Health and social care students and professionals need to know what jobs they can get once they have completed their training. Health and social care professionals provide services in different settings such as hospitals, health centres, hospices, schools, rest homes and more. These professionals work in various positions that require various levels of qualification.
The health and social care sector is one of the fastest-growing industries in the UK, with an expected growth rate of 6.3% between 2015 and 2020. This means that there are plenty of opportunities for you to find a job in this industry, whatever your area of expertise.
Health and social care encompasses a wide range of jobs, including:
-Healthcare professionals (nurses, doctors, physiotherapists)
-Childcare professionals (teachers, childcare workers)
-Support staff (custodians, janitors)
If you’re unsure which area you’d like to work in, there are some great resources online where you can get information about different types of jobs within health and social care.
What jobs can you get in health and social care
Introduction
The health and social care sector is a broad one, encompassing many different jobs and roles. If you’re interested in this area of work, then you may be wondering what kind of career paths are available. Read on to learn about some common jobs in health and social care, what they involve, and how you can enter the field.
Jobs in health and social care
Health and social care is an area that covers a wide range of jobs, from those who work in care homes to those who work in hospitals or schools. It’s important to understand the differences between these types of jobs, as they require different training and qualifications.
Healthcare jobs mean working within the NHS or private healthcare sectors. These include doctors, nurses and midwives who treat patients directly; medical scientists (who are involved with researching new treatments); physiotherapists; podiatrists (who treat people with foot problems); speech therapists; dietitians; occupational therapists; radiographers (X-ray technicians); paramedics (ambulance drivers), etc..
Social care includes everything from looking after disabled children at home or helping older people live independently by providing them assistance with daily living activities like cooking or cleaning up after meals for example. Social workers provide support by helping families deal with issues such as child abuse or neglect – this could involve visiting their homes on a regular basis if necessary.”
Care assistant/home help/health care worker
Your role as a care worker would be to help people who need support with everyday activities, such as washing and dressing, preparing meals and managing their finances. You may also assist with personal hygiene and other daily tasks that people find hard to do on their own.
You’ll need to have good communication skills so that you can build a close relationship with each person you are supporting. It’s important for them to feel comfortable around you and know that they’re safe in your presence (for example, if someone has dementia).
To become an adult carer there are various routes available:
- Trainee adult support worker – If you’re aged 18 or over and want to become an adult support worker then this is the course for you. The qualification will give you the basic knowledge needed when working with older adults or those living with long-term health conditions in residential settings or sheltered accommodation
- NVQ level 2 – If you already have some experience of working in social care services then it may be worth gaining your NVQ Level 2 certificate as part of becoming an SCS registered member (SCS Registration Scheme)
Qualified nurse or doctor
Qualified nurse or doctor
- You’ll need to be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The NMC sets out what you need to do to become and remain registered.
- You can work in the NHS, but it may be harder if you want a job in private hospitals. Many care homes are privately run, and so this is where many nurses end up working when they leave the NHS.
- Your salary will depend on where you work; for example, an average salary for a midwife is £30,000 but can reach £40-50k as they progress through their career – more if they become consultants.
- Working hours are long with shifts ranging from 12 hours to 36 hours depending on what kind of role it is (a shift could be anything from just 1 day or even several weeks). The nature of these jobs means that some flexibility around working days / hours may not always be possible due to patient care requirements which might mean needing someone available at all times during those periods without fail which wouldn’t necessarily suit everyone’s needs but would help with getting paid more money overall as well as being able to take better quality time off when needed such as weekends etc.. This also means having less holiday entitlement than some other types of roles so think carefully about whether this suits your lifestyle before applying!
Community mental health or learning disability worker
A community mental health or learning disability worker is one of the most common roles in the health and social care sector. Community mental health workers provide support for people with mental health problems and learning disabilities. They can work in a wide range of settings, including hospitals, day centres and residential homes.
- What does this job involve? The main tasks include:
- assessing needs;
- supporting clients with their emotional wellbeing;
- helping them to live independently;
- providing emotional support;
Community Mental Health Worker is a generic title which covers various roles such as Care Coordinator, Recovery Worker, Recovery Support Worker etc…
Social worker
A social worker is a qualified professional who provides support and care to vulnerable people, often in their own homes. This can include working with children, adults or older people who need help with day-to-day tasks such as cleaning or cooking.
Social workers are employed in many different settings including hospitals, prisons, schools and local authorities. They may also work in private practice – for example providing therapeutic services within the NHS or supporting families with special educational needs at home.
Physiotherapist or occupational therapist
If you want to be a physiotherapist or an occupational therapist, there are some requirements you will need to meet. These include:
- Having a degree in your chosen field.
- Passing the professional registration examination for the health and social care sector.
- Having at least two years of relevant work experience under supervision.
- Understanding and following all aspects of patient safety and infection control guidelines, including those related to infectious diseases such as hepatitis B and C, HIV, MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus), Ebola virus disease and SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).
Paramedic
Paramedics provide emergency medical care to patients, but they are also trained to administer drugs and perform procedures. They may be found in ambulances, air ambulances and even police cars.
Paramedics are usually employed by the NHS or by private companies that provide medical services on behalf of the NHS.
Midwife, community nurse, nurse practitioner or health visitor
Midwives, community nurses and nurse practitioners work in the community to care for people. They can help you with a wide range of health problems or just support you if you’re worried about something. Health visitors are also community nurses but they focus on the needs of children and their families.
Healthcare assistants help healthcare professionals with basic tasks such as giving injections or taking blood samples. They also provide essential help to patients after surgery or treatment has finished, such as helping them get dressed or eating their meals
Practice nurse
A practice nurse works in a hospital or clinic. They are not doctors, but may have some similar responsibilities.
Practice nurses have to make sure that patients follow the treatment they have been prescribed and help them to do that. They also give advice on keeping healthy, such as eating well and exercising regularly.
Practice nurses can take blood samples and administer injections under the supervision of a doctor or surgeon. They also arrange for patients’ medical records to be kept up-to-date, including giving vaccinations when needed.
To become a practice nurse you will need at least five GCSEs (or equivalent qualifications) which include English language and mathematics at grade C or above, plus two other subjects from biology/human biology/health & social care; chemistry/science; technical drawing & design technology; food preparation & nutrition; business studies; history; geography; religious education (RCE); childcare studies (CACHE)
Radiographer
A radiographer is a health professional responsible for taking x-rays and other diagnostic images, as well as interpreting these images to diagnose and treat patients.
Radiographers work in hospitals, clinics and private practices. They may work in general practice or in a specialist area such as cardiology or orthopaedics. They use x-rays, ultrasound machines and MRI scanners to take pictures of your body’s internal organs so that doctors can see what’s happening inside them. These images are known as “radiographs” or “x-rays” (even though they’re not actually X-rays).
These are the main jobs in health and social care
There are many different types of jobs that you can get in health and social care. You can work as a nurse, a doctor or a therapist, or you could work with children who have special needs. There are also lots of opportunities for people who want to work in administration roles: for example, working in HR or finance departments.
Other roles include project manager positions, where you might be responsible for managing teams on projects that take place over several months; and consultancy positions where you will offer advice to clients about how best to manage their staffs.
Conclusion
There are many other jobs you can get if you want to work in health and social care. You don’t need a degree to become a care worker, but there are opportunities for progression once you have experience. If you want to be a nurse or doctor, it will take about five years of studying before being able to start working in one of these roles. Other professionals such as social workers will require a degree in their chosen field as well as hands on work experience before they can start working professionally. The type of job available depends on your level of education and qualifications, so it’s important to think about what kind of role would suit your skillset best before making any decisions about the future!
