Transforming how health and social care is delivered across Scotland will have a profound impact on communities—but it demands not only new skills, but bold new approaches to education.

Recognising this, NHS Education for Scotland (NES) and the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) have signed a landmark ‘Strategic Collaboration Agreement’ to co-design and deliver cutting-edge training and learning using data, technology, and flexible workplace-based models tailored to the evolving needs of the sector.

Working together, the partners will focus on areas such as:

  • identifying opportunities to develop skills that staff have right now
  • designing and delivering flexible workplace-based learning that adapts to the needs of health and social care learners
  • enabling more on-the-job learning through bite-sized ‘micro-credential’ learning, graduate apprenticeships and new kinds of continuous professional development

Professor James Miller, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of UWS said:

“The University of the West of Scotland is committed to creating and removing barriers to educational opportunities across all the communities we serve. With new technologies and breakthroughs in clinical research, education is vital for healthcare and social care regionally, nationally and globally. Patients and staff rightly expect care and treatment that keeps pace with the technologies of today, not simply repeating the approaches of the past. Healthcare delivery is changing too. This partnership allows us to pool our educational and workforce expertise, to deliver a revolution in health and social care education.”

NES Deputy Chief Executive & Executive Director of Nursing, Karen Wilson said:
“NES provides education, training, workforce development, data and technology for health and social care in Scotland. We help people who work in this area to get the education and skills they need to provide good quality care for people in Scotland. Our work affects every person in every community in Scotland. 

“The world changes quickly. We need to prepare and shape the workforce for the future and the changes in health and social care that we all need to improve people’s health.

“This strategic partnership is a ground-breaking development. We are excited to be able to plan and working closely with UWS to make our vision a reality.”

The ‘Strategic Collaboration Agreement’ also supports:

  • effective educational governance
  • quality assurance of educational courses and products
  • adoption of best practice innovation