Post-16 Resources

Welcome to our Headstart in Healthcare resources for Post-16 students.

Below you will find a number of resources suitable for Post-16 students, including:

• A short introductory video about what the NHS is and who works in the NHS
• A 360 degree video, which follows the story of Josh and his grandad as he meets various NHS professionals, and starts to think about his future career
• A series videos of different healthcare professions explaining what they saw in Josh’s story
• Short animations of current professionals and undergraduate students talking about their professions

The final section of this resource details some further advice and guidance for students interested in a career in health and social care.

Please take your time to work through each of these sections and learn more about careers within healthcare.

In this video, Mark from our outreach team talks about the NHS, and the different people who work in the NHS.

This short film follows Josh and his grandfather, Patrick, as they navigate Patrick’s health issues and Josh’s future career aspirations together.

You can use a pair of VR goggles to view this video.

Alternatively, you can view the film below on your PC, tablet or mobile device.

Whilst there are important skills and values that are shared by all healthcare professionals, there are also significant differences between them, with each profession having a particular remit and specific knowledge, skills and ways of working with their patients.

The VR film shows Patrick at home and at a clinic appointment, talking about how he is feeling and what he is able, and unable to do.

The videos below have been recorded by registered Adult and Mental Health Nurses and a Cardiac Physiologist, explaining what they were each thinking whilst watching the film. They explain what questions they would ask, the tests they would do and some initial thoughts as to why Patrick (grandad) might be feeling like he is.

In this section, you can view a number of animated videos from current students and healthcare professionals, talking about their day to day roles.

Explore the tabs below to find out more.

Researching Professions and Courses

When deciding which direction to take your career in, it’s important that you do your research to make sure you are making the right choice for you. There is a wealth of information and resources online to help you with this:

• The NHS Health Careers website is a great starting point to help you learn more about the hundreds of professions within the NHS, and find the right one for you. There’s even a course finder tool that lists all the different undergraduate health courses available in the UK.
• Each profession is regulated by a professional body. This is a good place to research some of the finer details of the professions you’re interested in and find out about the latest news regarding that profession. Some of the main professional bodies including the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC).

Once you’ve narrowed down which profession you’re really interested in and want to pursue at University, it’s important that you find out where you can study and what the entry requirements are for these courses. The UCAS website is a great place to start your search.

After you’ve chosen a few Universities where you might want to study, it’s important that you do your research and find out as much as you can about the institutions and the courses you will be studying. The questions below might help you in doing your research:

• What is it like studying at that University?
• What’s the accommodation and facilities like?
• What’s life like in that city / town?
• How is the course structured?
• When / where will you be going on placement?
• What student support / support service are there to ensure you thrive during your time on the course?

It’s really important that you find out the things that matter to you most when you are researching your University choices, so don’t be afraid of asking too many questions! We recommend going to an Open Day and speaking to the staff and students, and finding out first hand what it’s like to study at that University.

Work Experience

For most health courses, there will be an expectation that you undertake some sort of work experience before applying to University. It will be different at each University what they are looking for, so it’s important that you do your research and find out what they’re looking for.

This will most likely be detailed on their course pages, in their admissions policy or in their personal statement guide. If you can’t find any information on an institution’s work experience requirements, don’t be afraid to drop them an email and ask them what they’re looking for – they want you just as much as you want them, so they will be happy to help.

Developing Key Skills for Health Professionals

For most health courses, they will be looking for you to demonstrate the skills that you have that make you perfect for the profession you are applying to. This could either be in your personal statement or at interview.

Some of the key skills that universities will be looking for include:

• Communication and people skills
• Problem solving skills
• Time management and organisation skills
• Care, empathy and compassion
• Resilience
• Team work

There are a number of ways you can develop your skills and demonstrate your abilities for your chosen profession:

• Do some work experience
• Undertake some volunteering in the community
• Get a part time job alongside your studies
• Do an EPQ

Application Advice

When writing your personal statement, you’ll want to demonstrate your insight (what you know about the professional area) and motivation (why you want to study the professional area) to studying that course at University. Think about any experiences and research you have done to demonstrate this.

You’ll also want to demonstrate the key skills and abilities you have that will help you thrive on the course and in your future career. Again, think about any experiences that you have done that will help you demonstrate these key skills, and explain how you have developed these skills throughout the different experiences you have undertaken. It is worth researching the NHS core values and thinking about how you meet each of them.

Universities will also want to know what makes you you! Think about any extra-curricular activities you have undertaken, or anything that’s unique to you. Then, think about the skills and attributes these experiences have given you. This is an excellent way to demonstrate that you are a well rounded person, who will be able to balance the demands of the course and having a work-life balance.