Investing in Health and Social Care

In 2025, Leicester College was successful in a bid for funding from the Office for Students (OfS) to support a £1 million capital project. The funding is allowing the College to expand its Higher Education (HE) offer and develop additional flexible study modes to attract more students.

The College is investing £218,783 from the OfS funding to enhance the Health and Social Care facilities at its Abbey Park Campus, creating an immersive learning environment designed to replicate real-world hospital wards and care settings.

How the investment will help

The investment will support the development of a state-of-the-art Social Care learning space, due to open in Spring 2026, which will focus on training students for roles within geriatric nursing homes and social care environments. The purpose-built space will incorporate the latest care practices alongside digital and IT skills used in modern care planning and patient support.

Students will benefit from advanced immersive technology, including Metaverse and Bodyswaps software, which can be used through virtual headsets or within the College’s immersive learning space. These tools will allow learners to practice key employability and clinical skills, such as interview techniques, communication, patient assessment and responding to chronic illness scenarios.

Specialist equipment upgrades will also include simulation arms for phlebotomy training in the existing ward spaces that mirror industry-standards in hospital settings.

The new Social Care learning room will be equipped with resources commonly found in professional care settings, including call bells, pressure mats, hoists and mobility equipment, allowing students to gain practical experience in realistic scenarios.

Supporting students

These facilities will support students studying across Level 2 to Level 5 programmes, including Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs), specifically on practical and independent learning. Modules will cover areas such as infection control, emergency response, person-centred care, communication under pressure, pain management, mobility support and trauma-informed care.

Stakeholders from care home networks will also be invited to review the facilities, ensuring the learning environment reflects the ever-changing needs of the sector.

With the UK facing a significant shortage of skilled professionals in social care, the investment aims to create a strong pipeline of students who are ready for employment, equipped with both the technical knowledge and hands-on experience required in today’s care settings.

Gerry Daly, Director of Education and Childcare, Health and Social Care, Health Sciences, Sports and Sciences at Leicester College, said: “This new investment in our Health and Social Care facilities will greatly benefit our hardworking students, giving them access to high-quality equipment and realistic learning environments.

“By replicating real-life care settings, we can help ensure our students develop the practical skills, confidence and experience needed to succeed in their future careers.”