Careers in health

All about health careers

We are 1.3 million strong. We are all walks of life, all kinds of experiences. We are the NHS.

Whatever your skills, qualifications or interests, there is a career for you in the NHS. You could work directly with patients, in hospitals, an ambulance trust, or in the community. And once you are part of the NHS team we'll work with you to develop your career, and fulfil your potential.

We provide services to patients and the local community in Northamptonshire. As well as the roles you may know of such as doctors and nurses, we have lots of other roles in the NHS too. For example; laboratory, digital, psychiatry, biomedical science, estates, trade professionals and so much more.

If you’re still in education, thinking about changing your career or already working in health, this page will give you the information you need. On this page, you'll also find real-life stories and films of those already working in a health role.

To help guide your choices, we’ve shared links to helpful resources and information. If you haven't already, have a look at our getting experience page and our events page - you can book onto these events to guide your choices and provide you with information of careers you may be interested in.

You may have an idea about a profession, but are unclear about the journey you need to take to get there. There are many different routes and choices for you to take, and the links on this page show some examples of pathways to get to your chosen profession in the NHS.

Visit the Health Careers explore roles section to find out information about the range of roles available. If you are not sure which ones will suit you, you can compare the roles here or take a look at different roles and what skills are needed for each: Identifying transferable skills.

Not sure on your career? Take the quiz!

We know it can be difficlult to know what career you would like to take, let alone choosing the next step that is right for you. Take the quiz to find out some possible career paths in the health sector that my be suited to you.

Take the careers quiz!

Nursing careers

Nursing careers

Nursing is exciting, rewarding and challenging. But it’s a career that lets you make a real difference to people's lives.

Information on nursing careers

Become a nurse diagram.pdf [pdf] 232KB

Routes into the NHS.pdf [pdf] 273KB

Routes to nursing associates.pdf [pdf] 257KB

Read Michelle's story here

Michelle had always dreamed of being a nurse. She started an adult nursing degree at university but had to give it up for financial reasons.

Now, through an innovative apprenticeship scheme, Michelle is finally fulfilling her career ambitions. Michelle is a Trainee Nursing Associate at Kettering General Hospital (KGH) through a new apprentice scheme run by Northamptonshire Health and Care Partnership (NHCP); a group of leading health and care providers in the county, committed to offering apprenticeships and growing their talent pipeline.

Michelle had been working as a healthcare assistant at Kettering General Hospital when she read about the apprenticeship on the hospital’s social media platform and decided to apply. Michelle explains:

“I wanted to develop my job role and an apprenticeship seemed like an ideal way to further my career in healthcare without having to give up work. I’ve always wanted to train to be a nurse. I had started an adult nursing degree at University several years ago but struggled financially without an income while studying full time and ended up leaving the course because of that.”

At KGH Michelle is training on an acute medical ward caring for a variety of patients with multiple different illnesses and conditions. Her position bridges the gap between healthcare assistants and nurses and her main task is to shadow the nurses on the ward to learn how to manage the patients’ various conditions, monitor patients’ vital signs, understand when their condition might deteriorate and eventually to learn to manage medication. For one week every month Michelle is released from the ward and spends the week studying with her peers on the adult nursing course at Northampton University. Michelle says:

“Through the apprenticeship, I’m now in a role where I’m earning while I am learning, which is amazing. This is a great way for people who, like me felt their career had stalled, to progress. I find the time away from the ward really valuable for reflecting on what I’ve learnt and what I’ve done over the last three weeks. There are around 25 of us in my cohort from three different Trusts and it’s great to get together each month and hear about each other’s experiences. Working full time while studying for a degree has its challenges, but I have a really wide support network around me. There’s always someone to turn to if I have a question or concern. I have mentors on the ward where I spend most of my time, as well as mentors when I’m on placement. I also have a really supportive course leader based at Kettering General if I have any concerns and a Personal Academic Tutor at University.”

Taking on an apprenticeship has given Michelle many new key skills and experiences and she would recommend the scheme to others keen to develop their careers in healthcare. Michelle concludes:

“I’m really enjoying watching myself grow in the profession and learn new skills. I have a year left of my apprenticeship course but I won’t stop there, there are opportunities to develop my skills further after I’ve completed this apprenticeship so I can continue to progress my career through the health service.”

Anthony shares his student nursing degree journey

NHS Health Careers website

Allied health professionals careers

Allied health professionals (AHPs) play an important part in helping patients live life as fully as possible. Similar to nursing, there are different careers for AHPs which include being part of a team in emergency response and diagnosis to mental and physical rehabilitation.

Abi shares her occupational therapy journey via university

NHS Health Careers website.

Healthcare support worker careers

Healthcare support workers

Healthcare support workers are at the very heart of patient care, supporting patients and making a real, lasting difference to their wellbeing. With over 30 roles to choose from and world-class on-the-job training, it’s more than just a job, it’s a lifelong career.

NHS Health careers website.

Pharmacy careers

If you enjoy science and are keen to help others, pharmacy could be for you. Whether you work in a hospital, GP Practice or community pharmacy setting, you need good communication skills to work with the public and patients in a clinical role and as part of a healthcare team.

The NHS Health Careers website has published an interactive PDF, showing the range of opportunities in pharmacy careers and where you could work.

NHS Health Careers - A career in pharmacy PDF

Alternatively, this animated video explains more about careers in pharmacy.

A number of NHS websites contain further information about phramacy careers for you to explore.

NHS Health Careers website

NHS Careers in Pharmacy website

Healthcare science careers

If you are passionate about technology or science, and about helping others, a career in healthcare science offers a wide range of opportunities.

NHS Health Careers website

Midwifery careers

Midwives often describe their job as ‘privileged’. The role they have in preparing women for the delivery of new life makes them a vital presence during all stages or pregnancy, labour and the early postnatal period.

NHS Health Careers website

Doctors careers

If you have a passion for improving people’s lives, a career in medicine offers a career with purpose and many other fantastic benefit.

Meet Mungo Morris, a Year two foundation doctor

Duncan Light a surgical registrar

NHS Health Career website

Psychological careers

If you have an interest in how people think and behave and want to use the study of psychology or psychiatry to help people with mental health problems, a career in the psychological professions could be one for you.