Careers in The National Health Service

1. Careers in The National Health Service Dawn Porter Joanne Rhodes

2. Origins of the NHS • The NHS was set up 57 years ago on the 5th July 1948 to provide healthcare for all citizens, based on need, not the ability to pay and is now the largest organisation in Europe. • It is recognised as one of the best health services in the world by the World Health Organisation

3. Funding and management of the NHS • The NHS is funded by the taxpayer and managed by the Department of Health, which sets overall policy on health issues. • It is the responsibility of the Department of Health to provide health services to the general public through the NHS.

4. NHS – a massive employer • In England alone, the NHS employs about a million people but the NHS needs more staff to deliver improving and expanding levels of treatment and care. • 7,500 more consultants -2,000 more GP’s • 20,000 extra nurses -6,500 extra therapists • 1,000 more medical school places by 2010 • There are over 300 careers within the NHS, which means that there is something for everyone

5. NHS in Birmingham – 4 areas • Acute Trusts • Primary Care Trusts • Mental Health Trusts • Specialist Hospitals e.g. Women’s Children’s ROH

6. Acute Trust • Mostly large district or general hospitals (ie UHB, Heartlands, Good Hope, City) • Employ up to 6500 members of staff, across various disciplines/areas • Deal with acutely (recent) and chronically (long term) unwell patients • Mostly adults over of the age of 16

7. Acute Trust – cont’d • Mostly have an Accident and Emergency department and therefore deal with ambulances bringing in patients from 999 calls • Have wards, theatres, specialist units/departments and out-patient departments • Patients are brought in as emergencies or are electively (planned) for specific operations • Have regular patients who attend for treatment – i.e. Cancer centre, Dialysis

8. Primary Care Trust • An NHS organisation which looks at the health of the entire local population and address issues specific to the area. • Mainly based within a community setting, for example Medical/Health Centres and Community Hospitals (West Heath and Moseley Hall Hospital) • Their aim is to keep health care close to home by moving care from the Acute settings into a Primary Care.

9. Primary Care Trust – cont’d • Primary Care Services include: • Carers Support • Chiropody/Podiatry • District Nursing • General Practice • Health Visiting • School Nursing • Physiotherapy .

10. Primary Care Trust – cont’d • Some Primary Care Trusts also offer specialised community serviceswhich can include: • Children’s services • Complex Care Nursing packages • Dental Hospital • Community Hospitals at Moseley Hall, West Health offering Rehab and Elderly Services • Services for People with Learning Disabilities • West Midlands Rehabilitation Centre

11. Mental Health Trust • Based in Hospital and Community settings • Spans the city of Birmingham and Solihull • Employs approximately 4,000 staff • Deal with clients with Mental Health illnesses of all ages • Adults, Older adults and adolescents

12. Mental Health Trust Cont’d • Have both in-patient and outpatient services • Provide specialist services:- • Mother and Baby • Deaf Services • Forensics

13. Specialist NHS HospitalsBirmingham Women’s Hospital • A leading specialist teaching hospital dedicated to serving the health needs of women and babies within the West Midlands, and beyond for some of its specialised services • Hospital, one of only two Trusts in England dedicated to women’s health

14. Women’s cont’d • Provides full community midwifery services to the population of South Birmingham delivering over 6,000 normal and complex maternity cases per year • Receives and cares for women with high risk obstetric problems • The hospital has a large neonatal and special care unit, providing a regional service for neonatology as well as caring for babies delivered here

15. Women’s cont’d • The Trust employs approximately 1,500 employees • Services include a full range of specialities including: • Obstetrics and Maternity Services • Gynaecology • Neonatology • Genetics • And other specialist pathology services

16. Private sector • To incl: Hospices Nuffield Bupa Nursing Homes • Also employee various members of staff, but under very different terms and conditions of employment

17. Graduate Clinical Roles • Broadly speaking clinical roles can be separated into the following groups: NURSING AND MIDWIFERY MEDICINE HEALTHCARE SCIENTISTS ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS (AHP’s)

18. Nursing and Midwifery • Individuals undertake a 3-4 year course to become a: General Nurse (also called adult) Mental Health Nurse Children’s Nurse Learning Disability Nurse Midwife

19. Nursing and Midwifery cont’d • After qualification individuals may go on through further training to become: Health Visitors Practice Nurses District Nurses Specialist Nurses

20. Health care scientists • Provide a vital service to screen, diagnose and treat patients. Well over 70% of all diagnoses are made with the help of the scientific services • About 40 different professions in Healthcare science • Various routes of entry

21. Medicine • Excellent grades at ‘A’ level are required to go onto University for 5 years to become a doctor • After further training and exams a doctor may then go on to become a: Surgeon Consultant Psychiatrist GP Pathologist Anaesthetist

22. Allied Health Professionals (AHP’s) • Qualified AHP’s have generally undertaken a 3-4 year degree/diploma to become a: - Physiotherapist - Dietician - Occupational Therapist - Orthoptist - Podiatrist - Prothetist/Orthotist - Radiographer - Speech & Language - Operating Department Therapist Practitioner (ODP) - Pharmacist

23. Assistants within AHP’s • There are no national qualifications, however some GCSE’s are expected or work experience to become assistants to: Paramedics Physiotherapists Radiographers Dieticians…… etc

24. Unqualified carers/assistants • No minimum qualifications (other than sometimes a pass at level 2 in a basic skills test) are required to become: Health care assistant Auxiliary nurse Phlebotomist ECG technician Operating department assistant

25. Non-Clinical Roles • The ability of the clinical staff to do their vital work depends upon a massive back up operation • This is provided around the clock by a huge range of support staff • Working mainly behind the scenes to ensure the NHS can function

26. Non- clinical graduate roles • Management • Accountancy/Finance • Human Resources • Project work • Information Technology/communications • Librarian • Research

27. Non-Clinical Roles • Broadly speaking the remaining non clinical roles can be separated into the following groups: - Health Informatics - The Wider Health Care Team

28. Health Informatics • There are four main specialist areas in this group: - Information and communication staff, who run the internal and external electronic communications - Health records staff who collate, store and retrieve the patient records - Knowledge management who support clinical staff in their education, training and professional practice - Information management who use statistics and other information to develop the health service

29. Wider Healthcare Staff • There are many roles within this category and include posts within: • Catering • Clerical staff • Estates • Finance • Management • Facilities

30. Benefits of working for the NHS • Generous paid annual leave (per year) • 27 days or 202.5 hours on commencement with the NHS • 29 days or 217.5 hours after 5 years service • 33 days or 247.5 hours after 10 years service • 8 public holidays per year • Paid sick leave (6 months full pay/6 months half pay after 5 years service) • Excellent pension scheme • Child and carer advice line and support

31. Benefits continued • Training and development opportunities -skills escalator -European computer driving licence -appraisal system • Occupational Health • Holiday and Leisure discounts • Flexible working opportunities • Family friendly policies

32. Any Questions