The NHS is the largest employer throughout the whole of the UK and Europe. Therefore, it is unsurprising that this institution has many different roles. From porter jobs to jobs in psychology, there’s a role for anyone in the NHS. For many, a career in the NHS is an obvious stepping stone from school or university. For example, if you did a degree in nursing or medicine, it is extremely likely your first role after university will be with the NHS. Yet there are also those roles that may be less considered. In this article, we will examine some of those areas.
Just like any organisation that is on a national scale like the NHS, a good management system is vital. Managers ensure that day to day running of the NHS is as smooth as possible, allowing healthcare professionals to carry out their roles as seamlessly as possible. Management roles can be anything from health resources and logistics to human resources. Being such a large employer of people, there are many subsets of management needed. If this interests you as a possible career path, it may be worth considering the NHS graduate programme for management.
Another area, that might be more overlooked, is health informatics. It is one of the more recent sectors of employment within the NHS, and one of the fastest growing areas of healthcare. In short, it is the intelligent use of information and technology to help improve healthcare overall. As technology continues to improve and outdate previous modes of technology, it is of the utmost importance that the NHS stays on top of these changes. If not, hospitals and doctors might be using technology and information that is outdated. Which, in turn, can lead to the highest possible level of care not being delivered. Just like management, informatics also has a graduate programme within the NHS.
Finally, I would like to briefly touch upon the wider healthcare team within the NHS. Unlike other areas of the NHS this can encompass a whole range of jobs and professions that aren’t so closely linked. This can involve anyone from a painter, to an engineer. As the NHS employs over a million people, it needs to have this diverse set of roles as a part of it, similarly to that what society needs to thrive. If you believe your skillset is not applicable to the NHS, then I would check within this area first, with positions becoming available daily throughout the UK.
