Our Trust has been honoured with a Bronze Award for ‘Commitment to Outcomes’ at the national DFN Project SEARCH Conference, celebrating the success of our inclusive employment programme.
The Bronze Award recognises the achievements of the DFN Project SEARCH cohorts at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI), Furness General Hospital (FGH) in Barrow and Westmorland General Hospital (WGH) in Kendal and highlights our Trust’s strong commitment to supporting young people with learning disabilities and neurodiverse conditions into meaningful paid employment.
DFN Project SEARCH is an internationally recognised supported internship programme designed to help young people develop the skills, confidence and real-world experience they need to move into sustainable work.
At UHMBT, the programme is delivered in partnership with DFN Project Search and education and local authority colleagues, with a clear emphasis on high-quality placements, tailored individual support and close collaboration with hospital teams.
The Bronze Award highlights that our People Services and hospital teams have shown a relentless commitment to quality and achieved the following standards:
- 70%+ interns gained employment.
- 60%+ interns gained employment at criteria.
- A minimum 8+ interns enrolled (post half-term 1).
- A minimum of 87% completion rate (or no more than 1 intern having withdrawn from the programme post half-term 1).
- On average interns earn a living wage or above.
Iain Hook, Careers Lead at UHMBT, said: “We are incredibly proud to see our team and hospitals recognised at a national level.
“This Bronze Award reflects the dedication of colleagues, partners and interns, as well as the positive employment outcomes achieved by the young people.
“DFN Project SEARCH plays a vital role in helping us to challenge perceptions and create genuine employment opportunities for young people who bring huge value to our NHS workforce.”
Mike Ferguson, Supported Internship Lead and Tutor at Lancaster and Morecambe College, said: “The work of the hospital staff and management is hugely valuable and we’d like to say a special thank you to Iain Hook, Careers and Apprenticeships Team Project Coordinator from UHMBT, Hannah Rutherford, and the whole UHMBT team for their unstinting support for the interns.”
The conference brought together employers, educators and employability professionals from across the country to share learning, best practice and evidence on what drives successful employment outcomes.
Discussions highlighted the importance of delivering DFN Project SEARCH projects consistently and making reasonable workplace adjustments to better support diverse needs.
Iain added: “We remain committed to building on this success, expanding inclusive employment opportunities across our services and supporting people from all backgrounds to develop rewarding careers within the NHS.”