Lived Experience Connector

In December 2015, the Government announced a brand-new nursing support role, called a “Nursing Associate”. They will complete a two-year long training programme to qualify, which includes on-the-job learning and study, which will lead to a foundation degree, there is also a role called “Assistant Practitioners” they will follow a therapy or nursing training pathway and undertake a level 5 two-year foundation degree in health or social care which also includes on-the job learning and study.

When trained, Nursing Associates will deliver person-centred care and support to people who access our services and their families, ensuring people get the compassionate care they deserve. The new addition to the care workforce will help bridge the gap between Clinical Support Workers, who have a care certificate, and degree-level Nurses. When trained the Assistant Practitioners will work as part of the wider Health and Social Care team and have direct contact with people who access our services providing high-quality and person-centred care. Lived Experience Connector® volunteers are people who have personal experience of accessing services. They volunteer with us and will use their skills to describe to students at Chester University their own experiences of receiving care, sharing about their emotions, feelings, fears, hopes, and concerns. The sessions will be held at Chester University, Lived Experience Connectors® will be placed with a small group of students, and given a particular topic around person centred care to discuss with the students. Lived Experience Connectors® will then share their experience and the students can ask questions, there will always be either a member of the PACE team or a tutor from the university in the group for support. Hearing first-hand about people’s lived experience of care will help the trainees to reflect on their own clinical practice, to develop good relational skills, and will help them to give the best possible person-centred care when they graduate.