Work experience

Work experience in the NHS is a fantastic way to gain insight into a particular career. It can also be a valuable way of getting some confidence and experience of working in a team and caring for people. Work experience can help you understand what it is like to work in an area, or prepare for a university application. 

Placement opportunities

We offer short work experience placements for those who are going on to Medical School and those who are interested in other roles within the NHS, including clinical and non-clinical professions. You will spend time observing the work of the department and those who work there.

Once you are sure which area you would like to experience, please contact that area directly using the details provided. They will provide you with an application so that we can check that you will get the experience you are looking for, and make arrangements for your placement.

The only placements currently available are listed on this page. We are unable to arrange placements on an ad-hoc basis for any applicant.

If you are over 18, you need to apply for a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check ahead of your placement.

 

Available placements

Pre Medical School work experience

As part of the UCAS application process it is extremely advantageous to have undertaken some work experience in a hospital / surgery environment.

Sitting in on clinics and consultations may be beneficial, but does not introduce prospective medical students to the practical skills which form a major part of the medical practitioner role. Our week long course exposes you to a range of experiences in a controlled and supervised environment. You'll have the chance to:

  • Visit theatres
  • Attend clinics, ward rounds and clerk simulated patients
  • Speak to doctors and medical students to gain an insight into medical training
  • Enjoy talks from medical educationalists about training and applying to medical school

For more information, visit our Medical Education website.

Rockingham (Orthopaedic Elective) Ward - not currently taking applications

*Please note - due to the high number of applications, we are not currently offering placements on Rockingham Ward* 

Placement NameRockingham Ward (Orthopaedic Elective)
What you will see

Rockingham Ward is a busy, fast-paced ward with 14 orthopaedic elective beds. There will be experience looking after patients from 16 years plus that require elective orthopaedic procedures such as new hip or knee joints.

You can experience post op care alongside basic nursing care.

Available placementsMonday to Sunday, 7am to 7.30pm. To be arranged on application to suit work experience needs.
Contact

Ward Manager: Laura Roberts

Email: laura.roberts17@nhs.net

Ear Care and Audiology

Placement NameEar Care and Audiology
What you will see

You will be given the opportunity to observe all routine clinic based elements of Ear Care and Audiology during your placement. This may be located at Rotherham Community Health Centre or Rotherham Hospital. We undertake a range of clinics, including specialist ear care, adult and paediatric audiology which includes hearing tests, hearing aid fittings and repair appointments.

You will have the opportunity to spend time with adult and paediatric audiologists, specialist ear care nurses, newborn hearing screeners and technical officers.

Available placementsPlacements available for a maximum of 1 week, Monday to Friday.
ContactAmanda Burgin, Service Support Manager
a.burgin1@nhs.net 
01709 423145

Fracture and Orthopaedic Clinic

Placement NameFracture and Orthopaedic Clinic
What you will seeOur Fracture and Orthopaedic Clinic has appointments with patients that include consultations for pre-operative discussions for joint replacements. Alongside trauma patients that have an orthopaedic injury pre or post op for clinical management. There is also the opportunity to attend the plaster room where patients will have a range of casts applied/removed alongside specialist appliance and casts. 
Available placementsPlacements available Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 7.30pm to be arranged on application to suit your work experience needs. 
ContactDepartment Managers: Charmaine Lait or Amanda Hobson on c.lait@nhs.net and amanda.hobson7@nhs.net 

Ward B5 non-elective surgery (Placements not currently available in this area)

Placement NameWard B5 non-elective surgery
What you will seeWe are a busy, fast-paced ward with 33 beds caring for acute/non elective surgery patients. There will be experience at looking after general surgery, urology, maxo-facial and medical patients, along with post Intensive Care Unit discharge patients. You will experience caring for these patients pre and post operatively along with delivering basic nursing cares. 
Available placementsMonday to Sunday, 7am to 7.30pm. Arranged on application. 
Contact

Lauren Olliver, Ward Manager. 

Telephone: 01709 425365

Email: lauren.olliver11@nhs.net 

Nutrition and Dietetics

Placement NameNutrition and Dietetics 
What you will seeYou will learn how diet can be used to optimise a patient's health. There will be the opportunity to observe different places that Dietitians work e.g. hospital wards, GP clinics, home visits or teaching education sessions. You will see how Dietitians calculate nutritional requirements and make nutritional plans for patients. 
Available placementsContact Sharron Cussens. 
Contact

Sharron Cussens, Nutrition and Dietetics Administrative Lead

Telephone: 01709 424297

Community Occupational Therapy Equipment and Adaptations Service

Placement NameCommunity Occupational Therapy Equipment and Adaptations Service
What you will seeAs Community Occupational Therapists we visit clients in their own homes to assess for equipment and/or adaptations to enable people to live safely and independently in their own homes. We visit clients with a range of physical disabilities / health needs who are experiencing difficulty with activities of daily living. 
Available placementsContact Amy Wright to discuss potential dates. 
Contact

Amy Wright, Admin Support Officer
Telephone: 01709 424346
Email: amy.wright70@nhs.net

Finance and Procurement

Placement NameFinance and Procurement
What you will see

The Finance directorate at The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust is a varied department incorporating financial management, budget monitoring, financial services, annual accounts production, cashiering, credit control and income, cash management, charity reporting, governance, contracting, procurement, and materials management. 

The placement will help you understand how finance support patient care through payment of invoices and staff, and by providing financial information to help decision making. It would be ideal for those interested in working with numbers in a practical way. To work in NHS Finance, you need to be adaptable, logical, and able to use Excel. 

Available placements

Work experience placements are only available to school or college students (such as school students in Year 10 to Year 13, or those in college studying NVQ Level 2 or 3).

Unfortunately we cannot offer voluntary work placements for those wanting work experience to anyone who is not a current student at a school or college.

The work experience placements offered are for the duration of 1 week.

To request a work experience placement, please email the contact details below, including a summary of why you are interested in doing work experience at the Trust’s Finance Department, and the dates that you are wanting to do the placement.

Please note: the Finance Department’s busiest time of year is April to June, so we are less likely to be able to offer placements during that time of year.

Contact

Claire Hall: Assistant Head of Financial Services 

Email: claire.hall16@nhs.net

Medical Imaging, Physics and Illustration

Placement NameMedical Imaging, Physics and Illustration
What you will seeMedical Imaging, Physics and Illustration is made up of several departments including: Clinical radiology (Plain film, CT, MRI, Ultrasound, Breast Screening), Medical Physics (Nuclear Medicine, Respiratory Physiology and Cardiology/cardiac devices) and Medical Illustration. This placement can offer a vast insight into the day-to-day tasks of each area, including administrative, clinical and advanced practice roles. 
Available placementsLimited places available. Please contact for details.
Contact

Jennifer Shooter
Email: jennifer.shooter@nhs.net 

Anthony Brookes
Email: anthony.brookes1@nhs.net

 

Digital, data and technology

Placement NameDigital, data and technology
What you will seeOur Health Informatics directorate provides a wide range of leading edge digital, data, and technology services. From ICT support, software development, data architecture, project management, systems analysis and clinical coding. We are able to offer one or two week introductory placements, either rotating through our departments or focusing on an area of interest. Additionally, we are able to offer placements to undergraduates as part of their year in industry undertaking relevant degrees.
Available placementsDependant on volume of requests and area of specialism.
ContactJames Rawlinson, Director of Health Informatics jrawlinson@nhs.net 

Podiatry

Placement NamePodiatry
What you will see

You will be given the opportunity to observe all clinic based elements of podiatry during your placement this may be at the hospital or in community.

We have various clinics from routine to high risk to nail surgery and biomechanics. You will observe multidisciplinary clinics and have the opportunity to discuss with the team any questions you may have. You will observe assessment clinics, wound debridement and dressings during high risk/ wound care appointments. 

You will have opportunity to spend time with our biomechanics team observing gait analysis and treatment plans for biomechanical problems, as well as observing new patient assessments and routine podiatry treatment, along with time observing our nail surgery team.

Available placements

Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm.

Date and duration to be agreed on application to suit your work experience needs and the availability of the service.

Contact

Angela Flanagan, Specialist Podiatrist

Telephone: 01709 427910

Email: angela.flanagan@nhs.net