Compare roles in health

Not sure where to start with the hundreds of NHS careers? Use our compare roles section to get bite-size information on the entry requirements and training, pay and conditions, prospects and skills needed of up to three roles. If there is something that you think you could do, then get more in-depth information on the role.

Don't forget, you can also save your role comparisons by registering with us.  

  1. Community sexual and reproductive health

    Doctors working in community sexual and reproductive health care for people’s sexual health by treating sexually transmitted diseases and consulting on contraception, menopause and unplanned pregnancies. 

    Training usually starts with a five year first degree in medicine, two years foundation doctor training, six years specialist training (ST1-6) leading to Fellowship of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FFSRH). Length of training can vary according to your circumstances.
    Doctors may work up to 48 hours a week. The working hours may sometimes extend beyond the normal working day to include early mornings, evenings and weekends. You’ll first earn a salary when you start your foundation training after medical school. The basic salary ranges from £29,384 to £34,012. Once you start your specialty training as a community sexual and reproductive health doctor employed by the NHS, you can expect to earn a salary of at least £40,257, which can increase to between £84,559 and £114,003 as a consultant.
    You'll need excellent communication skills to manage a wide range of relationships with colleagues, and patients and their families. You'll be emotionally resilient, have excellent problem-solving and diagnostic skills and work well in teams and under pressure. You'll also be very organised for the benefit of patients.
    In 2021, there were 124 consultants in community sexual and reproductive health in the NHS in England. You could specialise or conduct research in areas such as improving choice, access and uptake of contraception, teach medical students or postgraduate students in training or get involved in research at universities, the NHS or private sector.
  2. Old age psychiatry

    Old age psychiatrists provide specialist and holistic assessment, treatment and ongoing care for older people experiencing mental health problems such as dementia, personality disorders and schizophrenia. 

    Training usually starts with a five year first degree in medicine and two years of foundation training. You will then undertake three years of core training (CT1-3), followed by three years of specialist training (ST4-6). This period of training will include completing your royal college exams. Length of training can vary according to your circumstances.
    Doctors may work up to 48 hours a week. The working hours may sometimes extend beyond the normal working day to include early mornings, evenings and weekends. You’ll first earn a salary when you start your foundation training after medical school. The basic salary ranges from £29,384 to £34,012. Once you start your specialty training as an old age psychiatrist employed by the NHS, you can expect to earn a salary of at least £40,257, which can increase to between £84,559 and £114,003 as a consultant.
    You'll need emotional resilience, empathy and compassion with a holistic approach. The ability to empathise and show compassion are vital. Excellent communication and leadership skills are also important along with good problem solving, time management and decision making skills. You'll also need to be able to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
    In 2021, there were 529 consultants in old age psychiatry working in the NHS in England. In 2020, there were 57 applications for 60 training places. You could specialise or conduct research, teach medical students or postgraduate students in training or get involved in research at universities, the NHS or private sector.
  3. Driver

    Drivers are at the heart of the NHS by making sure that our patients, goods and supplies are where they need to be at the right time.

    Drivers in the NHS have to have the correct driving licence for the vehicle they drive. Most employers expect you have a driving licence when you apply. NHS and ambulance service trusts use vehicles of different sizes, so check carefully which classifications you need on your licence. Employers expect good levels of numeracy and literacy and may ask for GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and maths. They may also ask for relevant driving or customer service experience (eg from paid or voluntary work). When you join the NHS you will get the training you need. This may depend on the type of driving you are doing and may include health and safety, lifting and handling and customer care. You may be expected to go on short courses on particular topics such as handling hazardous waste and may be encouraged to take further qualifications such as training to drive other vehicles.
    Drivers working for the NHS may be volunteers, and paid an allowance for using their vehicle. Drivers directly employed by the NHS will be paid on the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay system. The salary will depend on your precise role - check vacancies individually for details. For example, as a PTS driver, you would be on AfC band 2 or 3. A driver for the Blood Transfusion Service would typically be on AfC band 3. Drivers in the NHS work standard hours of around 37.5 a week. Some may work shifts including early starts and evenings.
    NHS drivers need to be safe and careful drivers, physically fit for getting in and out of vehicles and loading and unloading, able to navigate around an area using sat nav or maps, able to keep to a schedule and willing to work unsupervised. They also need driving skills, good customer service skills, especially when dealing with patients, communication and organisation skills.
    You could progress to become a team leader or supervisor. You would be in charge of a team of drivers, responsible for allocating work and drawing up transport schedules. Drivers can also progress by training to drive other vehicles. Drivers could apply to train for other roles such as an emergency care assistant or patient transport service (PTS) call handler.
Make a comment or report a problem with this page

Help us improve

This form is for you to tell us about something that could be improved about the website or if there's anything wrong, incorrect or inaccurate with what you see. 

If you have a query about a career in the NHS, please visit our contact us page and call or email us.