Definition
The health service is one of Britain's biggest employers. The publicly-funded National Health Service (NHS) employs about 1.2 million people in Britain, and half that number again work in independent (privately paid for) health services. Health services include hospitals, ambulances, nursing homes, medical practices (doctors and dentists) and other services like blood banks and medical laboratories.
Social care provides support to people who need help coping with living their daily lives. Social care includes care at home, day centres, residential or nursing homes, meals on wheels for the elderly, home help for people with disabilities, and fostering. These services are provided by local authorities, as well as private and voluntary workers.
Studying and working in health and social care
To find out about some of the jobs that are available in health and care before planning your career path. Jobs are described in detail, giving you advice on what qualifications are required, where to find courses, how to apply for and find jobs, where to get financial help and further sources of information, so you can find out more if you need to.
The Sector Skills Council for health has lots of information about qualifications including NVQs and Apprenticeships, links and case studies for people interested in studying or working in this area.
The Sector Skills Council for care has case studies and information on working and studying in social care and the caring professions.
Comprehensive information on the range of careers offered by the NHS, and the requirements for entry into these professions.
Health and Social Care in London
All Londoners depend on the health services in one way or another and approximately 140,000 people work for the health service in London. The NHS is one of the capital's single biggest employers. There is a constant demand for doctors, nurses, and other support staff to keep London's hospitals running smoothly.
London has over 30 local authorities each responsible for funding and supporting the social care needs of the local population. The private sector is growing quickly and the combined social care sector could soon be the largest employer in London.
NHS Cadet Scheme
The Cadet Scheme is a training programme run by the NHS. It helps people with less than five GCSEs achieve the minimum qualifications for pre-registration entry into nursing or midwifery. Although mainly used as a route into nursing or midwifery there are also opportunities in radiography (x-rays), dietetics (what people eat), and speech and language therapy.
Click here for more about the NHS Cadet Scheme
Jobs and careers
In health and social care many jobs involve working closely with patients or caring for people directly. There are also jobs in the organisation and administration of providing health and social care services.
Careers in the health service can be in the allied health professions (including therapists, psychologists and paramedics), in a dental team, as a doctor, in health informatics (such as office workers, information technology staff, and librarians), as a manager, in midwifery (concerning babies and family planning), in nursing, and in all areas of hospital life, from porters to kitchen staff. Possible careers in social care include working as a childminder, a care assistant, a carer or a social worker.
Many people think that you need high-level qualifications and lots of technical or medical experience before you can work for a hospital, in a doctors surgery or for the social services. That’s true in some cases but not all. There are lots of interesting jobs that you can start your career in, many of which require very few qualifications or little previous experience. These days there is so much emphasis on career progression that you can often study while you work.
Careers in health and social care
An overview of heath and social care services in London.
Offering information about getting started in social care, issued by the Department of Health
Offering information and support for those wanting to get involved in child care.
An independent professional association operating in social care.
Aimed at people involved in social care with current news articles and a job search.
A career as a professional
Professionals such as doctors and dentists are employed for their high levels of skills in areas such as science and technology. It takes many years of study with the achievement of good qualifications to pursue a career in these very specialised areas.
A career as an assistant
Many jobs in assistant or support roles do not require specialist medical knowledge. These include working on reception, counter staff in pharmacies, on wards and in catering departments. Some jobs require you to have particular experience or training. This can be gained on the job or by studying at a London college. Work and experience can count towards a qualification such as an NVQ.
Examples of assistant roles include: an ambulance care assistant, a trainee ambulance technician, a chiropody assistant (specialising in feet), a dietic assistant (specialising in diet), an imaging support worker (working with x-ray equipment), an occupational therapy assistant, a paramedic, a physiotherapy assistant, and a speech and language therapy assistant. In some cases experience can aid an application for further study, for instance on a degree course. Many jobs in the care service offer opportunities to train and work towards NVQ qualifications while working.
Key employers
The UK's publically funded health service.
The largest independent provider of private hospitals and health services in the UK.
One of the UK's largest provider of private hospitals and health services.
Colleges
While some careers do not require any experience or qualifications, training or a qualification will give you a bigger choice of jobs and make you more attractive to employers. You can search for courses in health and social care that are available at a London college by clicking here or in the related subjects box on the right of this page.
CoVEs
There are colleges in London with CoVEs in Heath and Social Care. This means they have a proven level of excellence in teaching vocational skills required in the health and social care services.
Skills
To work in health and social care, it is important to have good language skills, including good listening skills, and the ability to put people at ease and work well with other people in the health service. Maths and English are important for administrative roles.
For progression to higher level careers, sciences, Maths and English are vital. To train in professions like doctoring or dentistry you will be required to have already acquired skills and qualifications in these areas before further training.
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships and Advanced Apprenticeships are available in areas of CoVEs in health and social care.
Studying at a higher level
For a career in the professions it is necessary to study to a high level, to degree level or above. It’s possible to do further study at a CoVE or a London college. For example Merton College runs an 'Access to Health and Social Care Professions' course.
Apprenticeships
Information about Apprenticeships in health and social care.
Volunteering
Social care is also provided by many charities and volunteers. Volunteering can be a good way of gaining experience and finding out about care work. Contact your local social services department for opportunities and find contact details of other organisations in the phone directory, in the yellow pages, in libraries, through local councils and at the Citizen's Advice Bureau.
Volunteering
A charity working with vulnerable children and young people to help provide them with a more secure future.
The UK's largest organisation working with and for older people.
Offering volunteering and training opportunities.
Aimed at young people aged 16 - 24 interested in getting involved in volunteering.
Working to promote volunteering as a powerful force for change.
