The Ogden Trust

County Durham is the most deprived English county and among the most deprived quarter of local authorities nationally. Low aspirations and particular difficulties in interesting pupils in sciences form the background to this project.

The William Harvey Project links the three hospitals of County Durham and Darlington with eight schools by providing curriculum materials, sending ambassadors from the NHS into schools, teaching teachers about sciences in the NHS and offering Health Science Studentships. These offer guaranteed work and other experience to selected pupils in years 10 and 11, who acquire in-depth experiences of the types of careers available in the NHS to those with science qualifications.

Four students participate from each of the eight partner schools and the project starts with pupils learning about cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and analysing imaginary medical case studies such as ‘ Gary’s problem’. Students are expected to interactively form hypotheses and diagnoses of the imaginary patient, which enhances their analytical reasoning and communication skills. Later in the year, they visit the university science campus and subsequently have a week of science based work experience in the hospital. In the second year they visit the medical school and have a second week of work experience, which may be on a ward if they wish.

The project is jointly funded by The Ogden Trust and the Sutton Trust.

Contact details: Project Director – Sarah J Pearce, Consultant Physician, University Hospital of North Durham, sarah.pearce@cddah.nhs.uk