The Open University

Saving Lives in Cardiff follows the doctors making life-changing decisions at the heart of the NHS

19 August 2024

A new six-part OU/BBC co-production from the ‘Saving Lives’ series begins on 20 August at 9pm on BBC Two and BBC One Wales. Against the backdrop of rising waiting lists and overstretched staff, Saving Lives in Cardiff follows the clinicians who face the daily dilemma of deciding who gets treated first and the impact these […]

OU/BBC co-production goes behind the scenes of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

28 February 2023

Saving Lives in Leeds, a new BBC documentary, produced with the support of two OU academics, features the challenging work of doctors and surgeons at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHT Trust. The eight-part series airs on Wednesday 1st March, 9pm on BBC Two and shows the tough dilemmas that doctors face each day behind the scenes, […]

OU student Emily Jackson outside her place of work

‘I want to make a difference to people’s lives’ says nurse apprentice Emily

8 August 2022

Emily Jackson always knew she wanted a career helping others. But it wasn’t until she witnessed the ‘amazing’ end of life care her grandad received from nurses that she found her vocation. Inspired to one day don her own nursing scrubs, Emily set out to retrain. At 25, she’s now part-way through her Registered Nurse […]

The Open University partners with Care UK to deliver Nursing Associate Higher Apprenticeship in UK prisons

11 September 2019

The Open University has partnered with Care UK to deliver a Nursing Associate Higher Apprenticeship to Health Care Support Workers (HCSWs) who are employed across more than 40 prison and young offender establishments where healthcare services are provided by Care UK’s Health in Justice division. The first cohort of 11 HCSWs, from HMP Isle of […]

The Open University and NHS in partnership to boost nursing numbers on the Isle of Wight

4 June 2019

The Isle of Wight (IOW) NHS Trust and The Open University are collaborating to deliver a three-year apprenticeship programme with investment of over £2m* from the Trust’s Apprenticeship Levy, to increase the number of registered nurses and nursing associates on the island. With 120 nursing vacancies on the island, the programme will widen access and […]

Life on the frontline of nursing – pioneer student discusses her journey with the OU

29 May 2019

Pioneer student, Jacky looks back at her life and study with The Open University, spanning over 40 years. She succeeded in becoming the only registered nurse at her hospital to have a degree and after completing further study with the OU, she launched a new career as a Nursing Tutor. “I was born and raised […]

Remove barriers to reduce nursing deficit by 13 per cent, says The Open University

17 May 2019

The Open University is calling on higher education institutions (HEIs) and NHS employers to address barriers to the nursing profession that are contributing to the UK’s chronic shortage of nurses. This comes as data secured by The Open University under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000[i], reveals that one in 20 (6%) places available […]

Demelza Dachtler receiving Commanding Officers Commendation with her mother, Julie

Following in her mother’s footsteps

29 March 2019

As a child Demelza Dachtler grew up watching her mother, Julie, study for a Masters with The Open University. Today, she’s an OU graduate herself, is on the verge of completing her own OU Masters, and is about to become a mother for the first time. We spoke to Demelza last year, and now, in the […]

Future of nursing – OU nursing students graduate

2 January 2019

For the past four years, The Open University has had a strong relationship with Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in Kings Lynn. With the support of Health Education England (HEE), three hardworking Healthcare Assistants (HCAs) were given the opportunity to study for a Degree in Nursing with The OU. Now fully qualified nurses, they talk about their […]

Memories tell 70 year history of NHS in new BBC series

29 June 2018

Thursday 5 July marks the 70th anniversary of the National Health Service (NHS), one of the nation’s best loved institutions. To celebrate this milestone and the vital role it plays in our lives, the OU and the BBC have co-produced three programmes that showcase the NHS’ achievements and debate its future. The NHS: A People’s History One of these […]

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