Have you considered the NHS in your job search?

We bet you haven’t! However, the NHS is not just about medical careers. With over 1.7 million employees, it’s the world’s fifth largest employer. And it’s not just about doctors, nurses and surgeons - 49% of NHS roles are actually non-medical or non-clinical, which means you don’t need a medical background apply for them.

From catering to coding, there are hundreds of non-medical and non-clinical jobs available, giving you the chance to be a part of this important organisation and make a difference to people’s lives.

Five benefits of working for the NHS

1. Meaningful career

There are all kinds of benefits to working in a non-medical or non-clinical role for the NHS. First and

foremost, you have the job satisfaction of knowing that your work contributes to the health

and wellbeing of thousands of people every day. It might not be brain surgery, but a friendly voice

on the phone, a well maintained ward and a hot meal mean a lot to patients and their families.

2. More career opportunities

In the private sector workers are often forced to move jobs in order to progress their careers, but

the NHS is constantly growing and changing, which provides plenty of opportunity for climbing the

career ladder.

3. Training & Study Leave

Studying for work-related qualifications such as a BTECs and HNDs is encouraged, with the option to

take study leave if necessary. You’ll receive plenty of on the job training to boost your skills as you

work, and you’ll also have a review every year where you can discuss your aspirations.

4. Work / Life Balance

Flexibility is another great benefit of NHS work. Caring for the nation is an around the clock job,

enabling you to choose shifts, part-time roles or job sharing to suit your other commitments. And

looking after your family is important too, which is why NHS staff are entitled to childcare and after

school support – extended breaks are also available for carers.

5. Higher salaries

And finally, there’s the pay. There is sometimes the perception that workers in the public sector are

overworked and underpaid, but statistics show that this is not the case. Public sector workers

receive between 7.7% and 8.7% higher wages than their private sector counterparts.

As a non-medical or non-clinical NHS worker, you can expect £14,294 in an entry-level position and

up to £98,453 for a senior role.

What non-medical and non-clinical jobs are available?

The beauty of the NHS is the variety of jobs available within it. If you know computers, you could

consider applying for roles such as web developer, IT analyst or IT procurement specialist. If you’ve

worked with food before you could consider a catering job, and there’s all manner of administration

positions, including medical receptionist, personal assistant and office services.

You aren’t restricted to working in a hospital either – there are also opportunities to work in GP and

dental practices, walk in centres and more all across your community.

With non-medical and non-clinical roles you do not need any medical experience, and your

transferrable skills may be more important to potential employers than your qualifications alone.

Many NHS jobs involve being around patients, so good people skills and a sympathetic nature are

important. You’ll also need to be hardworking and adaptable to thrive in the fast pace of NHS life.

For senior positions you will need to demonstrate previous experience in your field, but for entry

level roles the right attitude and a passion for helping others may be enough to get you the job.

Reading the job description carefully will give you a clear idea of what the employer is looking for,

and doing some volunteering will demonstrate commitment to the cause.

Bonus +: A rewarding job for life

NHS non-medical and non-clinical roles offer job satisfaction you’ll struggle to find in other sectors,

whilst the opportunities for development and progression mean that they have the potential to be a

rewarding job for the whole of your working life.

Whatever your skill set and experience, there will be an NHS job for you – start investigating now.

Author: Sophie Gray is a content writer for GoToJobBoard, an online job board dedicated to the non-medical and non-clinical roles in the NHS. For more information about how to make a successful NHS application, see their blog here.