Chesterfield-based company Avoca Systems Ltd had their award-winning informatics training accredited by the University of Wolverhampton, at 9:30 am last Wednesday 15 June 2011 at a ceremony in central Wolverhampton.  The Avoca training now forms an integral part of the University’s healthcare curriculum and for the first time allows informatics professionals to gain degree level qualifications through workplace experience. This type of learning is a key part of the Government’s policy to reduce unemployment.

 

Vocational qualifications in health informatics already exist at A-Level equivalent and below but this is the very first vocational degree-level qualification in the field, and comes at a time when the Government is encouraging a range of Higher Apprenticeships at a similar level. The Avoca Higher Diploma in Health Informatics is equivalent to two thirds of a year of study for a Foundation Degree.  Students taking the Diploma will be able to choose related modules from Wolverhampton’s range to make up a full Foundation Degree qualification. 

 

Employer-based training is an important part of the University’s strategy of offering practical vocational courses in a wide variety of subject areas.  “The practical, focussed training of Avoca complements our other courses and provides the basis for an excellent career in a growing profession”, says Alison Felce, Co-ordinator of Work-based Learning at the University of Wolverhampton.  Alison is currently co-authoring a book about employer-based training, using Avoca’s experience as a case study.

 

Avoca are a successful business specialising in health informatics: the practice of information management and processing in healthcare.  Their training was developed because of a lack of qualified staff in the field.  “It began in 2005 as a few introductory lessons for staff joining the company,” says Julie Waters, Operations Manager at Avoca and creator of the course.  “Since then 67 students and staff have enrolled on the Diploma, during which time they have also contributed to some of the most complex and demanding projects in the NHS”.   

 

Shaun Regan adds: “The role of the health informatics professional is now recognised as crucial for safe and efficient patient care.  It’s a challenging, constantly evolving field and having our training recognised by the University at this level is very significant for us and for our profession more generally.  We hope it will encourage more people across the country to consider it as a career”.

 

Avoca also offer a range of other, shorter training courses that are in the process of being accredited by the University.  “This is just the first milestone in a long and fruitful relationship between Avoca and the University,” says Paul Lister, Associate Dean (Quality and Academic Standards) at Wolverhampton.  “Practical training like this can make a real difference to employability and we are committed to helping people currently seeking work in the area.”  For more information, see our Informatics Training pages.