Health and Social Care

 

Health and social care jobs involve helping patients, cleaning hospitals and nursing homes, serving food, and helping staff in these places.

What are health and social care jobs?

Health and social care jobs involve taking care of patients and helping hospitals and care homes work well.

These jobs are great for people with no experience because you can learn while you work and get support along the way.

You might work as a kitchen assistant, serving food to patients, or as a cleaner, keeping hospitals and care homes tidy. You could also help with transporting patients or supporting staff with daily tasks.

In some of these jobs, you might need to work irregular hours, such as weekends or evenings.

You can expect to be trained and have chances to grow in your career as you gain more skills.

Information of typical salaries in the sector

Below you can see the main pay rates for health and social care jobs.

*Data from December 2023 to December 2024

£0+
Average salary for Hospital porter*
£0+
Average salary for housekeeper*
£0
Average salary for Nursery Assistant*

Jobs You Can Find in Health and Social Care

Here is some information about jobs you could do. Click the pictures below to know more about each job.

Hospital Porter

Move patients, equipment, and medical tools around the hospital to help doctors and nurses.

Kitchen Assistant

Help prepare food, make sure chefs have what they need, and keep the kitchen clean and safe.

Maintenance assistant and Gardener

Help keep the hospital safe and looking nice, creating a good place for patients and staff.

Nursery assistant

Nursery workers help babies and young children up to 5 years old to learn and grow in a safe and caring place.

Laundry Assistant

Use washing machines, steamers, and dryers to clean things like clothes, bed sheets, towels, and uniforms.

Cleaner

Clean rooms, bathrooms, and other areas to make sure everything is tidy and safe for patients and staff.

Get ready for a new career in health and Social care

For many health and social care jobs, you don't need special qualifications, but there are some things you might need to do first. These can include:

  • Filling in an application form
  • Having an interview where you talk about what you can do
  • Sometimes having some work experience to show you know how to do the job
  • You might need to work irregular hours, for example, weekends or evenings.

Some jobs also want you to be friendly, helpful, and ready to learn new things.

Top skills requested by hospitality and catering employers

Skills for health and social care jobs can be split into two types: ‘general’ skills, ‘specialist’ skills and 'transferable' skills.

Find training

General skills

General skills are helpful in many different jobs and are needed by most employers.

Communications
Being able to talk and listen clearly to guests and team members.

Listening
Paying attention when people talk and understanding what they need.

Teamwork
Working well with others to get things done.

Kindness
Being caring and respectful to others, especially when they need help.

Specialised skills

Specialist skills are more specific to health and social care.

Helping people move
Helping people walk or move safely.

Cleaning
Keeping areas tidy, like cleaning patients rooms or common spaces.

Making beds
Changing bed linens and making sure patient beds are clean and ready.

Serving food
Helping with meals by serving food to patients or staff.

Transferable Skills

Transferable skills are general skills, like talking to people or working in a team, that can be used in many different jobs.

Problem-Solving
Finding ways to resolve problems when they happen.

Organisation
Keeping things in order and making sure everything is where it should be.

Time Management
Using your time well to finish tasks and arrive at work on time.

Patience
Taking your time to help people and not rushing them.

Do you need more support?

The NHS can help you with:

  • A mentor to help you reach your dream job.
  • Things like maths, English, computers, and work skills.
  • Finding work experience and letting you watch people doing the job you want.
  • Help with your career, like making your CV, practicing interviews, and support with apprenticeships and studying more.

For more information, click the link below.

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Apprenticeships in Health Care

An apprenticeship is a paid job where you learn while you work.

You will get training on the job and also spend some time learning in a classroom or online.

North Bristol NHS Trust offers different apprenticeships, both for hospital work and other jobs, to help you grow in your career.

Most apprenticeships last between 15 and 18 months, so you can learn and get better at your job.

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WE Work for Everyone

WE Work for Everyone is a free program for people in the West of England region. It helps people with a learning disability, learning difficulty, or autism find paid work.

Our friendly team can help you to:

  • Find a job that is right for you
  • Get training and try out work placements
  • Create a CV and practice for interviews
  • Borrow a computer if you need one

To receive support you will need to

  • Be over 16 years old
  • Not be in employment
  • Have a learning difficulty or be autistic (a formal diagnosis is not essential)
  • Live in the West of England (Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset or South Gloucestershire)

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