Maximising mental health and learning disability nursing

University of Northampton’s (UON) May Graduation Ceremonies last week showcased the culmination of years of commitment, coordination and, in some cases, courage.

There are hundreds of stories of hard work as future professionals marched on their journeys to change the world, including two graduates from a valued nursing partnership.

ASPIRE began in 2016 and is delivered supported by UON and St. Andrew’s Healthcare. It offers a helping hand to Healthcare Assistants (HCAs) who want to enhance their knowledge and professionalism by training to become mental health or learning disability nurses.

ASPIRE students combine their learning and experience as HCAs as they join the second year of the University’s Mental Health or Learning Disability Nursing degrees.

St. Andrew’s Healthcare offers students a salary (just over £20,000 each year) and pastoral support in addition to academic help from the University.

There are currently more than 30 students enjoying their ASPIRE journey and, as of today, 166 students have qualified as mental health or learning disabilities Registered Nurses.

One of the recent ‘crop’ of ASPIRE mental health students is Patricia Agboka and she shares her story: “I came to the UK and joined St. Andrew’s in 2015 as a Healthcare Assistant because, after my time in my home country of Ghana in the prison service there – where knowledge of mental health is, to say the least, lacking – I wanted to acquire more skills and knowledge because this area is so important. We can help people experiencing mental health issues, live a meaningful life through their recovery journey.

“ASPIRE is very flexible because you weren’t at university for the entire year. That was beneficial to me because, as a mother and a wife and now a woman wanting a career, I had to juggle all three demands! ASPIRE helped destress some of this.

“I had my challenges, academically, but who doesn’t when they want to be a nurse? Our role is so important, and there’s so much to know. ASPIRE places pastoral support prominently, and you can reach out any time to the University or St. Andrew’s for encouragement and motivation. There was always a supporting place to lift us and push us on.

“It’s a lovely feeling to graduate because I will go on to advocate for my patients. I see myself and my fellow graduates making a difference in the world. Graduating is, essentially, about giving back to the patients we have helped and those we will help.”

Kieran Coulson also graduated last Friday (9 May) and, like Patricia, works at St. Andrew’s. He adds: “I came to the hospital in 2013 and from the start felt fulfilled by what we do here – putting our patients first, developing ourselves to always do the best by them.

“I never thought I was academic, but one day it ‘clicked’ that I was equipped to go to university. I felt more mature and motivated to study and could transfer some of my HCA skills to get onto the programme – it was still quite scary!

“My tutor at the University had a great approach. He knew what to say to me, how to say it to me and gave me some good advice – perhaps I thought ‘outside of the box’ a little bit too much and needed to focus on the instructions of the task I was given.

“Lots of people with mental health challenges have had disrupted lives, and we must show them there is light at the end of the tunnel, there is help if they want it. Otherwise, there is a knock-on effect for society if we can’t assist and get them to the point where they manage their illness.

“To graduate feels a bit surreal. But the ceremony was a brilliant way to cap off one stage of my professional journey. It was the gift wrap, but the hard work starts here. I’m at the beginning of things, not the end.”

Internal applications for Healthcare Assistants at St. Andrew’s Healthcare for September 2026 cohort open on Friday 27 June.