Working for the NHS

Hi.

I have got an interview for a house keeping job with the NHS. I am wondering if anyone started in this position and progressed to bigger things,and if so what were your experiences?

Thanks in advance

Hey,

I have recently started working for the NHS as a Clinical Support Worker, so I know it's slightly different role but the same interview and application values apply throughout the whole trust, which is to uphold their 'PROUD' values across every sector of the professional workforce in the NHS Sheffield Trust.

PROUD is an acronym for: P; Patients first (put people i.e. the patients and their needs, safety and privacy first), R; Respect- respecting others including staff, the public, the patients, the diversity and right of individuals to have a say and be treated fairly. O; Ownership which means taking responsibility and accountability for your actions and work. So that means just knowing what your role is, doing it properly and being able to leave a trial of your work when asked about it (so maybe just keeping a diary to record your daily activities for your own reference), U; Unity which refers to being aware of your role within your own department's team but also as a significant part in the whole of the overall NHS Trust and National NHS workforce, communicating well with your workforce and basically everything about teamwork. D; Delivery of excellent patient care and services. So that's just basically about being as awesome as possible! Carrying out your work in a way which always upholds and delivers the 'PROUD' values and Trust policies to make sure you are always doing what you can to be excellent.

Sounds like a bit of a mouthful all of that I know, but basically if you tailor your application and interview prep around the structure of making sure you cover all of those PROUD values, with some examples of why and how you have done it in previous work experience (just relating everything to how they fit in with the values), you should fly through!

Good luck

Ellie

---------- Post added 25-05-2016 at 20:11 ----------

Actually yeah, to give you a reply which is a bit more specific to your question about progression, once you are employed by the NHS there are loads of opportunities to progress and take on new roles within the Trust. They give you as a staff member, log in details for an e-learning account called PALMS, which allows you to take on extra training opportunities, build up a bit of a professional portfolio, have a record of all the mandatory training you have completed for the position, and progress into the different bands of pay etc.

So you can do loads of extra modules of specific training which would boost your skills for moving around within the NHS and applying for different roles, generally just being able to build your own career under the NHS.

So it's good for progression opportunities, as far as I have discovered!

You can also join NHS Professionals and pick up extra bank shifts when you register on there, which enables you to do different kinds of work in varied departments across the Trust!

Hope this helps!

Hi Ellie.

Thank you so much for taking the time out to give me so much great info! That's really helped me

I'm 31 and I'm due to start a 5 year journey in September, back in to education. Then this position popped up and threw me into turmoil arrgh! I may not even get the job but I wanted to know where I stood if I were to be lucky.

I'd prefer to earn as I learn so to speak, so with the sounds of it, it's definetly another route to a career.

Thanks again, very much appreciated.

Louise