News

Have you said ‘hello’ to MELISSA yet?

No, this isn’t a new neighbour or colleague, but is instead a bus which enables healthcare staff to engage with North East communities in a fun and exciting way. Now that’s an idea we can certainly hop onto!

For pupils at Wyvern Academy, part of Consilium Academies, meeting the iconic MELISSA became a reality earlier this month.

Local students encouraged to consider career in the NHS

The double decker MELISSA Bus – which stands for Mobile Educational Learning, Improving Simulation and (patient) Safety Activities – stopped by Darlington’s Wyvern Academy on 3 October.

The trip was part of a public health engagement activity to promote careers in the NHS, and this bus was a carefully crafted idea to help healthcare professionals to better engage with people across the North East and North Cumbria.

On board the stripey, colourful bus is everything from a clinical and control room to the latest simulation equipment and a range of educational tools.

Chris Zarraga, Director of Schools North East, said: “What a fantastic idea from the NHS at such a crucial time. The topic of healthcare is often met with a lot of ‘doom and gloom’, so having a vibrant bus equipped with training and simulation measures is a great way to get people to see beyond the negativity. Especially in terms of careers.

“A career in healthcare is a fantastic choice for so many people for so many reasons. Our pupils need a fun and engaging way to understand the profession so that they’re able to make these informed decisions themselves, and the MELISSA Bus is a way to do exactly that.”

Where did the MELISSA Bus come from?

The MELISSA Bus is a partnership between the North East Simulation Network, I Can Prevent Delirium, NHSE Education North East Faculty of Patient Safety and the Find Your Place in the North East and North Cumbria campaign. 

The bus sparked lots of interesting conversations as Wyvern students learnt about career opportunities in the NHS. 

Healthcare workers from the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust came to speak to the students, including some from Acute and Community nursing, Pathology, and Financial Services.

Mr Owen Inglis, Head Teacher at Wyvern Academy, said: “It was great to have the MELISSA Bus visit Wyvern and I know our students took a lot away from the visit. 

“It’s brilliant for young people to start thinking about their futures and I know many of them found it really interesting to hear about all the different careers the NHS can offer.”

Wyvern Academy is a Schools North East Partner School. If you’d like to find out more about our Partner School membership, click here.

We love to hear good news from North East Schools, to share your news with Schools North East please tag @SchoolsNE on Twitter or fill in this short form.