Fire safety officers make sure that our patients and staff are as safe as possible from the risk of fire.
NHS fire safety officers have a lot of experience in fire safety and prevention. Many have worked as fire officers in a local fire service. Employers also expect fire safety officers to have a qualification in fire safety. When you join the NHS as a fire safety officer, you will have an introduction to the NHS and the site you are responsible for. You will also be trained in NHS systems and procedures. Fire safety officers need to keep their skills and knowledge up to date. You may be offered the opportunity to study for a degree or masters in fire safety engineering.
Estates staff working in the NHS are paid on the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay system. As a fire safety officer, you will typically start on AfC band 5. With further training and experience, you could apply for more senior positions at band 6 and above. Fire safety officers in the NHS work standard hours of around 37.5 a week. The job may involve some evening and weekend working. Fire safety officers may be on call if there is an incident. Terms and conditions will usually be different for fire safety officers working outside of the NHS.
Fire safety Officers need to be interested in fire prevention, very health and safety aware, able to reassure people, able to stay calm in stressful situations and able to explain simply , and clearly. They also need good communication skills with people at all levels, good planning and observation skills.
With experience in the NHS, fire safety officers can become fire safety managers, responsible for a trust or area.
Related roles
- Security staff [2]
- Estates technician [3]
- Estates manager [4]
- Health and safety officer [5]
The role of arts managers/arts coordinators vary. Some have public arts and design briefs for new builds or renovations, others involve participatory arts activities and public health agenda and community consultation.
There are no set entry requirements. The precise nature of the work and job title will vary between health organisations and so when searching for vacancies, it's important to check each job description and person specification carefully. Employers usually expect arts managers and coordinators to have a relevant qualification at degree or postgraduate level and may expect candidates to have experience in delivering and coordinating arts projects. This could be from the NHS or elsewhere and could be voluntary or paid. When joining the NHS, arts managers are given the training they need including an introduction to the organisation and its systems and procedures. They're expected to keep their skills and knowledge of the arts world up to date.
Most staff working in the NHS are paid on the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay system. Pay rates for arts managers and coordinators will vary, depending on the precise role. Check individual vacancies for details. Most staff in the NHS work standard hours of around 37.5 a week. They may have to attend meetings or events in the evening or at weekends.
Terms and conditions will usually be different for clinical support staff working outside of the NHS.
As an arts manager/coordinator, you need to be interested in the arts and how they are related to health, creative, flexible, resourceful, willing to work with people from all walks of life and all ages. You also need artistic and creative skills, good organisational and project management skills.
Arts coordinators and arts managers can progress by working in larger departments with more staff and a bigger budget. They go on to become the head of arts for a trust.
Related roles
- Dramatherapist [7]
- Music therapist [8]
- Estates manager [4]
- Experienced paramedic [9]