Working For The NHS

What are the Benefits of Working for the NHS?

Whichever role you work in, the NHS is a public sector employer that offers tangible benefits, including:

• Flexible working hours
• A final salary pension scheme
• Health professionals such as nurses, physiotherapists and radiographers can have their tuition fees paid for by the NHS, with additional maintenance support
• A graduate training scheme to get into healthcare management
• Flexible career paths within the system

What are the Negatives of Working for the NHS?

As a medical health professional working for the NHS, you should also be prepared for the following:

• Occasional long or unsociable hours
• A high level of accountability
• Flexibility – it is sometimes necessary to move around to take up jobs in different areas of the country

At your Medical School interview, you might be asked which aspects of the working life of a Doctor do or don’t appeal to you, so it’s important you’re aware of what working as a Doctor is really like!

What Can I Expect Working for the NHS?

Qualified Doctors can expect an employment rate of around 99.3%, the highest of any degree subject. The rate slightly changes depending on which Medical School you go to, but not by very much.

Pay freezes over recent years have angered unions, and cuts have made it slightly harder to get and maintain some NHS jobs. However, if you choose to work as a Doctor, you will be guaranteed a reasonable salary during your training which will increase with experience. And doctors have been historically less affected by recessions than those working in the private sector.

There are over 60 specialisms to choose from.

As a qualified Doctor, you can also consider taking your career down the following options within the NHS:

• Teaching and training
• Management
• Research

Being a medical professional is demanding but ultimately very rewarding. Any NHS job will require being part of a team of professionals and non-medical staff working hard to meet NHS standards of care.