Saving patients’ lives gives you the best feeling . . . that’s the view of former Telford College student Isabel Wilson, who is now gaining valuable experience in hospital operating theatres.

Isabel, 21, a former Ercall Wood Academy student, completed her level two and three health and social care extended diplomas during four years at Telford College.

She is now at Staffordshire University, working towards an Operating Department Practitioner degree – and has already completed two six-week placements assisting surgeons at the Princess Royal Hospital.

“The thing I enjoyed most about my Telford College course was the opportunity it gave me to learn so much about the health and social side of the NHS,” said Isabel.

“Our whole focus was on ‘patient centred care’ and how things can affect this, such as stress in the workplace, or violence at home.

“During my four years at college I met so many different people and had the chance to experience different work placements.

“By far my favourite was at the Severn Hospice dealing with end-of-life care; this really made me understand how precious life is, and how caring the community and staff can be while under pressure.”

Isabel said she would highly recommend Telford College’s health and social care courses to gain an all-round understanding of the care process, and the wide variety of career opportunities in the sector.

“The college helped me to achieve so much, and the opportunities you get after completing this course can take you anywhere,” she said.

“I would 100% recommend coming to Telford College because the support you get from the tutors and the friends you make really do help, and the whole place seems like a family.”

Isabel’s university course includes time working alongside anaesthetists in hospital operating theatres, and assisting surgeons.

She described her first placement at the Princess Royal Hospital, with the anaesthetics team, as a ‘great experience to get hands-on with patients and to care for them at their most vulnerable’.

For her second placement she got chance to experience the surgical scrub side of the role, working closely with allocated mentors.

“This is a very intense course and you have to put 100% into it, but it is very rewarding,” she said.

Enrolment is now under way for Telford College’s latest selection of health and social care courses, from level one all the way up to level five.

For more details, click here