Explore Health and Social Care

The health sector supports millions of patients across the UK every year - you might have even been one of them yourself! There are lots of roles in health - doctors and nurses are just one part of the story. In comparison to the rest of the UK, people in Essex are quite healthy, but serious conditions like dementia are on the rise (as much as 85% from 2014 - 2034) so the health sector needs more support and that's where you come in!

Health and social care has a highly qualified workforce. The health sector is facing a critical shortage of medical professionals, so a wide range of openings exist. An ageing population means that 137,000 Essex residents will need care support by 2030.  An additional 2 million workers will be required Nationally by 2022 to meet this demand. Key employers in Essex include.

What could I do in health?

You can do so much in health. Every part of your body requires a different kind of specialist - from your ear, nose and throat, to your muscles or your bones. It's easy to forget, but dentists, opticians and physiotherapists are all part of the health sector too, which means that there are many different ways to look after a patient - it's not all about surgeries and operations!

What if I don't want to deal with patients?

Don't worry, it's not for everyone, but you can still get involved. There are many labs or office roles where you can still contribute to the sector, without having to touch a body! Geneticists, researchers and pharmacists do high level work behind the scenes using their scientific knowledge.

Top skills

• Mental health support
• Patient Care
• Psychology
• Therapy
• Midwifery

What's out there for me?

We've put together a quick list of opportunities in health. Can't find the right fit for you? Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System offers more information on a career in the industry. 

Exploring care

The care sector is a big industry in Essex - 28% of all apprenticeships started in Essex were in the health, public services and care sectors. So why is it so popular?

What could I do in care?

The care sector is one of the most rewarding industries to work in, allowing you to make a real difference to the people who need it most in your community, and developing true friendships along the way. Working in care is all about providing personal and practical support to help people live their lives.

There are lots of different roles regardless of what you want to do, who you want to work with and where you’d like to work. You could be supporting someone with a physical disability, autism, dementia or a mental health condition. You could be working in a care home, out in your local community, in a hospital or from someone’s home.

Top skills

• Communication
• Planning
• Leadership
• People Skills
• Computer Skills

Health and social care – creating one workforce

Many staff now work in roles that cover both health and social care, and the values and qualities needed are very similar.

The Government has set out the need for the health and social care sector to develop new integrated care models to promote health and wellbeing and provide care. In the future, this could mean your career crossing both sectors in new and exciting roles.

Several methods are in place across the country to develop and promote these new ways of working, such as:

• Providing key skills training for health and social care staff so that they can assess mental health wellbeing
• Training for physiotherapists so they can undertake dementia assessments
• Enhancing the competencies of care staff so they can support clinical and non-clinical professionals
• Ways of encouraging closer working and learning between nursing teams

‘Values’ for money

Depending on the role, you don’t always need qualifications or previous work experience in the sector to get a job in health and social care. What’s really important is having the right values, behaviours and attitudes to work effectively with people who need care and support.

Values are the beliefs and views that people hold about what is right or wrong. They apply to all aspects of life and influence how a person behaves in different situations. Here are some examples of the values and behaviours you might need to work in health and social care.

• Dignity and respect
• Learning and reflection – (thinking about what you do and why you do things in a certain way)
• Working together
• Commitment to quality care and support

Learning about care

It's time you got to know even more about the care sector! After all, you might be able to build your career in this amazing industry!

My experience in care

I started my career in care at a very young age, volunteering at weekends and school holidays in a care home for people with Learning Disabilities and Mental Health challenges. At 16, I left school and started an NVQ level 3 in Health and Social Care. That meant at 17, I could start a professional qualification as a Registered Nurse (for Mental Health) at University.

Care is open to everyone though, so you don't always need a University degree or start working very early - there are a lot of fantastic opportunities in Care.

How to get into care

The care sector offers many opportunities at the entry-level if you're looking for your first full-time job. Having a qualification in care such as an NVQ or A-level is a good route into care, but apprenticeships are also a good option and give you working experience in the industry. You can find a list of colleges and training providers that offer a care course here.

If choosing an academic route isn't for you, as long as you have a passion to give your help to people who need it the most, there will be a role for you.

Typically you will be working with people so you might be expected to go through a DBS check (especially if you are looking to work with children), but some employers may be happy to help with this. Don't forget that volunteering is a good way to get experience and help you.

What's out there for me?

We've got a little taster of some of the in-demand career roles in the care sector, but there are many more for you to discover. Feel free to take a look at the Skills For Care website. 

Social Worker: Social workers work with people and families to support them through difficult times and make sure that they are safe. They offer information and advice to families to help them through financial, mental health, physical health, social or legal issues.

Youth Worker: Your childhood can affect what you do in life and everyone deserves the opportunity to do their best. Youth workers give support and encouragement to children and teens in their personal and academic life, as well as give them an opportunity to talk to someone about what makes them happy or unhappy.

Activities Coordinator: Activity coordinators are responsible for developing an activity plan for care home residents which will stimulate new interests and skills to meet their individual needs. These activities are also a great way for the residents to feel included and social which is what makes this role so important. Put the fun into people's lives with the events that you organise and deliver.

Equality and Diversity Officer: Everybody's equal but unfortunately not everyone is treated that way. Equality and diversity officers support those who have been discriminated against - in any way: age, race, gender or religion. These officers deal with the issues and take action to prevent them happening in the future within school or companies.

Community Development Worker: Community development workers look to improve the communities that people live in. Finding out the issues that people face in their community, bringing them together, providing them with valuable activities and making their home a better place.