Over a million people are employed in health and medical careers roles within the NHS. There are many career paths in both medical and support services about half of all jobs require degree level qualifications.In addition to well know careers like doctor nurse, physiotherapist and midwives are less well know roles such as phlebotomist (who take blood) dietician, speech, art and music therapists, etc.The sort of skills required for careers in health are excellent people skills, patience, team work, good organisation and commitment to patient care.
The North East NHS has an interactive website designed to help you find up to date careers and opportunity information. The site is based around an interactive map with a virtual youth club for the under 14s with links to information and interactive games. There is a virtual high school for the 14-19s with information to help you find out about work experience and careers. You will also find case studies of local people including apprentices working in the NHS in the North East. Find out more at: www.northeast.nhs.uk/careers.
An introduction to the Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals industry in the North East: Real Help North East
Jobs within this section
A doctor has the responsibility for the care of their patients; they must diagnose, identify a treatment and ensure it is carried out. Doctors, when trained can specialise in General Practice working in a community or to work in hospitals where they may follow a medical specialism such as psychiatry or cancer care. Other jobs for a qualified doctor may be available in public health, occupational medicine teaching or the armed forced.
For more information visit:
The British Medical Association: www.bma.org.uk
Information about postgraduate training: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/specialtytraining
Information about NHS Grants and Funding: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
►Specialities in Medicine and Surgery
Doctors working in hospital may choose to specialise in on area of study where they can gain seniority and eventually become a consultant. Examples of this include:
►Surgery: where you carry out operations to repair, remove or replace organs.
►Orthopaedics: dealing with bones and joints.
Ear Nose and Throat specialists
►Urology: dealing with the kidneys and bladder.
►Geriatrics: working with elderly patients.
►Cardiology: dealing with diseases of the heart.
►Psychiatry: working with patients with mental health issues.
There are many other specialists which you can find out about on the NHS website.
For more information visit:
The British Medical Association: www.bma.org.uk
The Royal College of Surgeons of England: www.rcseng.ac.uk
The Royal College of Physicians: www.rcplondon.ac.uk
The Royal College of Psychiatrists: www.rcpsych.ac.uk
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health: www.rcpch.ac.uk
The Royal College of Pathologists: www.rcpath.org
Royal College of General Practitioners: www.rcgp.org.uk
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
►Operating Department Practitioner
Operating Department Practitioners work as support to the surgical team alongside the surgeon and nurses.They help the anaesthetist prepare the patient for surgery, accompany them during the surgery and assist with recovery. They have a role in checking the instruments are all returned.
For more information visit:
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
College of Operating Department Practitioners: www.codp.org.uk
Health Professionals Council: www.hpc-uk.org
Nurses provide most of the day to day care of patients in hospital, they take blood tests, liaise with doctors, maintain medical records. There are four patient groups with which a nurse can train to work: adults, children, learning disabilities and mental health. There are many nursing opportunities in the community such as: community nurse, practice nurse at a GP surgery and occupational health nurse who work to prevent illness and injury at work. Recent changes in the NHS have seen the development of skilled nurse practitioners who can carry out some of the tasks of a doctor.
For more information visit:
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk,
NHS Funding for Pre-registration Nursing: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
NHS Education for Scotland: www.nes.scot.nhs.uk
Nursing and Midwifery Council: www.nmc-uk.org
The Association of Occupational Health Nurse Practitioners: www.aohnp.co.uk
Community Nursing includes the roles of: District nurse who visits patients in their home to provide care; school nurse who promote health with school age pupils; health visitor who work the whole community to promote good health, particularly families who have babies and young children; Community psychiatric or mental health nurse who work with patients suffering mental health disorders such as anxiety or depression.
For more information visit:
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk,
Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association: www.unitetheunion.com
Healthcare assistants are responsible for some of the basic care needs of patients and ensuring that they are comfortable. Tasks may include, giving food, helping with dressing or bathing, changing bed linen, changing dressings or bandages, taking urine samples and keeping records up to date. Healthcare assistants may work in hospitals or in the community.
For more information visit:
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
Information on Apprenticeships in Health and Social Care can be found HERE
►Nursing and Medical Work in the Armed Forces
Medical careers in the armed forces have undergone some changes in recent years and military medics in the UK are likely to be working in an NHS hospital alongside non-military staff.All 3 services have medical roles such as doctor’s dentist’s nurses and healthcare assistants. Nurses in the forces may be: QARNNS (Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Services), QARANS (Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Services) and PMRAFNS (Princess Mary’s Royal Air Force Nursing Service).
For more information visit:
Royal Navy: www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers
Army: www.armyjobs.mod.uk
RAF: www.raf.mod.uk/careers
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
Midwives are involved in the care of pregnant women until shortly after the birth of the baby. Their role is to care for the mother (paediatricians are responsible for the baby). A midwife will start to work with a woman once a pregnancy is confirmed, they will plan for and support her through her ante-natal care to choose the sort of birth she wants and deliver the baby. The midwife will continue to oversee care for up to 4 weeks after the birth until it is transferred to a health visitor.
For more information visit:
The Royal College of Midwives: www.rcm.org.uk
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
NHS Student Bursaries: www.nhs.uk
NHS Education for Scotland: www.nes.scot.nhs.uk
The Nursing & Midwifery Council’s: www.nmc-uk.org
Dentists work in hospitals or as part of a dental practice which can be private or part of the NHS.They fill cavities in teeth or remove them, are responsible for the oral health of their patients; diagnose and treat oral diseases and help maintain good dental health. Orthodontists can correct the placement of teeth using extractions and braces.
For more information visit:
British Dental Association: www.bda.org
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk Funding for study in Dentistry
General Dental Council: www.gdc-uk.org
Dental nurses work alongside dentists assisting in procedures, preparing equipment, and updating client records. They may be responsible for taking dental x-rays and mixing fillings. Dental hygienists carry out some dental procedures such as cleaning and polishing teeth, check for gum health and advise on oral hygiene. Dental technologists make and repair dentures orthodontic appliances and crowns.They work with plastic, porcelain metal wax an plaster to make moulds and create the finished appliance.
For more information visit:
British Association of Dental Nurses: www.badn.org.uk
The National Examining Board for Dental Nurses: www.nebdn.org
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
General Dental Council: www.gdc-uk.org
British Dental Association: www.bda.org
British Society of Dental Hygiene & Therapy: www.bsdht.org.uk
British Association of Dental Therapists: www.badt.org.uk
Dental Technologists Association: www.dta-uk.org
Dental Laboratories Association: www.dla.org.uk
Information on Apprenticeships in Dental Nursing can be found HERE
Pharmacists are experts on medicines, they have to understand the way in which medicines are made and how they may react with others.Most pharmacist work in the community either in health centres or in high street chemists. There are other opportunities working in hospital dispensaries or in drug companies on developing new medicines. Pharmacy technician’s work alongside the pharmacist, they may make up the prescription which is checked by the pharmacist.
For more information visit:
Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain: www.rpsgb.org.uk
National Pharmacy Association: www.npa.co.uk
Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry: www.abpi.org.uk/education/careers
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
Pharmaeutical Society of Northern Ireland: www.psni.org.uk
The Association on Pharmacy Technicians UK: www.aptuk.org
Information on Apprenticeships in Pharmacy can be found HERE
There are a range of careers in optical work:
Ophthalmologists are qualified doctors based in hospitals; they diagnose and treat eye disorders and may carry out eye surgery.
An Orthoptist may also work in hospital; they test for eye movement and eye disorders and treat defects in vision such as squints or double vision. They may work closely with the ophthalmologist.
Optometrists (ophthalmic opticians) work in the community or on the high street; they examine eyes, test sight and prescribe contact lenses or glasses.
Dispensing opticians give advice on supply and fit glasses from a prescription made up by an optometrist or doctor.
For more information visit:
Association of Optometrists: www.aop.org.uk
The College of Optometrists: www.college-optometrists.org
ABDO College (Association of British Dispensing Opticians: www.abdo.org.uk
The General Optical Council: www.optical.org
The Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers: www.spectaclemakers.com
British and Irish Orthoptic Society: www.orthoptics.org.uk
Health Professions Council: www.hpc-uk.org
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
► Physiotherapy and Sports Therapy
Physiotherapists work in hospitals and in the community.They may work as part of a health team around an individual patient who has reduced movement or mobility. It is a hands-on job which requires them to massage, move and manipulate limbs and joints. Patients may require physiotherapy after an illness, accident or injury, as a result of long term health problems or aging. There are also support roles for physiotherapy assistants.
Sports therapist work with people who want to improve their fitness or who have a sports related injury to help them regain strength using massage, equipment and gentle exercise.
For more information visit:
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy: www.csp.org.uk
Vocational Training Charitable Trust: www.vtct.org.uk
The Society of Sports Therapists: www.society-of-sports-therapists.org
Sports Rehabilitation & Education: www.sports-rehab-and-education.co.uk
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
Health Professionals Council: www.hpc-uk.org
New Generations (introduces the allied health professionals): www.newgenerations.org.uk
► Diagnostic and Therapeutic Radiography
Radiographers use equipment to take images of the internal organs of the body. They work in hospitals in 2 fields: Diagnostic radiography: This is nuclear medicine where radioactive tracers are used to highlight organs, the taking of x-rays, ultrasound, CT, and MRI scans. Therapeutic radiography: where radiation is used as a treatment for medical conditions such as cancer. There are also roles for radiography assistants.
For more information visit:
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk,
Society and College of Radiographers: www.radiographycareers.co.uk
The Health and Professionals Council: www.hpc-uk.org
New Generations (introduces the allied health professionals): www.newgenerations.org.uk
Occupational therapists work for the NHS or social care and health; they may work in healthcare settings or in people’s homes. Their role is to help with the recovery of people who may have suffered an accident or illness; they may also work with people who are disabled or aging. They undertake assessments of need, develop an individual treatment plan and use specialist equipment to make difficult tasks easier. There are also roles for occupational therapy assistants.
For more information visit:
The British Association of Occupational Therapists/ College of Occupational Therapists: www.cot.org.uk
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk,
New Generations (introduces the allied health professionals): www.newgenerations.org.uk
The Health Professionals Council: www.hpc-uk.org
Speech and language therapists work one-to-one with people who have a speech problem; this can include children with a stammer or oral deformity and people who have had a stroke or throat surgery.They carry out assessments develop treatment plans and carry out activities with patients to practice tasks such as sound production or word formation.
For more information visit:
Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists: www.rcslt.org
New Generations (introduces the allied health professionals):www.newgenerations.org.uk
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk Health Professionals Council: www.hpc-uk.org
Podiatrists are concerned with the care of feet, for some groups in the population such as those with diabetes or older people, this is very important as reduced circulation can mean infections and tissue damage. They may work in a hospital, clinic or patients home.The work can be preventative or treatment for foot problems.They may measure and fit walking aids for people with a deformity or who have had an accident.
For more information visit:
Health Professionals Council: www.hpc-uk.org
The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists: www.feetforlife.org
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
New Generations (introduces the allied health professionals): www.newgenerations.org.uk
Dieticians are nutritionists who work with people who for a range of reasons are not eating properly, this may be because of other health issues, for psychological or social reasons.They need to be aware of the way people live and the way they think or feel about food to help them. They may work in the NHS with patients who need to alter their eating habits to stay healthy. They may also advise hospitals on their meals policy to ensure patients get enough nutrition.The assistant role for a dietician is called a dietetic assistant.
For more information visit:
Health Professions Council: www.hpc-uk.org
The British Dietetic Association: www.bda.uk.com
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
The Nutrition Society: www.nutritionsociety.org.uk
Medical physic is a scientific career which is involved with the development of new techniques and equipment for diagnosis.They do not normally have patient contact. Medical physicists develop new techniques for investigating the body without surgery; they will then test these to ensure that they are safe for use with patients. Medical technologists calibrate test and service the medical imaging equipment to ensure that it is safe and working correctly. There are several related careers such as medical engineering and nuclear medicine.
For more information visit:
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine: www.ipem.ac.uk
Clinical Scientists Recruitment Centre: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
Health Professionals Council: www.hpc-uk.org
Clinical physiologists use equipment to measure and analyse how well a patients body functions are working. There are several branches related to different organs:
►Audiologist – uses equipment to test hearing and balance.
►Cardiac Physiology – use equipment to diagnose problems with the heart.
►Respiratory physiologists use equipment to test lung function.
►Neurophysiology – measure neurological functions such as brain activity, nerve function and response to stimulus.
Clinical perfusionists monitor heart and lung function during heart surgery.
For more information visit:
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
British Academy of Audiology: www.baaudiology.org
Society for Cardiological Science and Technology: www.scst.org.uk
Association for Respiratory Technology and Physiology: www.artp.org.uk
Association for Neurophysiological Scientists: www.ansuk.org
Society of Clinical Perfusion Scientists of Great Britain and Ireland: www.scps.org.uk
Association of Clinical Scientists: www.assclinsci.org
Clinical Scientists Recruitment Centre: www.nhsclinicalscientists.info
Health Professionals Council: www.hpc-uk.org
Registration Council for Clinical Physiologists: www.rccp.co.uk
The ambulance service provides emergency medical assistance and transport to hospital for seriously ill or injured people. In addition to ambulances staff may use cars and motorcycles to get to patients quickly. Jobs include:
►Ambulance care assistants – this is a driving role for staff working in non emergency work such as patient transport.
►Paramedic – the senior role in an ambulance crew but can also work alone, they can drive the ambulance, carry out emergency procedures, administer drugs, use a heart monitor to monitor the patient
►Ambulance care assistants – a non qualified role which provides support to qualified staff including moving the patient, checking equipment on the ambulance and the vehicle itself.
►Emergency care practitioner – a role taken by experienced paramedics (or nurses) who can carry out treatment on patients which means that they then do not need to be taken to hospital.
►Control room staff - they take calls, prioritise and despatch ambulances.
For more information visit:
Health Professionals Council: www.hpc-uk.org
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk, www.jobs.nhs.uk
The British Paramedic Association: www.britishparamedic.org
A number of therapies use the arts to help patients with communication or psychiatric problems to express themselves, these patients can be difficult to work with and the work very demanding.Jobs are not common in the NHS but may be available with local authorities, special schools, day centres and prisons.Art, drama music, dance, play or horticulture (gardening) therapies are available.
For more information visit:
Health Professions Council: www.hpc-uk.org
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
British Association of Art Therapists: www.baat.org
British Society for Music Therapy: www.bsmt.org
Association of Professional Music Therapists: www.apmt.org
British Association of Drama Therapists: www.badth.org.uk
Association for Dance Movement Psychotherapy UK: www.admp.org.uk
Thrive (therapeutic horticulture) : www.thrive.org.uk
British Association of Play Therapists: www.bapt.uk.com
Information on Apprenticeships in Creative Careers can be found HERE
Complementary medicine treats the whole person looking at all aspects of their life: lifestyle, exercise, nutrition, emotional health etc. Most practitioners are self employed but may have clients referred from the NHS. The techniques practiced include: acupuncture – using fine needles to relieve pain; aromatherapy – using massage with oils to relieve stress or pain; herbal medicine – using natural herbs to treat a range of ailments, hypnotherapy – using hypnosis and relaxation as treatment. There are many others available.
For more information visit:
Institute for Complementary and Natural Medicine: www.icnm.org.uk
The Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council: www.cnhc.org.uk
British Complementary Medicine Association: www.bcma.co.uk
Vocational Training Charitable Trust: www.vtct.org.uk
Federation of Holistic Therapists: www.fht.org.uk
Information on different types of Complimentary Medicine: www.chisuk.org.uk
Osteopaths and Chiropractors use manipulation to treat pain usually in the back. Most are self-employed but may take referrals from the NHS.
Osteopaths treat injuries, back pain, arthritis, etc. They examine joints and tissue to diagnose problems, use manipulation to treat them and advise on posture and exercise. Chiropractors deal mainly with skeletal and back problems. They manipulate the body using twisting and pulling to realign it and reduce pain.
For more information visit:
General Osteopathic Council: www.osteopathy.org.uk
British Osteopathic Association: www.osteopathy.org
General Chiropractic Council: www.gcc-uk.org
British Chiropractic Association: www.chiropractic-uk.co.uk
McTimoney College of Chiropractic: www.mctimoney-college.ac.uk
Where a person has lost a limb or been born without one they can be fitted with an artificial one. There are 2 main roles: Orthotists fit support devices such as splints or braces to damaged limbs. Prosthetists fit artificial limbs where one is missing or has been lost due to injury. To be able to work in this field you must understand how the missing limb would function. Practical skills are needed as adjustment may be needed during the fitting process.
For more information visit:
Health Professions Council: www.hpc-uk.org
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
National Centre for Prosthetics and Orthotics: www.strath.ac.uk
University of Salford: www.healthcare.salford.ac.uk
British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists: www.bapo.com
Health promotion specialist’s work involves getting important health messages out to the public; this includes health eating, anti smoking, etc. They may work in the NHS, for local or central government, for charities or in the community. The job may involve, producing health promotion information, campaigning, working on health policy or advising managers.
For more information visit:
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence: www.nice.org.uk
