NB Some details in this presentation will date over time, please use with caution
Career opportunities in the changing
landscape of the NHS in England
Alan Simmons
Careers Specialist
Join the team and make a difference
A whistle stop tour of…
 NHS size and structure and the changing health
care landscape in England
 Career opportunities in the NHS
 Current initiatives impacting on career opportunities
 Labour market information and sources
 Resources available from NHS Careers
 Using the NHS Jobs website
NHS size and structure and the
changing health care landscape
in England
NHS organisations in England (at 10-11)
166
11
58
51
9
10
Acute (Hospital) Trusts
Ambulance Trusts
Mental Health Trusts
Primary Care Clusters** (including Community Trusts)
Special Health Authorities
Strategic Health Authorities** (SHAs)
Total 305* NHS organisations (approx!)
(*includes 137 Foundation Trusts at June 2011
and excludes Clinical Commissioning Groups)
**PCTs & SHAs to be abolished 2013
Changing NHS landscape (Health & Social Care Bill 2012)
Examples of providers of NHS healthcare:

‘Traditional’ NHS organisations (e.g. mental health trust, acute (hospital) trusts,
ambulance service trusts, special health authorities etc)

Independent healthcare providers (e.g. GSTS Pathology (Serco) – joint venture
between Serco, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, and King's College
Hospital Foundation Trust to transform pathology services.)

Social enterprises (e.g. NAViGO –formerly North–East Lincolnshire Mental Health
Services, provides health and care services to people of North East Lincolnshire
on behalf of NHS, GPs and local authorities.)

Charities (e.g. Mind, Rethink and Turning Point commissioned for some
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services)
Changing NHS landscape (Health & Social Care Act 2012)
In the recent past/currently...

Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) commission
healthcare (and until recently delivered
some forms of healthcare)

Staff delivering NHS healthcare primarily
employed by NHS organisations (trusts
and health authorities) in England

Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs)
oversee healthcare delivered in their
region (by PCTs, acute trusts, mental
health trusts, ambulance service trusts
etc)

NHS financial support for eligible students
on approved pre-registration training

Public health mainly in NHS domain

Health education and training
commissioned by SHAs
In the future (from April 2013 onwards?)...

PCTs and SHAs abolished.

Local budgets will be managed by GP-led
Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs)

NHS National Commissioning Board will
authorise CCGs & commission primary care
& specialist services

Staff delivering NHS healthcare could be
employed by NHS organisations, social
enterprises, private healthcare providers,
charities etc (Not necessarily NHS t’s & c’s)

NHS financial support for eligible students
on approved pre-registration training

Public health in local authority domain
(overseen by Public Health England)

Health education and training commissioned
by Health Education England & Local
Education & Training Boards (LETBs)
Career opportunities
In the NHS
Staff in the NHS 2012 (approximately!)
Healt hcar e Scient ist &
A HP Sup p o r t st af f
( T her ap y A ssist ant s,
ad min et c)
4%
Sup p o r t t o d o ct o r s &
nur ses ( HC A s, ad min
et c)
2 1%
D o ct o r s & D ent ist s
10 %
Sup p o r t t o amb ulance
st af f
( HC A s,maint enance et c)
1%
N ur ses & M id wives
30%
GP p r act ice st af f ( excl
d o ct o r s)
7%
C ent r al f unct io ns ( HR ,
f inance et c)
6%
Healt h Inf o r mat ics
2%
Ho t el, p r o p er t y &
est at es
5%
M anag er s & Senio r
M anag er s
A llied Healt h
3%
Pr o f essio ns
Qualif ed A mb ulance
5%
st af f
1%
www.ic.nhs.uk
Healt hcar e Scient ist s
5%
Current initiatives impacting on
career opportunities
Current initiatives impacting on career opportunities
Nursing
 Pre-registration nursing will be degree level only from September 2013
 Several HEIs now offering “dual branch” degrees (e.g. Southampton, DMU, Oxford Brookes)
 Details of courses on NHSC coursefinder (main NHS Careers website)
Health Visiting
 In England – campaign to recruit 4,200 additional health visitors between 2011 & 2015
 HV training open to newly qualified nurses of any branch/field and to midwives.
 Details on main NHS Careers website
Management
 Although reduction in overall no. of NHS management posts taking place, the NHS is still
recruiting
 NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme
 Approx. 150 places for 2013 entry – national recruitment cycle. Opened 17 Oct, closed 3
Dec 2013 (12,000 applicants for 150 places for 2012 intake). www.isthenhsforme.co.uk
Public health

Public health will be responsibility of Public Health England and local authorities from 4/13
Healthcare science

Modernising Scientific Careers (see later slides )
NHS Careers categorises careers into 13 areas:

Allied health professions

Midwifery

Ambulance service team

Nursing (incl. health visiting)

Dental team

Operating department practice

Doctors

Pharmacy team

Health informatics

Psychological therapies

Healthcare science

Wider healthcare team

Managers
Examples of careers in Healthcare Science
Physiological sciences












Audiology
Cardiology
Clinical perfusion
Critical care technology
G I physiology
Hearing therapy
Neurophysiology
Ophthalmic science
Respiratory physiology
Urodynamics
Vascular technology
Vision science
Physical sciences and
biomedical engineering
Life sciences









Anatomical pathology 

Blood transfusion
Clinical biochemistry 
Clinical embryology 
Clinical immunology

Cytopathology
Haematology

Histopathology

Phlebotomy
Many pathology
services now
becoming
automated.
Biomechanical engineering
Clinical illustration
Equipment management
Information technology /
computer science
Medical engineering &
rehabilitation engineering
Diagnostic radiology
Nuclear medicine
 Radiation protection
 Renal dialysis
 Maxillofacial prosthetics
Modernising Scientific Careers

Increasingly opportunities/entry levels at several points:

Healthcare science assistant (work towards vocational
qualifications)/healthcare science associate (work towards FDeg)

Healthcare science practitioner (via Practitioner Training Programme
undergraduate entry – after new BSc Healthcare Science)

Healthcare scientist (via Scientist Training Programme – graduate
entry (replaced clinical scientist training scheme))

Senior healthcare scientist

Consultant healthcare scientist
Training routes in…
Source: Modernising Scientific Careers: The UK Way Forward (www.dh.gov.uk)
Modernising Scientific Careers

Increasingly opportunities/entry levels at several points:

Healthcare science assistant (work towards vocational
qualifications)/healthcare science associate (work towards FDeg)

Healthcare science practitioner (via Practitioner Training Programme
(PTP) undergraduate entry – after new BSc Healthcare Science)

Healthcare scientist (via Scientist Training Programme (STP) –
graduate entry (replaced clinical scientist training scheme))

Consultant healthcare scientist (Higher Specialist Scientific Training
(HSST)) – for experienced and postgraduate qualified healthcare
scientists
NHS Practitioner Training Programme
New 3 year BSc Healthcare Science programmes
Division
Specialism
Cardiac physiology
Respiratory and sleep physiology
Physiological
Sciences
E.g. Wolverhampton University
& St Georges University
Vision sciences
E.g. Southampton University &
Aston
University Metropolitan
E.g. Manchester
Neurophysiology
University
Audiology
Blood sciences
Infection sciences
Life Sciences
Cellular sciences
Genetics technology
E.g. Plymouth University &
University of the West of England
E.g. Bradford University &
University of Sunderland
Radiotherapy technology
Radiation physics technology
E.g. Swansea University
Nuclear medicine technology
Medical Physics and
Biomedical Engineering
Medical engineering technology
Radiation technology
Renal technology
Rehabilitation engineering
E.g. Bradford University
Scientist Training Programme Specialisms
Division
Theme
Cardiovascular respiratory
and sleep sciences
Specialism
Cardiac science
17
Respiratory and sleep sciences
10
Vascular science
9
Critical care science
2
Gastro-intestinal physiology and urodynamic sciences
5
Physiological sciences
Audiology
Neurosensory sciences
Infection sciences
Life sciences
4
Ophthalmic and vision science
3
Microbiology including: infection control & epidemiology, virology, bacteriology, mycology,
parasitology
5
17
Haematology & transfusion
7
Immunology
4
Genetics
Cellular sciences
16
Neurophysiology
Clinical biochemistry
Blood sciences
Vacancies
nationally
17
Histocompatability and immunogenetics
3
Histopathology
2
Cytopathology
1
Reproductive science
10
Radiotherapy physics
Radiation physics
Medical physics
71
Imaging (ionising radiation)
Physical sciences &
biomedical engineering
Clinical pharmaceutical sciences
Rehabilitation engineering
Clinical engineering
Clinical measurement and development
20
Reconstructive sciences (maxillo-facial prosthetics)
223
Labour market information and
sources
Proposed shortage occupation list* – 15 Feb 2013
Includes:

Healthcare scientists - clinical neurophysiologist; nuclear medicine scientist;
radiotherapy physicist clinical vascular scientist; respiratory physiologist; sleep
physiologist.

Consultants in: haematology; emergency medicine; old age psychiatry..

Non-consultant, non-training, medical staff posts in: anaesthetics; general medicine
specialties delivering acute care services (intensive care medicine; general internal
medicine - acute); emergency medicine (including specialist doctors working in A & E);
rehabilitation medicine and psychiatry

Nurses specialising in: operating theatres;.

HCPC-registered: diagnostic radiographer; therapeutic radiographer and sonographer.
Source: Proposed shortage occupations list for the UK and Scotland (as at 15 February 2013) from the
Migration Advisory Committee
*Subject to governmental approval
LMI - the NHS workforce: key points on specific careers
Children's nursing
 Nationally current supply good. However, shortages in some fields, such as neonatal and theatre nursing
 Factors, (e.g.) predicted increase in child population & growth in public health agenda, indicate possible
need for more children’s nurses in the future.
 Regional variations. E.g. East of England, East Midlands & South West, either looking to reduce
number of places or keep at same level. London, number of places increasing. This is based on the health
needs of the capital’s population.
 Generally, estimates suggest a retirement bulge in children’s nurses in near future unlikely. However,
workforce older in community services and school nursing. Likely to be more opportunities in
community settings for newly qualified nurses as more care provided in community in future
 Nursing moving to a degree-only entry profession. Because tuition fees paid by NHS, CfWI highlights
risk of students applying for courses without any intention of ever practising as a nurse.
Midwifery
 Now 8% more midwives in NHS than five years ago.
 CfWI predicts supply will grow by 22% between 2010 and 2016 to 37,802 (due to increases in places
since 2002/03). Estimate levels will meet demand by 2013 but exceed demand from then on.
 Current midwifery workforce ageing with 25% over 50.
 Regional variations. East of England - significant growth has meant oversupply of newly qualified
midwives, so small reduction planned and increased use of maternity support workers in 2012. However, in
regions such as North East and South East Coast, planned places staying at around same level. In
London and the North West, the number of places is increasing.
Visit CfWI website for full reports on these & others such as health visiting, dietetics and physiotherapy
LMI - the NHS workforce: key points on specific careers
Operating Department Practice

Demand for operating department practitioners (ODPs) high - continue to be on shortage occupation list

ODP workforce growing, but number of commissioned places expected to remain at about 850 a year.

Regional variations in number of commissioned places. E.g. remaining steady in the East Midlands and
South West. In South West, have reduced high attrition, (particularly in Plymouth and Bournemouth), to
around 10 per cent.

In North West, NHS planning small reduction over 3 years in number of places - related to history of overrecruitment.
Therapeutic radiography

More therapeutic radiographers needed due to increasing prevalence of cancer and desire to improve
survival rates. However, currently not enough to meet demand.

CfWI say the number of therapeutic radiographers will increase by 39 per cent between 2010 and 2016.

Attrition from university courses remains relatively high and work is underway to reduce this by the NHS
and higher education institutions.

Education places are increasing across the country. In South West, number of planned places was set to
increase by 29 per cent in 2011/12. In South Central, number of places also increasing to meet demand.

About 96 per cent of qualified therapeutic radiographers work for NHS but private sector workforce is
growing.
Visit CfWI website for full reports on these & others such as health visiting, dietetics and physiotherapy
LMI sources in England
Tier 2 Shortage Occupation List – Government
approved version – 15 February 2013
Skills and Labour Market Intelligence Briefings
(Regional) 2010
Workforce risks and opportunities – e.g. education
commissioning risks summary from 2012 (Published
March 2012)
Resources available from NHS
(England only)
and the NHS Jobs website
Join the team and
make a difference
What is NHS Careers?

Careers information for England only*
 websites
(4)
 literature
(all free – but available only for organisations)
 contact
centre

Job vacancies  (NHS Jobs for England & Wales)

Careers counselling/guidance 
*There is separate provision in Scotland and Wales
NHS Careers – contact details
advice@nhscareers.nhs.uk
NHS Careers
PO Box 27079
Glasgow
G3 9EJ
0345 60 60 655
www.nhscareers.nhs.uk (main site)
www.stepintothenhs.nhs.uk (for 14-19 year olds)
www.whatcanidowithmydegree.nhs.uk
www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/nursing (nursing microsite)
(www.facebook.com/stepintothenhs)
(www.youtube.com/nhscareers)
Twitter @NHS_Careers
NHS Careers literature
Our multi-page booklets will continue to be available to order by
organisations and can be downloaded from our main website.
Once our factsheets have run out, they will no longer be
available in hard copy format, only as downloads
Main NHS Careers website
Different ways to explore the careers information
Search the site
Link to NHS
Jobs website
A-Z of around
110 NHS careers
Frequently
asked questions
Download leaflets
Find university
courses
Resources for
teachers/advisers
Health visiting
information
Advice line for
current NHS staff
Latest news
Monthly feature
www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
Information for
healthcare staff
qualified outside
the UK
NHS Careers coursefinder


To practice in many clinical careers, you must be
registered with the appropriate regulatory body (e.g. With
the Nursing and Midwifery Council; General Medical
Council (doctors); Health and Care Professions Council
(physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians,
clinical scientists and many other professions); General
Dental Council (dentists and dental care professionals);
General Pharmaceutical Council (pharmacists, pharmacy
technicians) etc.
The NHS Careers coursefinder lists only those courses
that lead to statutory professional registration with these
regulatory bodies.
Step into the NHS programme (14-19 year olds)
Career “mapper” –
short quiz to
suggest possible
careers
Menu
Video
clips
Register to
receive digital
welcome pack;
gain access to
additional
areas of
website &
receive regular
year-group
related emails
Additional
features for
students
who’ve
registered
Link to
Resources for teachers/advisers
Case
studies
of NHS
staff
www.stepintothenhs.nhs.uk
What can I do with my degree website
(graduates and undergraduates)
Case studies of graduates
now working in the NHS
Change
degree
discipline
Sign up for
job alerts
through the
NHS Jobs
website
Links to graduate schemes
Advice on applying for a job
Advice on career
prospects
www.whatcanidowithmydegree.nhs.uk
Nursing careers microsite
Downloadable
Resources incl.
posters, case
studies &
presentation
Factual
information
Video content
Factual
information
Factual
information
Video content
Site aimed
at returners
& “new
entrants”
Video content
www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/nursing
Using the NHS Jobs website
Jobs website (England & Wales)
Simple
search
facility
More advanced search facility
Register for job
alerts by email &
RSS
Browse vacancies
by career
groupings
How to apply, hints on
applications and interviews etc
www.jobs.nhs.uk
Using the “Advanced search” function…
LOOKING FOR
VACANCIES
RELATED TO…
TRY SEARCH TERMS IN THE
‘SKILLS’ FIELD SUCH AS…
NUTRITION
“healthy eating”, “diet”, “food”,
“allergy”, “health promotion”,
“nutrition”, “lifestyle”
PSYCHOLOGY
“talking therapies”, “counselling”,
“mental health”, “low intensity”,
“high intensity”, “IAPT”
ADMINISTRATION
“marketing”, “project”, “payroll”,
“finance”, “communication”,
“record-keeping”
SPORT SCIENCE
“exercise”, “fitness”, “lifestyle”,
“stroke”, “physiology”, “cardiac
rehabilitation”
LIFE SCIENCES
“laboratory”, “pathology”, “public
health”, “healthcare science”,
“health protection”
PUBLIC HEALTH
“health improvement”, “health
protection”, “substance misuse”,
“smoking cessation”
EXAMPLES OF RESULTING JOB
VACANCIES
Lifestyle support worker
 Health development practitioner
 Assistant nutritionist/dietitian

Substance misuse practitioner
 Wellbeing Coordinator
 Mental health advisor - trainee

Marketing coordinator
 Employment services officer (recruitment)
 Finance assistant

Rehabilitation assistant
 Health improvement practitioner
 Cardiac physiologist

Training administration asst. (pathology)
 Medical laboratory assistant – advanced
 Newborn screening data manager

Health promotion resource & info. officer
 Integrated care drugs worker
 Administrator (PCT, working at a prison)

Thank you for coming to this session