th Form College
Organised by Profiles4Care Ltd, the WorldSkills UK competitions are part of WorldSkills International the world’s largest vocational skills competition.
Organised by Profiles4Care Ltd, the WorldSkills UK competitions are part of WorldSkills International the world’s largest vocational skills competition.
The competition aims to find the best adult health and social care workers in the country. A total of five regional qualifying heats took place between May and July, with the eight highest scorers from across the country going forward to the National Finals at the Skills Show, being held at the NEC in Birmingham this November.
Over the course of the day competitors needed to demonstrate the delivery of excellent health care in a mix of written tests and live activities, assessed by a panel of expert judges from across the country. The activities, which includes working with older people and people with learning disabilities, were devised by Profiles4Care Ltd to replicate situations which health and social care workers would be expected to face in their everyday roles.
Sophie McCann (19), who won 1st prize in Heat 4 said; “I was so surprised to have won, everyone could see it in my face. WorldSkills has been a real challenge but such a great learning opportunity and I’m so pleased to have met new people and looked at care in a whole new way today.”
Heat 5 winners Sanna Khan, Rachael McCullough and James Holes
Rachael McCullough (17), winner of Heat 5 said; “It’s been such a brilliant experience, particularly working with the actresses who have really brought the care scenarios to life. I have learned so much about working with patients and have lots of memories to take away. In today’s competition I encountered so many situations that I never dreamed I could handle and I’m really proud to have won.”
Marc Jones, Director at Profiles4Care Ltd the competition organiser, said: “The skills shown by the competitors in all five of this year’s Qualifying Heats have been amazing to watch. As this competition highlights, UK wide there are great carers and health and social care training and education providers, which will have an increasingly positive impact on the sector as a whole.”
