There are more than 350 different careers in the NHS: some work with patients while others work behind the scenes in non-patient related roles. They all contribute to making a difference to people’s lives.

If you are unsure if the NHS is for you, please visit the health careers website and explore the range of 350 different NHS Careers: https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/.

Work experience

Yeovil District Hospital NHSFT offers scheduled and bespoke work placement programmes to provide young people and individuals interested in an NHS career with an insight into the various work environments. These are purely observational, so no direct patient-care is possible. Programmes can be downloaded below:

  • Healthcare Experience Programme: for students aged 16 and above who are interested in a career in medicine, nursing or another patient-facing profession. Click here for more.
  • Business Admin Programme: for students or individuals interested in a non-patient related role. Click here for more.

To apply for a placement please complete and return the application form [link to download the attached new form.

T-Level Placements

We have been one of the first hospitals in the UK to implement Industry Placements in preparation for the new T Level qualifications requirements. Designed to give young people a head start towards the future career they want, T Levels follow GCSEs, are equivalent to 3 A Levels, and combine classroom learning with work placement (80:20). They are a fantastic opportunity for those who feel ready to join the world of work, and we are delighted to offer them as a way of building the future healthcare workforce. For information on the benefits of these qualifications please see here.

Enquiries in the first instance should be made via your Sixth Form or College placement team.

NHS careers events at Yeovil Hospital

The Academy at Yeovil Hospital can design / provider NHS career events for those interested in careers within healthcare, such as Midwifery, Nursing or Medicine.  Information and enquiries are welcomed: please contact Elaine Cox in the Academy on 01935 384529 or email elaine.cox@ydh.nhs.uk .

  • Good grades in Maths and English (A-C) are advisable for most roles
  • Science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills are in great demand
  • Good interpersonal skills
  • Keen to develop professionally and personally
  • Good computer skills
  • Caring and compassionate nature
  • Understanding of the requirement of confidentiality
  • Ability to work as a team
  • Effective time management
  • Being able to solve problems in a calm and efficient manner

Videos:

Links:

Interactive & Virtual Reality Experiences:

Test your knowledge of the human body and anatomy on these online games:

Helpful links:

“Why Study …..”

Healthcare Experience Programme (one week rotational) designed for students considering a clinical healthcare career. Further applicants will be added to a waiting list and contacted if a place becomes available. Radiology (x-ray); Physiotherapy/Occupational Therapy; Pharmacy (average two to three day placements) Business/Admin Experience Programme (one week rotational) [email protected] / 01935 384529 Non-clinical Work Experience Programme [email protected] / 01935 384649

  • Applicants for a patient-facing placement, e.g. Healthcare Experience Programme, must be at least 16 years of age
  • There are no age limitations for applicants for the Business Admin or non-clinical programmes, from FE colleges, or following a break in employment

 

  • All placements will be observational, providing insight into the work environment and discussion opportunity with staff. You will NOT be involved in the personal care of patients.
  • All staff, visitors and students at the hospital will be required to adhere to infection prevention and control measures, including the wearing of face masks during Covid-19 restrictions and provision of negative lateral flow test results.
  • During placement you will be representing your school/ college / employer: professional behaviour and communication is expected at all time.

CHLOE SUMMERS, Nurse Associate, Accident and Emergency Department

“Before coming to the Trust I studied A-levels at college and a Level 2 NVQ in healthcare. During this course I completed the hospital’s 1-week Healthcare Experience Programme and having exposure to the acute hospital setting allowed me to gain a perspective of how hard working in the NHS is. It also gave me an idea as to how busy the hospital is, to experience patient centred care first hand and gain an idea of where I wanted to work/ what I wanted to be. It opened doors for me to progress throughout the duration I have been working at YDH. I then progressed to do a foundation degree in health and applied sciences to become a Nursing Associate.

Working within Emergency care, one day is always different to the next. I undertake a lot of clinical skills, whether that is taking bloods; ECGs; to applying plaster to someone who has broken a bone. Emergency care also involves working with a large team of doctors, nurses, health care assistants, porters and admin staff. I can also administer some medications to people.

Within recent times, the COVID-19 pandemic has put extreme pressures on the NHS and it certainly is noticed within the hospital. Some of the challenges faced are how people who are seriously unwell are not able to be surrounded by their loved ones. Before the pandemic some of the challenges were managing a number of people while the department was increasingly busy. Despite that, I still try to provide the best care possible for my patients.

I have worked within the trust for the last 5 years. The most memorable moment so far is knowing that all of the hard work I have put in, has finally paid off. I always feel overwhelmed when you hear about people you have looked after have had a good outcome and received good care.

I wish I had known how hard it can be at times, physically and emotionally; however I love my job and would not change it for the world.

The best advice I can give to anyone who wants to go into a career within health care is that it’s a marathon not a sprint. To become a good healthcare professional takes time and lots of practice. Allow yourself to make mistakes; it is a great way for you to learn and reflect on what you would do differently. You do not need to have amazing grades to study something you’re passionate about. If you’re are caring, compassionate, determined to put the work in and wanting to help others, a career in healthcare may be for you.”

CASEY HOBSON, ward clerk

I studied a level 3 health and social care diploma at Yeovil College and as part of this course we were required to complete 450 hours of work experience in a health or social care setting. At first I found it really difficult to find the perfect placement for me as I wanted to go into social care, but my personal tutor found a place at Yeovil District Hospital as a Ward Clerk.

As part of this placement I was trained on ward 7B and after a few weeks I was allowed to use the computer systems and answer the phones without the ward clerk needing to prompt me on what to do. I was then approached by the Ward Clerk manager and asked if I would like to join YDH as a bank ward clerk which meant I could pick up shifts that worked around college whilst also training and gaining more experience on other wards. Within a few months I had worked on every ward and completed shadow shifts in A&E.

How did the industry placement help specifically?

After college I decided to study a degree in social sciences at Cardiff University. As my first year of uni came to an end the pandemic started so all face-to-face teaching for year 2 was suspended until further notice. I decided to come back to Yeovil and continue picking up bank shifts alongside my studies, after a few weeks of being back I was offered a 6 month contract on ward 8A where I continue to work whilst also picking up extra bank shifts that work around my uni degree.

As a ward Clerk my daily routine consists of checking medical notes to make sure there is enough labels and continuation paperwork for the doctors to write on. Requesting notes and answering the phone. Attending the MDT meeting at 9:00am with the doctors, nurse in charge and a therapist to discuss the next steps and plan for each patient. After MDT it is important to update TrakCare with any estimated discharge dates and finally making sure a patients notes are together once they have been discharged.

As with any job there are always some challenges. One challenge I face on a daily basis is upset relatives calling for updates about their loved ones. Not all relatives are tricky to speak to but it is very easy for them to become aggressive over the phone if they are unable to get an update at the time they are calling.

The most memorable moment in my job so far was reconnecting a family that hadn’t seen their grandmother in over 1 year due to the coronavirus. Throughout the pandemic I have made it my responsibility to reconnect as many patients to their loved ones as possible. Using zoom I have been able to set up video calls with family members all over the world. I recently set up a call for a patient and her four daughters who lived in Italy, France, Scotland and Wales.

KATIE GILES, 1st year student nurse

I am currently a first-year student nurse studying at Bournemouth University. Beforehand, I studied Level 3 Health and Social Care at Yeovil College, where I had the opportunity to complete an industry placement at Yeovil Hospital. This experience was fantastic, as I was able to see what it was like to work on a ward, I was also able to undertake several duties, for example, paperwork, serving meals, and personal care. Not only did this experience build my confidence and communication skills, but it also provided me with a greater understanding of the profession I was looking to pursue. I would certainly recommend this experience if you are looking to embark on a career in nursing, as it helped me solidify that nursing was the correct career for me.

E-form: complete and submit here:

Download: complete this form here and return as indicated on the form Enquiries can also be made via telephone or email: [email protected] / Careers & Workplace Experience Co-ordinator / 01935 384529