Overview of the healthcare sector in the UK (2024)

If you're passionate about making a real difference in patient's lives, then take a look at the skills, qualifications and work experience you'll need to get started in the healthcare sector

The healthcare sector provides diverse career opportunities catering to individuals with varying work experience, educational backgrounds, and interests. The sector is witnessing significant growth due to the increasing demand for quality healthcare services from qualified professionals.

However, there are challenges, such as the pay-related strikes and the shortage of staff in key areas like nursing. Despite these challenges, the healthcare sector offers a highly rewarding career path for those interested in making a positive impact on people's lives.

What areas of healthcare can I work in?

Employment opportunities can be grouped into:

• allied health (e.g. physiotherapy, radiography, and occupational therapy)
• ambulance services
• complementary therapies
• dentistry
• health informatics
• health promotion
• healthcare administration and management
• healthcare science (e.g. clinical engineering, biomedical science, and pathology)
• medical equipment sales
• medicine (e.g. doctors, surgeons, and GPs)
• medical research
• midwifery
• nursing
• nutrition and diet
• optometry and opticians
• pharmacy
• psychological therapies.

In large organisations such as the NHS and private healthcare providers such as Bupa, there are also jobs for graduates in:

• customer care
• finance
• hospitality
• human resources (HR)
• IT
• legal services
• marketing
• procurement
• sales.

Alternatively, you might consider health-related roles in thescience and pharmaceuticalsorleisure, sport and tourismsectors.

Should I work in the public or private sector?

If you choose to work in public healthcare you'll work for the National Health Service (NHS) which offers:

• job security
• generous benefits packages with paid time off and pension plans
• the chance to contribute to the community
• potentially lower salaries.

Private healthcare settings include independent hospitals and clinics, like HCA Healthcare or Nuffield Health. You can expect:

• higher earnings, with starting salaries often 10-20% higher
• better work/life balance
• more pressure to meet financial targets.

You could also work in the charity sector or consider going self employed.

Who are the main graduate employers?

The National Health Service (NHS) is the largest employer in the sector employing 1.4 million people placing it among the largest workforces in the world.

The NHS offers a range of job opportunities, with over 350 different roles available.

Apart from the NHS, a significant proportion of the healthcare sector's workforce is in independent healthcare. In addition to their private sector functions, these providers are increasingly contracted to deploy services on behalf of the NHS to give more comprehensive healthcare services to patients across the UK.

Independent healthcare organisations include:

• Bupa
• BMI Healthcare
• Care UK
• Ramsay Health Care UK
• Spire Healthcare.

Voluntary and non-profit organisations in the sector include:

• British Red Cross
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) UK
• Nuffield Health
• Save the Children
• Sue Ryder.

What's it like working in the sector?

Graduates entering the healthcare sector can expect:

• national pay rates for all NHS employees except doctors, dentists and senior managers, who are paid via a separate arrangement
• shift work with unsociable and often long working hours
• a potentially stressful and emotionally challenging working environment
• to be able to work anywhere in the country.

If you're an eligible full-time NHS student you can apply for a:

• bursary from the NHS
• £1,000 grant from the NHS
• reduced Maintenance Loan from Student Finance England.

Visit gov.uk for more details.

Take a look athealthcare job profilesto find out more about typical salaries and working conditions in your chosen career.

What skills do employers want?

Skills will differ depending on the role, for example being a surgeon requires a different set of skills to being a GP. However, there are some general skills that employers in the healthcare sector require:

• the ability to remain composed and focused in high-pressure situations
• attention to detail as this could have serious consequences for the patient's health
• having an empathetic and approachable nature to deal with patients and their families in what can be difficult times
• good communication skills to effectively advise patients of their options
• being able to work in a team, since multiple people's input is often required to help a patient.

To pursue graduate healthcare careers like medicine, nursing, midwifery, or allied healthcare, you must be a registered healthcare professional. To work in these roles, you'll need to have a relevant approved degree and register with a professional body.

If you haven't done an approved first degree, don't worry. You can opt for a graduate-entry accelerated course to kickstart your clinical career. Some of these courses may require you to have a science or health-related degree, while others are open to graduates of any subject. However, you'll need at least a 2:2 and a considerable amount of work experience to be successful.

For some roles such asparamedic,physiotherapistandoccupational therapist, it's possible to work your way up from assistant level through in-service, work-based learning, including degree-level study. However, postgraduate study is an essential part of training in several roles such aspharmacyandclinical psychology.

In other areas, such as nursing andmidwifery, you can consider taking post-registration courses at the postgraduate level to specialise.

More information about routes into healthcare careers can be found by visiting the websites of relevant professional bodies, such as:

• General Dental Council (GDC)
• General Medical Council (GMC)
• General Optical Council (GOC)
• General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
• Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC)
• The Royal College of Surgeons in England
• Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH)

How do I find a graduate job in healthcare?

Jobs within the NHS are advertised throughNHS Jobsand individual NHS Trust websites. Jobs in independent healthcare are usually advertised on company websites or via specialist recruitment agencies.

TheNHS Graduate Management Training Schemehas options in finance, HR, general management and health informatics. Graduates with a 2:2 in any subject are considered.

If you have a 2:1 degree in pure or applied science, you could consider the NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP). This offers you the chance to take on paid work while studying towards a Masters degree in areas such as blood sciences, genetics and medical physics.

VisitHealth Careersfor the latest application details.

Vacancies for smaller organisations can be found by contacting them directly with aspeculative applicationor through local press advertisem*nts.

Find out more

• Search graduate jobs in healthcare.