Enabling Work Experience in NHS Lanarkshire
NHS Lanarkshire is one of the largest single employers in Lanarkshire. As such it is essential for us to attract people to jobs and careers in tomorrow’s National Health Service (NHS). One effective way to achieve this is through providing school pupils with opportunities to interact with our organisation through Work Experiences.
As an employer of excellence NHS Lanarkshire seeks to assist in the involvement and recruitment of 4th, 5th and 6th Year School Pupils from our local communities, through Partnerships with our Local Education Authorities.
Local Education Authorities have Work Experience firmly embedded in the school curriculum. An effective Work Experience Partnership will provide an excellent opportunity for school pupils to gain an insight into working life. For many school pupils this will be their first opportunity to spend time in a working environment, learning about themselves as well as learning about the variety of career opportunities in a large public organisation, such as NHS Lanarkshire.
Work Experience aims to provide Pupils with:
- An introduction to the world of work
- Increased awareness of career choices and professions available within the NHS
- An opportunity to build confidence and to develop personal and social skills
- An insight into the knowledge, skills and attitudes required in the workplace
- An awareness of employer expectations regarding standards of performance, attitude and behaviour
NHS Lanarkshire aims to provide excellent Work Experience
opportunities, ensuring equity and fairness in our response to,
and facilitation of, requests for Work Experience
Work Experience aims to provide NHS Lanarkshire staff with:
- A better understanding of current developments in school education, and of skills relevant to the next generation of employees
- An opportunity to promote NHS Lanarkshire to potential employees and the local community
- A development opportunity for staff involved in coaching and mentoring school pupils
NHS Lanarkshire’s Work Experiences are aimed at
4th, 5th and 6th year school pupils
The pupil carries out a range of appropriate tasks
or duties under supervision
Work Experiences for 4th year school pupils takes place in the final year of compulsory education (S4). This affords pupils with the opportunity to experience working life and the working environment in non-patient areas.
Emphasis is placed on team working, problem solving and reliability.
In work areas or in undertaking tasks where practical experience and learning is not possible, pupils will still benefit from observation and shadowing.
Work Experiences for 4th year school pupils provides the
opportunity to experience working life and the
working environment in non-patient areas
Work Experiences for 5th and 6th year school pupils affords pupils in S5 or S6 and over 16 years of age, the opportunity to experience the working environment. This Work Experience is for Pupils who have aspirations to follow a professional career within the NHS and to learn more about their preferred choice of profession.
The Experience involves showing, observing and time with professionals in their chosen field.
This may be in patient or non-patient areas.
Work Experiences for 5th and 6th year school pupils provides
the opportunity to experience working life and the
working environment in non-patient and patient areas
Examples of Working Environments suitable for 4th year pupils:
- Administration Areas
- Clinical Laboratories
- Dental Laboratory
- Finance, Payroll, Internal Audit
- Human Resources
- Information Technology
- Medical Records
- Pharmacy
- Property and Support Services
- Secretarial Services
- Training Departments
Examples of Working Environments suitable for 5th and 6th year pupils:
- Departments listed for 4th year +
- Allied Health Professions
- Dietetics
- Occupational Therapy
- Physiotherapy
- Podiatry
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Radiography
- Health Science Services:
- Clinical Laboratories
- Cardiology
- Dental Laboratory
- Respiratory, etc.
- Medical staff in a variety of environments
- Various nursing, clinical support worker and healthcare support worker environments
Examples of Working Environments NOT suitable for 4th, 5th and 6th year pupils:
- Accident and Emergency
- Areas with critically unwell patients, e.g. High Dependency Units or Intensive Care Units
- Infectious Diseases Units
- Midwifery or Gynaecology
- Paediatrics
- Terminal Care
- Theatres
- Patient’s homes
All Work Experiences are subject to availability, completion of an
NHS Lanarkshire Work Experience Nomination Form and to receipt of
approval of suitability (health and safety) for Work Experiences by either
North Lanarkshire Council or South Lanarkshire Council
For more information about Work Experiences please visit:
NHS Lanarkshire’s Work Experience Policy for 4th, 5th and 6th year School Pupils is available under Related Documents on the right-hand side of this page .
Further information relating to Work Experiences should be directed to:
Gill Hannah
Training Officer
Organisational Development
NHS Lanarkshire
Law House
Airdrie Road
Carluke
ML8 5ER
T: 01698 377793
F: 01698 377799
E: gill.hannah@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk