Compare roles in health

To practise as a social worker in England, you must be registered with Social Work England. To register with Social Work England, you need to study for an approved programme in social work. Degree courses take three or four years full time and some combine social work with mental health or learning disability nursing. To get onto a social work degree course you usually need appropriate level 3 qualifications. If you already have a degree in another subject, you could take a postgraduate qualification (Diploma or Masters) in social work; train through Step up to Social Work (combining work and study), apply for the Frontline 2-year programme combining study with supervised practical work in child protection or the 2-year Think Ahead fast-track scheme to become a mental health social worker. The scheme blends academic learning with extensive on-the-job experience. A degree apprenticeship in social work has also been approved.

Social workers working in the NHS are paid on the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay system. You would typically start on AfC band 6. With further training and experience, you could apply for more senior positions at bands 7 and above. Most social workers in the NHS work standard hours, which are likely to be around 37.5 a week. They may work some evenings or weekends. Terms and conditions will usually be different for social workers working outside of the NHS.

Social workers need to be able to work under pressure, deal with very challenging behaviour, organise their own workload, be understanding of other people’s lifestyles, work with people from all walks of life and be happy visiting people where they live. They also need organisational skills, empathy (able to see things from other points of view), relationship-building skills, resilience, problem-solving skills and motivational skills.

You may decide to specialise in a particular client group or issue such as the elderly, young people, substance misuse, mental health or domestic violence. You could train as a high intensity therapist, as part of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies service. With experience, you could become a senior social worker, supervising the work of other social workers, or a primary mental health worker in child and adolescent mental health services. You may be able to progress into a management position, responsible for a department or an area.

You need to study for an approved degree (BSc) in orthoptics which take three or four years. To get onto an orthoptics degree course you'll need two or three A levels (or equivalent), including a science, along with five GCSEs (grades A-C), including English language, maths and science. However, each institution sets its own entry requirements so it’s important to check carefully.

Orthoptists in the NHS work standard hours, which are likely to be around 37.5 a week. You will usually start on band 5 of the Agenda for Change pay rates. In a private clinic, your hours of work depend on client needs and may include evenings and weekends. Some orthoptists have to travel to clinics, health centres or schools.

You'll need to be caring and understanding, able to work with adults or children, interested in science and caring and dedicated. They also need good communication skills, an ability to explain treatment to patients, good observation skills and an attention to detail.

In the NHS, with experience, you could become specialist orthoptist. You could also progress to senior or head orthoptist. As head of an orthoptics service, you would be responsible both for a team of staff and for managing a budget. You might also choose to move into teaching orthoptics or into research. There may be opportunities to work in a private clinic. Some orthoptists set up their own clinics, often with other eye professionals.