NHS Jobs
More than 1.3 million people work for the NHS, making it one of the largest employers in the world. Here, we look at just some of the people who diagnose and treat illness or care for us when we’re ill.
Doctor
Doctors use their knowledge of medicine to prevent, diagnose and treat ill-health.
There are very many different types of doctor, with over 60 specialist areas. Broadly, the two main types of doctor are:
- general practitioner. (or family doctor)
- hospital doctor.
Hospital doctors can specialise in many different areas, such as:
- accident and emergency
- the heart (cardiology)
- cancer (oncology)
- surgery
- psychiatry
For most doctors, contact with patients is an essential part of the role. Apart from treatment, they give the patient information, advice, support and reassurance.
Most doctors share broadly similar methods and approaches. A doctor is a bit like a detective, putting together pieces of evidence so they can make a diagnosis.
They have to examine the patient, note symptoms, test their diagnosis, decide on the best form of treatment (if any is needed) and then keep careful track of the patient’s progress.
When they know what is wrong with the patient, they decide on the best way to treat them.
Sometimes, it will be enough to give advice, eg, to rest for a few days. Or, the doctor might prescribe a medicine for the patient to take. With serious illnesses, the doctor might refer the patient for surgery or a treatment such as radiotherapy.
Diagnostic Radiographer
Diagnostic radiographers produce images of the body to help doctors diagnose disease or injury. They use a variety of complex, often computer-controlled radiological equipment to create the images on film or computer screens.
For example, they use X-rays to examine bones and find objects that should not be in the body. Other techniques include ultrasound to scan pregnant women, and computed tomography to create 3D cross-section images of the body.
Diagnostic radiographers use their knowledge to interpret the images, also working with doctors and other members of the team. They pass images on to specialist doctors (radiologists) for diagnosis.
Diagnostic radiographers make sure the patient is exposed to the minimum amount of radiation necessary to produce a clear image. They also have to protect themselves from radiation while operating the equipment.
Cardiac Physiologist
Cardiac physiologists test and monitor people who are suspected of having heart problems, or who have been diagnosed with these.
Their findings help doctors to make a diagnosis and decide how to treat the patient.
Cardiac physiologists use equipment, eg, to record heart rhythm, measure electrical activity in the heart, assess blood circulation and take blood pressure.
They also work closely with patients who have pacemakers, making sure they are comfortable and work properly.
Nurse – Adult/General
Adult/general nurses treat patients over the age of 16. They meet the physical and emotional care needs of their patients, who may have a short- or long-term illness or injury, or be disabled.
Within adult nursing, there are many areas of work. For example, nurses could be involved in cancer care, intensive care, recovery after operations or looking after older people.
They work in hospital wards and in many other places, including community health centres, GPs’ surgeries, specialist clinics, prisons and private companies. Some nurses visit patients in their own homes.
Adult nurses plan how to meet the patient’s care needs, working closely with doctors and other medical staff. They monitor the patient’s progress, changing the plan if they need to.
Practical nursing might involve:
- checking temperatures
- giving drugs and injections
- helping doctors to examine patients
- dressing wounds and changing bandages.
Increasingly, the health service uses complex equipment to help with patient care, and nurses are often responsible for monitoring this. They also record their observations and any treatment they give.
Healthcare Assistant
Healthcare assistants carry out routine health care for patients in hospital. Assistants also work in the community, including in people’s own homes. They work under the supervision of a nurse or another medical professional.
They have tasks such as:
- making beds and changing linen
- bathing patients, helping them to dress and undress
- enabling patients to get to the toilet or use a bedpan
- taking temperature, weight and pulse measurements
- testing urine samples
- changing dressings.
Therapeutic Radiographer
Therapeutic radiographers use radiation to treat diseases, especially cancer. They control complex equipment that delivers the radiation, usually X-rays, to the diseased part of the body.
Before the treatment begins, they explain the process, and possible side-effects, to the patient. As the treatment goes on, they give the patient support, information and reassurance.
Therapeutic radiographers calculate the location and size of the tumour and the radiation dose needed, working to avoid damage to healthy, surrounding parts of the body.
Treatment usually takes place over a number of days or weeks, with rest periods in between. The radiographer positions the patient under the equipment, which they then control to treat the cancer from different angles.
Throughout treatment, radiographers keep careful track of the patient’s progress, talking to them about their concerns and helping them to cope with any side-effects caused by the effect of radiation on surrounding normal cells.
Health Service Manager
Health service managers are responsible for the smooth running of hospitals, general practices and other health services.
They may be responsible for staff, eg, recruiting administrative staff, organising shifts and setting up appraisal systems. They manage the day-to-day operation of their service, and might also be responsible for financial management, including managing budgets.
They might decide on the best use of resources and might negotiate contracts for services provided by agencies, such as laundry or security. Managers may have to represent their department to the media.
Some managers have general responsibilities, while others may specialise in areas such as financial management, human resources, health records, purchasing or information technology. Other managers might help to form health policies.
Medical Records Clerk
Health records departments provide a service to patients, relatives, visitors, health professionals and government bodies. The department’s main objective is to create, store, and keep up to date a unique health record for all patients attending the hospital.
Medical records clerks provide administrative and clerical support for patient care. They take and record patients’ details; they use a computer system to keep, find and update records. They also file and find manual records such as case notes and test results.
They often have other duties. For example, they might prepare clinic lists, arrange further appointments and organise ambulance transport.
Medical Physicist
Medical physicists design, develop and maintain the complex equipment used to diagnose and treat patients in hospital.
This equipment includes:
- X-ray machines
- machines for measuring hearing, breathing, and heart rhythm
- lasers for surgery
- artificial arms, legs and hip joints
- implants, eg, heart valves.
Medical physicists set up equipment, eg, calculating the precise, safe dose needed to treat cancer in radiotherapy.
They also help hospitals to choose new equipment to buy, and then train staff in how to use it properly and safely.
Biomedical Scientist
Biomedical scientists test and examine medical samples, eg, of blood and tissues, helping doctors to diagnose, treat and monitor disease.
They work in laboratories, using sophisticated equipment like automated testing machines, microscopes and computers. They also use more traditional techniques, such as growing tissue cultures on petri dishes.
There are several areas of specialisation, including blood transfusions, looking for signs of disease in tissue samples and studying micro-organisms.
Biomedical scientists carefully record their findings, often on computers, and use their knowledge and test results to advise and support doctors.
Medical Laboratory Assistant
Medical laboratory assistants support the work of biomedical scientists. They have a number of tasks in medical laboratories, including:
- making up chemical solutions
- labelling blood and tissue samples
- looking after equipment stocks, ordering replacements when needed
- cleaning and sterilising equipment
- carefully removing waste.
They also record and study experiment results, often using a computer. Some specialise in different types of work, such as collecting blood samples from patients.