How To Get Work Experience in NHS? :)

Ring a hospital/their different departments and ask around.

thanks
have you done work experience in NHS?

Yeah I did a week's work experience at a GP surgery and a week at a hospital too. That being said, if you can't find work experience at a department you want (since loads of people apply to the flashy a&e/cardiology/etc wards months in advance), try and do some voluntary work at a care home etc to show you can develop your skills in other ways too.. it doesn't matter what you do and how long for (so long as it's related to health/caring professions), what matters is what you've gained from it!

The easiest way is if you know someone working there - who you may be able to shadow for a few days. However, if you don't have a contact you can try asking your local GP surgery/ hospital/ nursing home/ pharmacy/ etc. to ask about work experience. Depending on your age and how long you want to be there for, they may be able to offer you something.
Remember that since medicine is so competitive, it is really hard to get work experience within the NHS. Perhaps look into volunteering in a caring role - for example in an old persons home, with kids in a scouting group, etc. - this may be slightly easier to get, cater more to what you want to do, and give evidence of a longer term commitment to medicine/ nursing/ social work/ childcare/ whatever else you're interested in as well as demonstrate your ability to show initiative and go out of your way to help others.

Trusts will have their own schemes. Look on their websites and find the coordinator.

Thanks so much!! Really appreciate the advice It's good to hear from someone who's actually done this before, I'm getting no help from anyone else, the first thing my parents said to me when I suggested this was "you couldn't get into medicine, it'd be too hard for you, wouldn't it?”, great support :P How did you get into your GP’s? Did you phone them directly? thanks again

thanks soo much for your advice, it’s really helpful J have you done work experience in NHS/nursing home etc?
J

Yeah I rang up the surgery and spoke to the head receptionist, sent off a CV and did a week of worm experience in the summer. I would recommend that you try and arrange it as early as possible, since there will be long lines of applicants like you at sought after places like gp surgeries and hospitals

thanks again how far in advance did you apply? should I do it now??
J

No problem

I shadowed a scientist in a pathology lab for a few days, but that was all I did - and I got that through a personal contact, it's pretty hard to get a proper work experience placement. However, I know friends who managed it, so as long as you are enthusiastic and proactive you should be able to persuade someone to take you on

You could do it now. I made the mistake of applying in the first week of summer, and the only time left at the gp surgery wad a 4 day week right at the end of august. But hey, it's better than nothing :P