A new NHS Careers website - www.whatcanidowithmydegree.nhs.uk – informing students about careers in the NHS was launched in February. The website shows you the huge number of different careers on offer in the health service based on your degree. Many students believe that to work in the NHS, you have to be a nurse or studying medicine, but the truth is very different.
More than doctors and nurses...
With over 350 careers in the NHS, the health service is much more than doctors and nurses. Whether you are interested in a career in finance, science or engineering, for example, there are careers available. This is illustrated by the graduates talking about their exciting and challenging roles on www.whatcanidowithmydegree.nhs.uk. One of these is Bryony Merritt who after studying for a BA in French and Spanish at the University of Lancaster, and a MA in European Institutions and Policy Making, joined the NHS as a Public Relations Co-ordinator at Richmond and Twickenham PCT.“I wanted to work in the NHS rather than the private sector because I knew I would be proud to be part of something that provides essential care for people. It isn’t just doctors and nurses that make it run, there’s a huge organisation behind them and we’re all made to feel part of the team”
Many people think that NHS staff are badly paid but as Bryony explains this is not the case.
“I was surprised by how good the starting salary was - around £20,000 – plus there is London weighting to boot. I know people who are working in PR in the private sector and earn less and are expected to work all hours.”
As well as a good starting salary, new starters can look forward to flexible working hours, a great pension and joining a team that makes a real difference to the lives of millions.
Speakeasy
Many people still think of the NHS as the more traditional clinical careers, such as nursing, medicine and midwifery, but there are many others. Whether you are interested in working with children, adults or with a mix of different people, there are a variety of opportunities. Sophie Edgington is a Speech and Language Therapist at the City and Hackney PCT. After a stint in the private sector, she decided the NHS was for her.
“My first job in speech and language therapy was in the private sector. I gained wide experience providing both individual and group therapy, working both in clinic and within schools, but I felt the NHS had much better scope for professional development, had good supervision and would allow me to gain more in-depth knowledge and skills.”
Sophie works with pre-school children with complex needs. While studying for a BA in Linguistics at the University of East Anglia, she knew that she wanted to work with children, but didn’t know the career for her.
“I work children with physical, neurological, developmental or behavioural difficulties. I also specialise in working with children with eating and drinking difficulties, ensuring they are able to eat and drink safely and that mealtimes are as positive an experience as possible for them. I always wanted to work with children but didn’t want to be a teacher, and I was interested in the medical profession but didn’t want to be a doctor. As I studied psychology at A level and that looked at children’s language development, speech and language therapy seemed the perfect career for me.”
The science of science
As you’d imagine science graduates are very important to the NHS but many do not know about the breadth of careers open to them. The NHS is always going to need science graduates of every persuasion, whether that is biology, chemistry or physics. In fact, healthcare scientists are in short supply. An area of particular growth is in physics, medical physics and associated degrees. Richard Fernanadez is a Nuclear Scientist and has a Masters of Physics from Manchester University.“Essentially there are three parts to my job. First, quality control of equipment, such as the gamma cameras and calibrators. Second, the administration of radionuclide therapy that target specific cancers, such as thyroid cancer, and finally radiation protection. As you can imagine there is plenty of legislation to do with protecting both the public and NHS staff when using radioactive medicines, and it is my job to ensure that no-one is exposed to unnecessary risk.”
Careers in clinical engineering and physical sciences, such as nuclear scientists like Richard, are just one of the many open to science graduates in the NHS. Healthcare Scientists have a major role in the care of patients. Although they are sometimes the unsung heroes of the health service, diagnosis and treatment of disease would not be possible without them. Careers can range from the life sciences, such as immunology, to physiological sciences like neurophysiology.
Doctor, doctor…
Another option for science graduates is medicine. Everyone knows doctors are essential to the smooth running of the NHS (without them, there wouldn’t be an NHS and some really sick people), but what many students don’t know is that if you haven’t studied medicine as your first degree, it doesn’t mean that you can’t become a doctor. Esther March, studied human biology and is now in her final year as a medical student.
“I didn’t always know I wanted to be a doctor. I took my initial degree in human biology – although that has meant I can take a fast-track four-year course now, instead of the usual six year course.
“I wanted a career that would be intellectually stimulating, useful to society and make the most of my communication skills. Speaking with people is obviously an important part of the job. I also enjoy being in an environment of continual learning. And of course the salary potential for doctors can be good as they rise through their careers.” At www.whatcanIdowithmydegree.nhs.uk , you can find everything you need to know about medicine e.g. the training and skills you need, career prospects and the challenges.
NHS Careers
NHS Careers was set-up in 1999 with the specific aim of tackling the under-supply of staff in key professions, such as nursing. To ensure the NHS is never in the same position as it was in 1999, it needs to think about the workforce of tomorrow, which is why NHS Careers is now looking towards the future. You can play a major part in helping it achieve this.
If you want to join a team making a real difference to people’s lives, visit www.whatcanidowithmydegree.nhs.uk. You’ll be able to find tonnes of information on the hundreds of different careers or find the pathway to your chosen career. The website also includes a link to www.jobs.nhs.uk which takes you directly to thousands of the current vacancies in the NHS. With so many different careers in the NHS, it seems stupid to discount it. When you are thinking about the first step into your new career, think about the NHS.Back to home page
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