Healthcare support workers in the NHS play a vital role in providing excellent care to patients, so if you want to gain experience in the NHS it’s a great place to start. There are over 30 different types of roles available across all NHS care settings from hospitals, GP practices, people’s homes or in the community. 

A healthcare support worker can choose to specialise in a particular setting, or train to qualify as a healthcare professional, such as a nurse or midwife – helping patients on their journey back to full health. 

Urwa Mogul has been a healthcare support worker for almost 3 years at Royal Papworth Hospital. She shares her top reasons to consider the role:

It offers variety – I love the variety that this job provides. With so many specialities you can work in anything from A&E to cardiology units. It’s a hands-on role and we work as a multidisciplinary team to provide the best care for our patients. I find myself taking blood pressure one minute and lending an ear to an anxious patient the next.

It’s so rewarding – by helping people with their care and recovery I am making a huge difference to our community, which is really rewarding. Patients are so appreciative of the support we provide which just makes you want to work even harder.

It gives great flexibility – I can tailor my shifts around my lifestyle, which is a huge benefit and staff at the hospital are really helpful when it comes to understanding personal commitments and preferences. 

There’s no set entry requirement – all you need are good literacy and numeracy skills and a passion to make a difference. 

And finally, the role of a healthcare support worker can lead to a range of career opportunities. You really get an insight into the different career paths on offer. It’s important to be open to learning new skills to show that you can develop, with that mindset the opportunities to progress are endless.

If you want to gain experience within the NHS it’s a great place to start. Search ‘NHS Careers’ to find out more.