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Improving Pathways to Healthcare Careers:
As a mother of an 18-year-old who is eager to start a career as an occupational therapist, I’ve faced significant challenges in obtaining support and information from the NHS. Over the past two years, we have struggled to find an apprenticeship or alternative training route that doesn’t involve a traditional university degree. We've encountered constant barriers, such as unresponsive OT departments and a lack of follow-up on work experience requests. She has 7 GCSEs over grade 4, and recently 3 A-levels including health and social care, psychology and photography, I'm dumbfounded as to why she hasn't been snapped up!
If this forum is a platform for feedback and potential change within our healthcare system, I would like to offer the following suggestions:
1. **Increase School Presentations:** Schools, especially high-achieving ones, often provide little accurate information about healthcare careers. Implementing presentations and career guidance sessions in schools could help demystify the path to healthcare professions and elevate awareness about the roles of healthcare workers.
2. **Expand Apprenticeship Opportunities:** There is a noticeable lack of apprenticeship schemes specifically for occupational therapy and other specialised roles, with most opportunities being limited to general "healthcare supporter" positions. Creating more diverse apprenticeship options could encourage a broader range of individuals to explore these careers.
3. **Enhance Communication Channels:** Improving communication between hospitals, departments, and young people is crucial. More open days, online discussions, and engagement activities could provide valuable insights and encourage interest in healthcare careers.
I understand that these suggestions may involve complex challenges, but improving how we inform, educate, and connect with young people is essential for fostering interest and recruitment in healthcare roles.
I hope this feedback is helpful, especially since the NHS played a crucial role in saving my father's life nearly a decade ago. The care provided extended the time we had with him, and I am grateful for that.
Hi Nazia, thank you for taking the time to post your idea and share your daughter's experience. Thank you too for sharing your experience about your dad.
Informing, educating and connecting young people is definitely key to attracting young people to healthcare careers. Thanks again for sharing your valuable suggestions; I wish your daughter all the best for her future career.
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Thank you for sharing your ideas and experience Nazia. It's great to hear that your daughter is interested in being an OT - congratulations on her recent A levels! There aren't a lot of degree apprenticeships around currently (but we are expecting more in the future). Has your daughter thought about getting into the NHS as a healthcare support worker (perhaps specifically an OT support worker) and then she would be gaining experience, earning money and in the right place if a degree apprenticeship opportunity came up? We wish her all the very best for the future.