The end of the academic year provided an ideal opportunity for 20 Surrey youngsters from 14 different schools to spend a week in one of the biggest acute hospital trusts in Surrey.

The 15-16 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: “The aim of the week was to give the students an “eye-opener” into all the various careers available in the NHS.  Some came to realise the vastness of the NHS as an organisation, and how all the different components work together in helping the patients.”

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 thetherapies, 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; clinical measurements, 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, a member of the finance team, and the Trust’s Chief Executive Paul Bentley.

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