Like any other growing field, UK health care jobs involve a huge industry with multiple interdependent branches. Job seekers investigating this field should be aware of the immense opportunities related to the field as well as those requiring specialized education. Like any other industry, health care jobs involve far more than personal medical care and pharmaceutical services; job seekers may find their niche in one of many branches that service professionals rather than the public, or service the public in a non-medical capacity.

Non-medical UK health care jobs do not provide services directly to the public, or do so in a capacity not directly involved in providing medical attention. These jobs include administrators, lab technicians, support services, and volunteers of all stripes. Volunteer positions are a good way to accumulate experience and training as a nursing assistant, therapist assistant, or other support staff; many training courses will be paid for by the employer as a condition of the job. Volunteers may work with the public as often as with professionals, but never in a capacity which will be directly responsible for a patient’s medical condition.

Support services includes lab work as well as all those positions necessary to run a large medical facility. In the UK health care jobs in hospitals and clinics include caterers, porters, maintenance, estate workers, and sterilization services. None of these health care jobs require extensive medical education, and often work with both the public and other medical professionals; specific training is usually provided by the hospital. Caterers provide food for patients, visitors, and staff; they must be able to handle and prepare food safely and according to strict dietary needs. Porters and other housekeepers provide basic hotel services primarily for patients; these jobs provide more than comfort, ensuring a clean environment that is well stocked with supplies. These jobs often provide sterilization services for medical equipment and high traffic areas. Maintenance and estate work ensures that the building and grounds are kept functional and presentable, from such basic utilities as electricity and hot water to trimming the hedges; security is often a function of this department.

Laboratory and technical work is done behind the scenes, and in the UK these health care jobs often require specialized training and certification. Every aspect of the medical field requires technical support; specialized fields requiring certification but not a medical degree include: radiology, clinical pathology, phlebotomy, optometry, pharmacy, biomedical, and audiology. All of these fields share a common feature; they are staffed by personnel without a medical degree whose job is to support the medical professional. Certified training in these areas is available through many local clinics and universities; if the job seeker already serves the employer in another capacity, employers may assist in locating and funding courses.

Like any other business, UK health care jobs require administrators to oversee legal and logistical aspects. Managers, filing clerks, and other office personnel need not have any kind of medical experience at all, and will work primarily with patients. Tasks include correctly filing paperwork, compliance with legal issues, ensuring patient confidentiality, and insurance considerations. The business of health care gets its funding from fees, grants, and insurance providers.

Job seekers wishing to find health jobs in the UK have many different sources from which to draw. Job fairs are a local and immediate source of information regarding available positions. Web sites such as Health Jobs UK (http://www.healthjobsuk.com/) and NHS Jobs (http://www.jobs.nhs.uk/) provide specialized assistance in locating UK health care jobs. Certifications and other education should be obtained through a local hospital or clinic whenever possible, as these institutions often have individual requirements for completion. Other sources online for non-post-secondary medical education include Emagister (http://www.emagister.co.uk/) and the University of Bristol (http://www.medici.bris.ac.uk/tlhp/). More information about UK health care jobs in general, as well as required education, may be found through the British Medical Association (http://www.bma.org.uk/).

Finally, taking a non-medical job inside the health care industry is an ideal way to break into the field. Employers often seek to educate and promote from within, and a job seeker already holding a non-medical position with a company is ideally placed to choose the education and certifications their employers will need.