MDX wins prestigious industry award for adult social care training with local NHS organisation

This training was launched to tackle a rise in North London in catheter-associated infections within adult social care

Middlesex University’s Nursing and Midwifery Department has received a prestigious industry award for its significant work with a local NHS organisation to train adult social care nurses using advanced simulation facilities.

MDX was honoured with a Nursing Times Workforce Award in the ‘Best Workplace for Learning and Development’ category for its partnership with the North Central London Integrated Care Board. This initiative helped enhance the confidence and competence of the adult social care workforce in delivering more complex care.

The training programme was launched in response to a rise in catheter-associated infections within adult social care, as well as a growing demand from nurses for high-quality training to address the increasingly complex needs of people needing care.

Tailored training sessions were co-developed with Middlesex University’s state-of-the-art health centre, using its advanced simulation and virtual reality facilities at the West Stand of Saracens’ StoneX Stadium. These programmes offered a high-quality learning environment that closely mirrored real-life workplace conditions. The training focused on key areas, including catheterisation care, end-of-life care, and verification of expected adult death.

The project aimed to invest in the nursing workforce by improving staff retention, reducing the high volume of London Ambulance Service callouts, and ensuring that residents received care from competent professionals in their preferred environment. Moreover, this partnership also led to an increase in student nurse placements.

“We are honoured to receive such a prestigious award, which reflects the passionate work of our team, working in partnership with North Central London adult social care to deliver a bespoke high-quality simulated practice learning experience. We are very privileged to have a state-of-the-art simulation centre and a clinically and academically credible workforce.”

Fiona Suthers, Head of Clinical Skills and Simulation, at Middlesex University.

Cariona Flaherty, Interim Head of the Nursing and Midwifery Department at Middlesex University, said: “We’re delighted because it is a great achievement for the Department and the University and echoes our commitment to partnership work, particularly within social care. This is a great example of higher education working in collaboration with practice partners to improve patient care and staff retention because they are being trained and given opportunities to progress in their career. We want to support care out of hospitals and to make that happen you need to invest in training and support within social care.”

Find out more about Nursing and Midwifery at Middlesex University.