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.

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  1. Forensic psychiatry

    Forensic psychiatrists treat people with mental health problems who are in prison, a secure hospital or the wider community.

    You’ll need to follow a set pattern of training which usually starts with a five year first degree in medicine and two years of foundation training, 3 years core training (CT1-3), followed by 3 years specialists training (ST4-6). This period of training will include completing your royal college exams. Length of training can vary according to your circumstances.
    Working hours should not exceed 48 hours a week. The working hours may sometimes extend beyond the normal working week to include early mornings, evenings, weekends and on call. The basic salary ranges from £29,384 to £34,012. Once you start your specialty training as a forensic 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 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.
    There are currently 333 consultant forensic psychiatrists working in the NHS in England. In 2020, there were 55 applications for 34 specialty training places. You could specialise in adolescent forensic psychiatry, forensic learning disability psychiatry, forensic psychotherapy, old-age forensic psychiatry and substance misuse. You’ll also teach medical or postgraduate students.
  2. Midwife

    Midwives provide care and support to women and their families while pregnant, throughout labour and during the period after a baby’s birth. 

    Training to be a midwife involves studying for a degree in midwifery or a degree apprenticeship in midwifery. there are no national minimum academic entry requirements for entry into pre-registration midwifery degrees or degree apprenticeships as each university (running degree courses) and employer (offering apprenticeships) sets its own criteria. However, they usually look for a minimum of five GCSEs at grade 9-4/C or above - typically including English language or literature and a science subject - and either two or three A-levels or equivalent.
    Midwives working on maternity wards are likely to work shifts while those in the community are more likely to work a 9 to 5 day but could be on-call for home births. Qualified midwives in the NHS start at Agenda for Change Band 5. With more experience and additional responsibility, you could move through the banding to senior management.
    There are a range of important skills and knowledge you will need to pursue a career in midwifery. Excellent people and communication skills, an ability to answer questions and offer advice and dealing with emotionally charged situations are all skills you'll need. If you're applying for a role either directly in the NHS, you'll be asked to show how you think the values of the NHS Constitution apply in your everyday work. The same will be true if you are applying for a university course funded by the NHS.
    There are lots of opportunities for midwives to progress their career with more experience. You could become supervise of team of midwives. You could also move in health visiting with additional training or move into clinical academic research.
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