Careers of the Month

Welcome to our first online Careers of the Month.

This month we are focusing on careers within the British health system, the National Health Service (NHS) and all of the careers that are contained within one institution.

We aim to provide you with up to date information from these sectors which includes entry levels and qualifications, career progression as well as information on what the role involves. All information has been obtained from sector area publications, either on the web or as a hard copy.

National Health Service

Facts: Did You Know?

The NHS employs over 1.7million people and is the world’s biggest employer.
It was started in 1948.
In England alone, it has an annual budget of £134 billion.

The NHS Has Six Core Values

Working together for patients
Respect and dignity
Commitment to quality of care
Compassion
Improving lives
Everyone counts

Careers Within the NHS

We have used the information from their website https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/ to briefly introduce below, the 14 categories or areas of work within the NHS. Use the link above to access the main website and then click on explore roles tab to select an area you might be interested in to see further information which includes videos and summaries of frequently asked questions and under career planning there is advice on how you can access and fund a career in the NHS.

Apprenticeships

There are also apprenticeships available for many of the roles within the NHS and there is a dedicated page that provides up to date information about apprenticeships offered by the NHS: https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/career-planning/study-and-Training/apprenticeships-traineeships-and-cadet-schemes

Areas of Work Within the NHS

Allied Health Professionals

provide treatment and help rehabilitate adults and children who are ill, have disabilities or special needs to live life as fully as possible. These include dieticians, art and music therapists, radiographers and occupational therapists.

Ambulance Service

staff work for either the non-emergency service which is responsible for the transport of patients to and from hospital as well as the emergency service.

Dental Team

look after the oral health of the nation and include dentists and dental nurses and dental hygienists.

Doctors

work in a hospital within 65 specialised areas such as cardiology or oncology. They also work in the local community as a General Practitioner in a doctor’s surgery (GP).

Health Informatics

are the experts on patient information that doctors, nurses and others rely on to provide the best possible care. These professionals also manage the computer systems that support the whole NHS.

Healthcare Science

staff play a vital role in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a huge number of medical conditions. They also help people live independent lives through rehabilitation.

Management

includes the staff who oversee the running of hospitals and health care centres. They include clinical managers who oversee the cleanliness of the hospital and make sure it is able to keep people safe from infection as well as finance managers and human resources managers who oversee the staffing of hospitals.

Medical Associate Professionals

provide patient care under the supervision of a doctor enabling the doctor to see more patients with complex issues.

Midwives

work in communities and hospitals. Their role goes beyond delivering babies as they also provide antenatal and postnatal care, counselling, support and education to new parents.

Nurses

work in hospitals and the community to treat and care for sick and injured people of all ages to support their treatment and promote good health. As well as nursing patients with physical illnesses, they support those with mental health problems or learning disabilities.

Pharmacy

staff use their knowledge of medicines to help people with every type of medical condition. They work in hospital dispensaries and wards as well as in the community and in pharmacies in GP surgeries.

Psychological Therapists

help people cope with problems as diverse as drug or alcohol addiction, eating disorders, family breakdown and bereavement.

Public Health Staff

protect and improve the public’s health and wellbeing. They will help to launch and run national campaigns such as the NHS’s Change 4 life and the government’s response to the Covid 19 virus.

Wider Healthcare Team

provide the vital round-the-clock back up operation that all health organisations need to keep them running. These include; secretaries, painters, plumbers, engineers, chaplains, and healthcare assistants.