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. Occupational therapy support worker

    Occupational therapy support workers help people who struggle with day-to-day activities to live a full and independent life. 

    There are no set entry requirements for OT support workers. Employers expect good numeracy and literacy and some experience or qualifications in health or social care and may ask for GCSEs in English and maths. They may ask for BTEC or equivalent vocational qualifications in health and social care. You will be given the training you need to do the job, including an introduction to the department and its procedures and how to set up and use the equipment. You may be offered the chance to study for qualifications such as the NCFE CACHE level 2 Certificate in Healthcare Support Services or the NCFE CACHE level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support.
    OT support workers working in the NHS are paid on the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay system. You will typically start on AfC band 2 or 3. After further training and experience, you can apply for more senior posts at band 4. Most OT support 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 clinical support staff working outside of the NHS.
    As an OT support worker, you need to be able to motivate people, accepting of other people’s lifestyles, willing to work with people from all walks of life, happy to talk to and work with groups, flexible, willing to travel, able to work in a team but use your own initiative, able to follow procedures, and able to deal with people with challenging behaviour. You'll also need very good communication, customer care and organisational skills.
    With experience, you could become a team leader supervising the work of other OT support workers. You could apply to train as an assistant practitioner or as an occupational therapist.
  2. Immunology

    Immunologists study how the body’s defence system (the immune system) functions and treat patients with immune system disorders.

    Training usually starts with a five year first degree in medicine, MBBS or equivalent. 2 years foundation doctor training, 2 years core training (CT1-2) during which the Membership of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP) is obtained. This is followed by 5 years specialty training (ST3-7) leading to Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists(FRCPath). 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 doctor in immunology 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 83 immunology consultants working in the NHS in England. In 2021, there were 33 applications for six immunology specialty training places. You could specialise or conduct research in areas such as rheumatology, HIV medicine or transplantation and teach medical or postgraduate students.
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