Student ready to represent GCU and Scotland through UK-wide healthcare programme

A GCU student has been selected as one of just 50 students from across the UK to take part in an initiative aiming to identify healthcare leaders of the future.

First Year Nursing (Mental Health) student Gavin Crawford, found out about the 150 Leaders Programme, which has received funding for three years, through his lecturer Val Howatson and realised it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

Gavin, who’s a mature student, explained: “Coming to university in general was a case of just going all in, so I felt I may as well take any opportunity I could get.

I nearly fell off my seat when I eventually heard that I’d got in - I was just totally stunned! I’m delighted to be representing GCU and Scotland, I can’t wait to get started.”

As one of just four nursing students selected from Scotland, Gavin will join 49 others at a networking event in Reading next month before attending a conference, organised by the Council of Deans of Health, later this year.

Gavin said: “The whole idea is to bring different healthcare disciplines together and learn leadership skills for our future careers.

I’m looking at this as something that will actually help me with my studies and it also gives me a bit of time away doing something that really interests me.”

He added: “I’ve had experience of good management and bad management, which makes a massive difference to your working life and even mental health. The better staff feel collectively has a massive impact on the quality of service you give out and I think that is vital in nursing.”

By Ross Clark

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