Competitors from South Devon College and Lincolnshire’s Boston College scooped the first prizes in the two initial qualifying heats in this year’s WorldSkills UK 2016 Health and Social Care Competition, which were held at South and City College in Birmingham and are part of the world’s largest vocational skills competition.
The first two of five qualifying heats were held on the 23rd and 24th May 2016 and the first 24 of this year’s 60 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 1 on 23rd May saw some fantastic skills being delivered with personal centred health care being demonstrated throughout, resulting in the following winners:
1st place – William Malcher, South Devon College
2nd place – Rachael Tucker, South Devon College
3rd place – Jessica Palmer, The College of West Anglia
Heat 2 on the 24th May witnessed further excellence with the following competitors achieving:
1st place – Rhianna Berry, Boston College in Lincolnshire
2nd place – Ashleigh Brown, Shipley College in West Yorkshire
3rd place – Fallon Barron, Shipley College
Organised by Profiles4Care Ltd, the WorldSkills UK competitions are part of WorldSkills International, the world’s largest vocational skills competition.
Theresa Elliot of CACHE, Heat 1 Winner William Malcher and Mark Poland of Profiles4Care
The competition aims to find the best adult health and social care workers in the country. A total of five regional qualifying heats are taking 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.
Health and social care students and staff from South and City College Birmingham also played a central role in the competition.
Mike Hopkins, Principal of South and City College said; “We are delighted that the first two heat of this competition has been held at our college.
We have been very impressed by the competitors and I congratulate them all on how much effort they have put in and how professional they have been.
SCCB Governor Heather Jones and Heat 2 Winner Rhianna Berry
“At the college we believe that competitions help boost students’ confidence, whilst also giving them an excellent experience.”
William Malcher (18), who won 1st prize in Heat 1 said; “It’s such a happy feeling to have won. It’s been great to meet so many new people and to experience all different aspects of care. The WorldSkills competition has been such a positive experience so far and I’m sure that it is going to be great for the development of my practice in future.”
Rhianna Berry, winner of Heat 2 said; “WorldSkills has been a whirlwind experience – I’ve never even been to Birmingham before. It’s been great to see how others my age work and to have a chance to reflect on how I do what I do so that I can learn from others to improve. I was so happy to win – it was such a shock that I cried.”
Marc Jones, Director at Profiles4Care Ltd said: “The expertise and leadership demonstrated by our frontline care workers has once again been a pleasure to observe. To see competitors confidently showing what they can do when supporting people is a privilege. Health and social care has a lot to look forward to from the people who have taken part in this competition.
Making the awards, Lead Judge Pat Pearson said: “WorldSkills just gets better and better as a competition and a real showcase for how well social care is carried out. It was a pleasure to observe such committed competitors taking part in the heats at South and City College Birmingham and to award prizes to some outstanding care workers and students.”
