Could a career in the NHS be beckoning you?

NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard says it could be the best decision a young person makes as she launches the health service’s annual recruitment drive.

The We are the NHS campaign will shine a light on careers within healthcare and showcase the range of job opportunities available, from nursing to radiography to podiatry.

Last year’s campaign, alongside increased investment for degrees and placements and the extraordinary work of NHS staff throughout the pandemic, prompted a surge in applicants to healthcare degrees, with the number of undergraduate nurses increasing for the third year in a row at this stage.

Amanda said that working for the NHS ‘lets you live a thousand lives’ through the patients and families you care for and said that there was a role for everyone.

There are now more than 1.3 million people working for the NHS, an increase of almost 30,000 since June 2020.

The Covid-19 pandemic has shown more than ever that the future of England’s health and social care system relies on its people.

It has been one of busiest summers for the NHS, with staff delivering millions more tests and treatments while caring for thousands more patients in hospital with Covid.

This would not have been possible without the collective efforts of NHS staff right across the health service.

Following a meeting with newly qualified nurses and allied health professionals at Imperial College NHS Trust this week, Amanda Pritchard said: “NHS staff have been at the forefront of the country’s response to Covid-19, pulling out all the stops to care for more than 450,000 patients in hospital with coronavirus, while delivering the most successful vaccination programme in health service history.

“Working for the NHS lets you live a thousand lives through the patients and families you care for, and with around 350 different roles to choose from, there is something for everyone.

“Joining the NHS was the best decision I ever made, and I’d encourage anyone, whether you’re a school leaver, recent graduate or simply looking for a new challenge to consider joining – no matter what your experience or qualifications – a fulfilling, rewarding and exciting career awaits.”

Now in its fourth year, the We are the NHS campaign, in partnership with NHS Health Education England, will see nurses, allied health professionals and healthcare support workers sharing their experiences of life on the frontline.

Since launching the campaign in 2018, the average number of undergraduates applying to start a nursing degree each year has risen by around 8,000, according to the latest 2021 UCAS data.

Nursing graduates are amongst the most employable, with 94 per cent in work within six months of completing their degree, and there are opportunities to specialise in a range of disciplines, including mental health, community care and paediatrics.

Last year’s We are the NHS campaign saw a 35 per cent increase in nursing applications, a significant increase on the previous year.

Annual payments of at least £5,000 are available to student nurses and those studying degrees related to allied health professions, such as speech and language therapy or occupational therapy.

For more information and to find out more about the range of nursing, allied health professionals, and healthcare support worker roles available within the NHS, search NHS careers.