Inspira supports employers to meet skills gaps across Cumbria and Lancashire, has linked up with two hospital trusts to help the NHS recruit into vital positions.

The charity is working with North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust and Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust Group, to offer training for vacant domestic assistant positions in the NHS as part of its role in supporting employers in a range of sectors across the North-West.

In a fast-track seven-day programme delivered over two weeks, Inspira is working with 23 applicants from across Cumbria.

Job seekers from Carlisle, Wigton, Workington, Whitehaven and Penrith, are among those being coached and mentored in employability skills.

In the latest of our highly successful pre-employment programmes, every person who completes the training - 11 are taking part in sessions in Carlisle and 12 in Workington - is guaranteed a job interview with the NHS.

Chris Gibson, Inspira’s Contract Manager, said:

“At Inspira we have the capability and experience of working with a wide range of businesses across Cumbria and Lancashire to deliver short, sharp, interventions which provide fast and long-lasting recruitment solutions for organisations.

We work with the applicants to make sure they have the correct accreditation, are prepped for interviews and are ready for work.”

Susan Watkins, Inspira’s Area Operations Manager for Carlisle, North Cumbria and Eden, said:

“We are delighted to be working in partnership with the NHS and providing people with the skills they need to secure jobs in the health service and support our communities.”

A spokesperson for Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust Group said:

“We are really pleased to be working in collaboration with Inspira on our current recruitment drive for Domestic Assistants in some of our community and hospital sites across both Workington and Carlisle.

This is hopefully just the beginning. We hope that our working relationship can continue to grow and that we can do similar projects again in the future that help support both Inspira, our Trust and the people of Cumbria.”

A spokesperson for North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust said:

“This type of partnership approach with Inspira is a great way to deliver a solution which works really well for everyone involved. Through Inspira we are able to provide job opportunities for people across our communities. Those recruits in turn take pride in providing a service which benefits a wide range of people who need to access our services. Thanks to everyone involved for making it such a positive collaboration for our hospital trust, our patients, and the wider community.”