The end of the academic year provided an ideal opportunity for 17 Surrey youngsters from nine different schools to spend a week in one of the biggest acute hospital trusts in Surrey.

The 14-16 year-olds visited the Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust where they had the opportunity to see many different areas of the hospital at work and to hear, first-hand, from a range of staff who had chosen a career in the National Health Service.  It also provided them with a chance to swap notes about their respective schools and what is available for careers guidance.

Said Work Experience co-ordinator Gold Mendel-Idowu: “Our “Introduction to the NHS Course” is always very popular. The huge variety of careers available in the National Health Service means that there is probably a job to suit almost everyone!  For youngsters thinking about a career in either the therapies, nursing, medicine, pharmacy or pathology the kind of week that we offer at the Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust gives them a snap-shot of what life is like in those disciplines, which may help them when the time comes to make a decision about their future studies.”  

Among the areas the group visited during the week were: A&E; Angiography; medical records, occupational therapy; the outpatient department; pharmacy, physiotherapy and X-ray.  They also had talks from senior house officers and nurses working in number of different disciplines, information technology staff, an information analyst and a member of the finance team.

There are two other schemes available for students.  Throughout the year there is a three-day rolling programme every week for potential medical school candidates aged 17 and over.  They visit A&E. the operating theatres and the Rowley Bristow Orthopaedic Unit.

The second scheme is for students aged 16 plus who are interested in other areas of healthcare as a career.  They are offered a three-day placement either on a ward or in the pathology laboratory.

Said Gold:  “We find it encouraging to hear from youngsters who have been on one of our schemes and have then gone on to health-related studies after leaving school.”

Anyone interested in finding out more can contact Gold Mendel-Idowu, Work Experience Co-ordinator at the Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust on: 01932 723650 or via email on:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it