Deliveroo today announces that it has facilitated the donation of £300,000 to support further education and training for NHS nurses, midwives and healthcare support workers across the UK, to develop their skills and expertise in key specialities. The donation was raised from customers and partners as part of Deliveroo’s campaign – Supporting the NHS and vulnerable groups – and will support the training of 200 nursing and midwifery staff from all corners of the UK, particularly targeting those from low-income backgrounds or in the early stages of their careers.
The donation is a small gesture to express the enormous gratitude of Deliveroo customers and partners towards NHS staff for their incredible efforts to keep the nation safe during the pandemic.
The company is pleased to be able to facilitate the donation and support the professional development of NHS workers as they continue to face a challenging time, with the Government committing to train 50,000 more nurses by 2025.
This new programme, created by Deliveroo in partnership with the RCN Foundation, will allow hundreds of healthcare professionals to develop their skills in a wide range of specialisms, from pain management and mental health to oncology, diabetes and critical care. As a result, this training will enhance patient care and improve clinical practice at hospitals across the UK.
Two spaces on the programme will be allocated to Deliveroo riders also working for the NHS as either nurses or midwives, and eligible riders are therefore encouraged to apply.
This donation follows Deliveroo’s continued support for the NHS and vulnerable people throughout the pandemic. The company delivered one million meals to NHS professionals through its Supporting the NHS fundraising campaign, and facilitated the donation of £500,000 to five NHS trusts across England to support workers on the front line at the height of the pandemic in 2020. Deliveroo and its charity partners are also delivering one million free meals to families in need as part of its new Full Life campaign.
The programme will fund a wide range of training – from short stand-alone courses to MSc modules – and applications for the grants will open in March 2022. Any individual in an NHS nursing or midwifery team in the UK is encouraged to apply, with training courses available both online and in a wide variety of locations across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, including universities, hospitals and with accredited training providers.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid said: “NHS Staff work tirelessly to treat and care for patients and we are all enormously grateful for the work they do. This is a fantastic programme and I want to thank Deliveroo and the RCN Foundation for supporting the skills and training of our fantastic nurses and midwives.”
Will Shu, CEO and Founder of Deliveroo, said: “NHS staff have played an invaluable role in keeping us and our loved ones safe during the pandemic. As a British business, we want to use Deliveroo’s unique network for good and express our enormous gratitude to frontline NHS staff. Thanks to the generosity of our customers and partners, we are delighted to be able to support the further training of fantastic NHS nurses and midwives”
Professor Jane Cummings CBE, Chair of the RCN Foundation Board of Trustees, said: “Health and care staff have been at the forefront of supporting patients, families and communities through the pandemic for two years. We are honoured to be able to support nurses, midwives and health care support workers by investing in the profession for the long term through this new educational grants programme. We are grateful to Deliveroo and the many customers who have given money in support of NHS nursing and midwifery staff.’
