The Armed Forces’ community is one of British society’s greatest assets. There are 1 million veterans of working age in the UK, with 20,000 leaving the forces every year.
The NHS is the largest employer in the United Kingdom with a workforce of approximately 1.7 million people; 1 in 23 of the working population of Britain.
There are more than 300 career paths available in the NHS, just under half of which are non-clinical, providing an unparalleled range of opportunities for individuals currently outside the NHS. Whatever your skill, experience or qualification these can be matched to NHS employment opportunities.
As an employer since 1948 the NHS is very familiar with supporting new employees and many have formal mentoring and supervision qualifications. The 11 participating NHS Trusts in London and the South East offer support in the form of a carefully matched buddy, mentor or coach. Support is tailored to your individual needs and could include help with CV writing, job applications or interview preparation; guidance through the recruitment process, help to build your network of contacts or a work experience placement in an area you are interested in.
There are around 130 clinical roles and over 170 non-clinical job roles across the organisation. The NHS is the largest employer in Europe and is used to taking people with no previous experience in healthcare, and supporting their learning and development.
11 NHS organisations in London and the South East are offering work experience or bespoke work placements to veterans and service leavers. From 2 days up to 4 weeks, there are many opportunities to experience NHS services first hand. You can ask for experience in specific roles or areas, or for a general overview of some of the services that the NHS offers – the mentor you are matched with can help to organise work experience tailored to you.
Some examples of the areas or services provided at these NHS organisations are:
Your mentor will be able to support you throughout your placement and be a point of contact for any questions or issues that may arise.
Each NHS organisation can offer experience, although some can offer different areas or roles – please review the individual organisation websites through the links to see what each has to offer. If the experience you would like is not available at the organisation where your mentor is employed, then please do not hesitate to contact the Programme Lead for London and the South East: Danielle Fullwood [email protected] who can help to arrange your preferred placement.
Also take a look at these guides to find out more about how the modern NHS is structured:
An Alternative Guide to New NHS England
Understanding the new NHS – a guide for everyone working or training in the NHS
Participating NHS Organisations in London and the South East: