​This National Apprenticeship Week, we sat down with our Culture Lead, Mathew Gould, to find out more about his journey from Business Admin Apprentice to the head of a major department. 

So, Mathew, when you started your career, you opted for an apprenticeship rather than Further Education. Clearly, that’s worked out well for you, but what made you make that decision at the time?

I do think that the ability to build into the role and get practical on the job experience in a supported training role appealed to me, rather than getting a degree that was interesting, but that didn’t necessarily make me more employable. In the end, the chance to work and learn at the same time made it the obvious choice for me.

And, to be honest, a lot of my friends from school weren’t going on to Further Education either, and I think that there was part of me that wanted to stay close to home with them. 

That makes sense, but I have to say that when I think about apprenticeships, the first place that springs to mind isn’t a GP Federation. How did you even find out about us?

When I left school, I volunteered to support people who were NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training), helping them to book onto courses and get in to work. And I thought with all those skills, I should be able to help myself get in to work, so I started looking.

I found the job on Indeed and it was a happy coincidence that I applied for the role, because I actually misread “Church Road” in Stockton as “Church Street” in Hartlepool. If I hadn’t, I may not have applied. I got a bit of a shock when I saw that I’d actually be working in Stockton, but I knew that I couldn’t pass up on such an opportunity.
 
But other than misreading the advert, did you find the application process difficult?

No, it was very simple actually. I submitted an application online and then I was invited to an initial… well, it wasn’t so much an interview as an introductory session at Stockton Riverside College.

They started the process, but the link between them and H&SH was seamless. Once I’d done everything I needed to there, H&SH was in touch offering an interview, and once they’d offered me the job, the college was straight back in touch to talk me through the next steps.
 
And how was the interview? Were you nervous?

Of course I was nervous, but I think it would have been much more daunting if I hadn’t already been doing some volunteering. One of the things I remember really clearly is that a lot of the questions were worded for people who didn’t have any previous work experience – I could talk about school experience, or life experience, this allowed the interview to flow even for someone with limited experience.

It was really well-structured for an apprentice; it wasn’t just their regular interview that they’d tried to make fit.
 
So, you got the job, and then what? You must have developed a great many skills since then that helped you get to where you are now?

Yeah, I think the biggest change has been my people skills. I was very shy at school, which might come as a surprise to most of our staff members! For most of my career at H&SH, I’ve barely been off the phone to people.

Now, I think that I’m much more confident when I speak to people, not only because I’ve done it a lot, but also because I know that I know what I’m talking about, and they respect that.
On top of that, I’ve gained a number of official qualifications, including my Level 3 CIPD qualification.
 
But you haven’t just developed in terms of skills, you’ve also progressed in terms of responsibilities. What was the journey from Business Admin Apprentice to Culture Lead like?

It was difficult at times, but I was fortunate because every single step of the way there were opportunities that presented themselves. I just took advantage of them.

One of the most helpful things about H&SH during my journey was the way that they supported me. They always made it clear what the next steps had to be so that I could progress. I never felt like just another number on the sheet.
 
Now that you’re head of a whole department, what are your plans?

I think that the most important thing I can do is build on the culture that we’ve already created and share that across our teams, our practices, and ultimately to our patients.

A strong culture can make such a difference to the services that we provide, and I am really proud to be able to lead that culture going forward.
 
It’s really impressive how far you’ve come in a short period of time. It’s clear to see what H&SH got out of having an apprentice, but what’s the main thing that you feel your apprenticeship gave you?

My apprenticeship opened lots of doors to different opportunities and gave me invaluable experiences to apply not only to my role, but also to myself as a person.
 
And if there was one thing you could say to people starting an apprenticeship now?
​
Use the opportunity to take in as much as you can. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to take your shortcomings as learning opportunities.

​People with minor injuries and illnesses will soon benefit from a jointly run NHS urgent care service across the Tees Valley.
 
It will include centres in Stockton, Hartlepool, Redcar and Middlesbrough, offering treatment to people for a range of health issues.
 
The service will be run by an alliance of four health organisations including North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, The North East Ambulance Service and the Hartlepool and Stockton Health GP Federation.
 
It follows a formal procurement exercise run by the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB).
 
Kevin Moore, clinical director for emergency care at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This new alliance will bring together expertise and resources from across the region so that patients can have the highest standard of care. 
 
“Urgent care services across the area are helping ensure people get the right help at the right time for a whole range of minor injuries and illnesses.
 
“We know our patients want as smooth a journey as possible when receiving treatment and urgent care services help ensure this is the case.”

​Together the partnership will oversee services, including urgent care centres at the University Hospital of Hartlepool and the University Hospital of North Tees and the urgent treatment centre at Redcar Primary Care Hospital.
 
Services will be further enhanced by the creation of the new urgent treatment centre at The James Cook University Hospital, built alongside its existing emergency department, which will open at the end of March. The new UTC is part of a £9million investment in urgent care services on Teesside that will integrate services, provide care closer to home and ease emergency department pressures. 

All four centres will all treat a wide range of minor illnesses and injuries including: 

• sprains and strains
• cuts and grazes
• suspected broken limbs
• ear and throat infections

 
Andy Hebron, clinical director for emergency care at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Having an urgent treatment centre on site at James Cook will help ensure more patients from the Middlesbrough and surrounding area are treated in the right place.
 
“Patients should continue to contact their GP or 111 for their non-urgent health issues, but if they have a minor illness or injury that needs attention, our urgent care and treatment centres across the region are available to help which can only be good news for everyone.
 
“The centres will also help keep our emergency care departments free for what they are there for – emergencies.”

Stephen Segasby, chief operating officer at North East Ambulance Service, said: “The ambulance service is now so much more than just a transportation service, and our advanced practitioner team already have a proven track record of delivering out of hours care alongside our colleagues in North Tees. This new alliance builds on the success of that, providing us with a fantastic opportunity to work together to provide a better service for our patients by improving the consistency of service provision across Tees Valley.

“As the healthcare needs of our region change, we’re keen to develop our paramedic workforce to meet those needs. This service provides a fantastic development opportunity for them to gain urgent and primary care experience whilst remaining employed by us.”

Lucy Falcus, medical director at Hartlepool and Stockton Health, added: “In the future urgent care services will be easier for patients to navigate, as the care provided will be the same whether you live in the North or South Tees area. 

“We are excited to be involved in keeping this service local to patients and staffed by local doctors and nurses.” 

Craig Blair, local director for the North East and North Cumbria ICB said: "This is great news for patients. The new service will mean a consistent approach to urgent care across Teesside, with urgent treatment centres already in place at hospitals in Hartlepool, Stockton and Redcar. 

"The centres will provide care closer to home and ensure our busy emergency departments can focus on the most poorly patients and emergencies."