Young people hoping to study nursing or healthcare in Chesterfield are being offered advice about clearing and adjustment ahead of A-Level results day on 16^th August.

The advice comes from St Helena – the University of Derby’s newest campus, which offers high-standard facilities including an NHS-standard mock hospital ward, immersive interactive simulation suite, clinical skills suite and a business incubation unit.

The University of Derby explains that clearing and adjustment is aimed at students who are new applicants for this September, have changed their mind since applying, or expect their results will be different to those predicted.

Before results day, students are encouraged to get hold of the UCAS Clearing list by visiting UCAS Search and selecting the Clearing 2018 option. This facility is available now and will give students an opportunity to see what’s currently available (more choices will appear on results day).

For the best chance of being successful, the University of Derby recommends that students prepare the night before and ring as soon as lines open, bearing in mind that some university hotlines will open earlier than normal office hours.

On results day students should have important details to hand including their UCAS number, exam results and log-in details for Track, as well as their personal statement and any questions they would like to ask.

The University of Derby recommends finding a quiet place to call, keeping calm and remembering to ask for the contact details of people on the phone and written confirmation of any offers, as well as the expiry date.

Courses available to access through clearing and adjustment at the University of Derby include: BSc Adult Nursing (September and March start), BSc Mental Health Nursing (September and March start) and BSc Health and Social Care (Sep start only).

Dr Paula Holt, Pro Vice-Chancellor Dean, College of Health and Social Care at the University of Derby, said: “St Helena in Chesterfield is a great place to study. Our facilities are outstanding, including a full mock ward so students can practice developing new skills safely.”

“Our teaching staff are experienced professionals as well as credible academics and offer a true personal touch, getting to know our students well and supporting them to succeed on their courses.”

“All our programmes include real world learning, with nursing students spending 50% of their time in clinical practice, and Health and Social Care students having placement opportunities. These experiences prepare our students for the workplace, with 100% of our graduate nurses being employed.”

“Many of our Chesterfield students are local, and represent the full age spectrum from 18-year-old school / college leavers to those in their 50s. Some of our more mature learners have had other careers before considering the caring professions, or have been bringing up a family, with many having completed an access course.”

“As a University, we are committed to facilitating career progression and are supporting Health and Social Care Assistants to become Nursing Associates and Assistant Practitioners through a Foundation Degree route, equipping them with the ability to progress their careers even further in future should they choose.”

To speak to the admissions staff and find out more about clearing call 01332 592018 or visit the University of Derby’s website.

Dr Paula Holt, Pro Vice-Chancellor Dean, College of Health and Social Care at the University of Derby

Derbyshire County Council is reminding parents that they may be able to access up to 30 hours of free childcare each week.

All three and four-year-old children in the county are entitled to 15 hours of free early education a week, however some working parents are now eligible to receive 30 hours following changes made by Government last year.

Use the link below to check your eligibility, get a code and apply for free childcare.

Parents who want to take up the additional childcare from the new term in September must apply now before the 31 August 2018 deadline.

Those who are already benefiting from the additional free childcare are also reminded they need to update their details every three months before the start of every new term to make sure they still qualify.

Councillor Alex Dale, Cabinet Member for Young People said:

“We know that summer holidays can be a particularly busy time looking after children so we’re urging parents not to wait until the deadline but to check now to see if they qualify for extra free childcare.

“The extra funding is worth around £2,500 to families which will enable parents to work more hours if they want to while giving their children the chance to socialise and learn.

“There are only three weeks left until the August 31 deadline and it’s a good idea not to leave it to the last minute to apply so applications can be processed and details checked.”

To be eligible for up to 30 hours of funded childcare families must meet the following criteria;

• both parents must be working (or the sole parent in a single parent family)
• each parent must earn on average at least £125 a week – equal to 16 hours at national minimum or living wage, including those on zero hours contracts. This earnings limit does not apply with self-employed parents who started their business less than 12 months ago
• each parent does not earn more than £100,000 a year

Applicants just need their National Insurance number or Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) if they’re self-employed.

Families may still qualify where one or both parents are on maternity, paternity, adoption leave or statutory sick pay or if one is working but the other is unable to work because they are disabled or have caring responsibilities and receive Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance.

Derbyshire County Council is continuing to work with schools, nurseries, pre-schools and childminders to encourage them to offer the extra hours flexibly to meet the needs of working parents in Derbyshire. Funded childcare is available at participating:

• full day care providers (e.g. nurseries)
• schools with nursery provision
• childminders
• sessional providers (e.g. playgroups)
• children’s centres
• before and after-school provision

The extra hours are Government funded and eligibility is assessed by HMRC. Even if parents don’t qualify for the extra hours they will still be entitled to the universal 15 hours of free early education.

Families can also check if they qualify for 30 hours free childcare at the same time as claiming Universal Credit, tax credits, childcare vouchers or Tax-Free Childcare.

Click here to check your eligibility, get a code and apply for free childcare.

Organisers of the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon have announced the route for the Peak FM Five Mile Run, which is set to make its debut at this year’s event.

The race, which is just under half the distance of the main Chesterfield Half Marathon, will start and finish in Queen’s Park and take in the west side of the north Derbyshire town.

As well as being a standalone event, it also forms part of the Pronto Paints Wellbeing Challenge, another new addition to the 2018 event which encourages participants to register as a team.

The Wellbeing Challenge includes two entries into each element – the 1km Fun Run, Peak FM Five Mile Run and Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon.

The Five Mile run will start in Queen’s Park before heading north, taking in Mile One of the Half Marathon before turning left onto the A619, onto Chatsworth Road, right onto Barker Lane and left along Ashgate Road.

From there, the route then heads south and back onto Chatsworth Road before continuing onto West Bars and southwards back into the Park for the finish.

John Timms, Event Director at Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon, said: “We’re extremely excited by the addition of the Peak FM Five Mile Run to this year’s Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon.

“This year’s Half Marathon is set to be bigger and better than ever, with events catered for all ages such as the Fun Run, Five Mile Run and the Wellbeing Challenge, which incorporates all elements of the event.

“The Five Mile Run route also represents a great chance for friends and family of participants to come and watch the event and catch sight of the runners more than once, with participants starting and finishing in Queen’s Park and running along Chatsworth Road twice.

“We’re really excited about this year’s event and we can’t wait until it starts.”

Entries remain open for the Peak FM Five Mile Run and the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon’s various events.

For more information about all of the races click here.

There has been a huge increase in the both the number of people listening and how long they listen for according to Peak FM‘s latest audience figures.

Listening hours, published by RAJAR, have shot up by 57% in just the last 3 months to 632,000 beating BBC Radio One in the region. Peak FM is the most listened to commercial radio station in North Derbyshire.

Tim Smith, Peak FM’s Content Controller is delighted: “Radio is a competitive industry but we love Chesterfield and North Derbyshire and our team love getting out and about. There are lots of stations to choose, some national, some regional but we’ve always prided ourselves on our doorstep.”

“This tremendous result is testament to the hard work of our journalists, producers and of course our presenters. Our Breakfast Show is quite fresh; Becky Hayes joined Ricky on the show just a couple of months back and in that short time they’ve been to all corners of North Derbyshire, given out prestigious awards, challenged Max George to the In My Feelings challenge and raised charity funds for the Sick Childrens Trust.”

“We’ve made our music mix a lot better with a blend of classic 80s and 90s as well as all the latest stuff, been nominated for a Sky News award for our journalism and with the release of these figures it’s so exciting to see more and more Chesterfield people switching us on! We really appreciate people doing that and sharing their news with us”.

Ricky and Becky hosting the Chesterfield Retail Awards 2018.

Derbyshire County Council is set to recruit a new team as part of a raft of measures designed to help people return home from hospital as quickly as possible, support independent care providers and give older people greater choice in their care. The proposed new in-house scheduling team would operate 7 days a week, organising the work of our care workers in the community who help older and disabled people live independently in their own homes.

Creating a new team is part of the Council’s wider plan to support the NHS’s move to 7-day working, continue its good work improving times in getting people home from hospital and preventing them being admitted to hospital.As well as being more responsive and flexible, the new scheduling system is designed to free up home care organisers so they have more time to review clients, observe staff and carry out risk assessments.

Councillor Jean Wharmby, Cabinet Member for Adult Care said: “The county council is committed to helping older and disabled people live independent, fulfilled and dignified lives by supporting them in their own homes for as long as possible.“By focusing our own in-house care teams on shorter term work, we’ll be helping to make sure people don’t have to stay in hospital longer than they need to or go into hospital unnecessarily.“But we can’t do this alone,” she said.

“We also rely on dozens of private, voluntary and independent sector care providers that carry out excellent work in Derbyshire helping people retain their independence.

“We need to work closely with them to create a stable and sustainable market to ensure local people have access to a choice of suitable, high-quality care.”

Derbyshire County Council is supporting the independent sector to take on longer term, more complex care. Their care teams will concentrate on short-term and reablement work, including hospital discharge assessments which are done in a person’s own home.

Councillor Wharmby added:

“With these measures we’re helping ensure the independent care market is on a more secure footing, which should give them confidence to expand.

“Supporting the independent sector alongside making our own systems more flexible is vital if we want people to have good quality care choices in the future.”

A variety of other measures are being used to increase care choices;

• pay a 7-day retainer to agencies if home care clients are admitted to hospital – retainers help agencies keep staff and speed up hospital discharges as placements remain open
• increase travel payments to help agencies pay staff travel time
• introduce ‘Red Bags’ for use by care home residents when they are admitted to hospital – they contain items needed for a stay, including personal details and medicines, are highly visible and help to ensure items do not go missing

Earlier this year the council also stopped bidding for long-term contracts although will still retain some care packages particularly in rural areas.

In 2017 staff carried out over 171,000 care visits. To increase responsiveness, extend services and improve demand management, the council is set to:

• recruit 21 business service assistants at grade 5 to schedule care appointments and 1.5 grade 7s to manage the team
• introduce a 2-shift pattern for members of the scheduling team to cover the hours of 7am to 10pm, including weekends
• subject to consultation with staff, introduce a new working pattern for DSOs (domiciliary service organisers), creating a 5 in 7 rota, to fully extend services to weekends

Councillor Wharmby said:

“Last year we had the lowest rate of delayed transfers of care (DToCs) of any shire county in the country, 3 months running.

“By working together with the wider care sector and our health partners, as well as changing the way we work, we will continue to help deliver the best outcomes for the people of Derbyshire.”

Funding for the new team has come from the Government’s IBCF (Improved Better Care Fund) and from savings made through vacancy controls.