Careers with us

It's not just doctors and nurses who work for the NHS. There are over 350 different NHS careers and everyone makes a difference every day. 

Whether you’re still in education, thinking about returning to work, switching your career or already working in health, there is something for you. 

Careers Allied Health Professional

We regularly advertise for a range of Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) - clinical staff who are not nurses, dentists, doctors or pharmacists.

Our fantastic team of AHPs are critical in ensuring our services operate and that we provide a range of care and treatments to our patients.

Our group of AHPs include paramedics, dietitians, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, respiratory therapists and speech and language therapists.

Go to AHP vacancies

 

Careers in nursing

Here at HCT we value our nurses greatly. We provide care in a number of community hospitals across Hertfordshire and a lot of our activity is also undertaken in patients’ homes or clinics close to where they live.

The role of nurses in the Trust is extremely important in ensuring we provide high levels of care and treatment.  This is particularly important as the NHS continues to move more specialist care out of hospitals and into communities.

We expect all our nurses to treat people as individuals and uphold their dignity at all times and to adhere to the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s code for nurses.

Compassion in practice - the 6Cs 

In 2012 the Chief Nursing Officer for England launched a new vision for nurses, midwives and care staff. ‘Compassion in Practice’ was launched by the Government as a strategy for those providing care based around six core values which have become widely recognised as the 6Cs: Care, Compassion, Competence, Communication, Courage and Commitment.

We believe that this is an approach which is consistent with our own core values and objectives and is relevant to us all. More information about the 6Cs.

Go to nursing vacancies

Careers in our support services

Our support services are the backbone of the Trust helping frontline staff focus on delivering care and treatment to patients.

Based around the county, many support workers are embedded in our clinical teams while others work from our headquarters in Welwyn Garden City.

Wherever a support services employee works their contribution is recognised and many are nominated in our annual staff awards, the Leading Lights.

So whether you work in finance, human resources, administration, information, cleaning or learning and development you will feel a valued member of our team.

Go to support service vacancies

Soon to qualify students

We would love to hear from soon to qualify students in nursing, physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

If you are thinking about a career in the community you can apply for our existing band 5 vacancies while still in your final year at university.

If you have any questions, please email HCT careers.

hct.careers@nhs.net

Apprenticeships

What is an Apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships are a great way to learn. They combine practical training ‘on the job’ with additional study ‘off the job’, enabling you to gain the skills and knowledge for a specific role whilst earning a wage (no tuition fees to pay).

Most roles have apprentice qualifications linked to them either for development in your role or for career development. An apprenticeship can help you to:

  • Develop the skills you need for your current role. 
  • Develop the knowledge and skills you need to apply for your next role.
  • Achieve the entry requirements for other courses for example nursing or an AHP pre-registration course
  • Complete professional qualifications

You can find out more about the different types of apprenticeships available nationally and locally by following these links to the HWE Health and Care Academy or the Institute for Apprenticeships

How to access an apprenticeship

  • Check our vacancies and NHS Jobs for apprenticeship roles available
  • Apprenticeships are available in many professions such as Nursing, Allied Health Professions and Administrative roles
  • Apply for a support worker role at HCT, which may provide an opportunity to apply for an apprenticeship
  • Direct application for apprenticeships to universities are available in some instances
  • For further information about apprenticeships within HCT, please email hct.careers@nhs.net
  • AHP Careers for School Leavers

Apprenticeship stories

Return to Practice

Allied Health Professionals: Return to Practice at HCT

Are you a qualified AHP looking to Return to Practice (RtP)? If so we would love to hear from you!

Locations vary across Hertfordshire depending on your profession.

We would be delighted to hear from the following professions:

  • Speech and Language Therapists
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Physiotherapists
  • Podiatrists
  • Dieticians

We are interested in hearing from both full and part-time applicants.

You must register with the HEE Return to Practice Programme to be eligible.

Please email your expression of interest with your CV attached to: hct.returntopractice@nhs.net

 

Return to Practice with HCPC

The HCPC defines a Returnee to Practice as an individual who has been out of practice for more than two years. This applies to you if your registration has lapsed, or if you did not go on to register once finishing your qualifications, and therefore have not practiced. This does not apply to you if you have already attained HCPC registration and you are looking for work experience.

HCT supports Returner to Practice through clinical supervision, clinical practice, formal CPD and support to complete the application for re-registration with the HCPC. Returners will also have access to our Preceptorship Programme; specifically designed to support and develop those who are going through a transitionary period in their career. HCT have supported several RtP over the past year alone who have all then successfully returned to employment within our Trust.

As a Returner you can complete supervised practice within our organisation via two routes:

  • Unpaid/voluntary route
  • Paid/employer led route (Band 4)

Post registration exciting and rewarding career opportunities may be available!

You can find our current RtP NHS job advert here.

 

FAQs

 

Here is what one of our AHPs had to say about her journey:

Quote from Georgina, Speech and Language Therapist, about her experience Returning to Practice.

 

Other useful links:

School and college students

If you are thinking about a career in the NHS, including apprenticeships, please check out our careers pages for information about the huge variety of opportunities within the NHS.

Back to the list

Joy's story

Joy Tharby is a ward sister who works at Langley House in Garston, specialising in the rehabilitation of stroke patients. 

What Joy says about her job 

“Everybody has their own responsibility as part of the multi-disciplinary team and we communicate with each other well. We meet every morning and discuss the discharge planning for patients, how rehabilitation is going and if there are any problems we flag them. 

“We are always sent for training over and above the mandatory training, for example dealing with leg ulcers, applying IVs and phlebotomy. 

“We have closer contact with our patients than in an acute hospital; it’s 24/7 bedside care. To be able to help patients to go back to their baseline you have to find out about their lives before they had their stroke or before they became immobile. That’s part of the professionalism of the job. 

“It is real job satisfaction when we can see their progress; when they don’t need wheelchairs anymore, when they can go home and they don’t require any further care or perhaps just a reduced package of care. 

“I always look forward to work because you are appreciated for what you do”.