Caring careers may span a range of settings or roles depending on your interests, experience, and skills. Also, as health and care become increasingly more integrated, our people will increasingly work across traditional organisational and professional boundaries so you may find yourself working closely with others in different areas.
Find out more about some of the career opportunities below.
There are over 350 different NHS careers and the NHS has a dedicated website to help you find and compare the different roles – www.healthcareers.nhs.uk
Many work with patient/service users and others work “behind the scenes”. To find out what type of career may be suitable for you use the on line tool kit at the above website.
Primary care services include General Practices (GPs). Dentists, Pharmacists and Opticians (eyes) – based in local communities primary care employ a wide range of support roles (phlebotomists, support workers, receptionists, care navigators, etc) as well as regulated professional staff such as nurses and doctors, pharmacists, health and wellbeing coaches, etc.
Social Care – At the moment 1.48million people work in social care. Social care provides a whole range of services to support adults and older people with their physical, emotional and social support. You can work with people in their own home, in residential homes or in a number of other places such as day centres or supported housing. To find out more use wither www.healthcareers.nhs.uk or www.nationalcareers.service.gov.uk or www.skillsforcare.org.uk
Careers in local authorities are varied but many borough councils employ social workers, peer support workers, community engagement leads, etc for more information www.career-advice.jobs.ac.uk
The delivery of health and social care services by voluntary organisations has increased as part of the move towards integrated care. Working in local communities, in people’s homes and supporting individuals careers in the voluntary sector have significantly grown. You can work in the community as a development worker, or specialise in assisting people with employment, housing or working with disadvantaged groups, the disabled etc. For more information you can refer to the websites for Local Mind, Age UK, Bridge Support.
No matter where you start your role or where you are in your career, there are always opportunities to develop and progress.
You can make a sideways move into a different type of role which could involve working in a different setting or with a different group of people; or
You can move up – into a job with more responsibilities or which requires new skills, knowledge and qualifications/experience.
Integrated care with health, social care and the voluntary sector working together provides a wide range of opportunities to develop your role and your career.