When people think of health and social care jobs, people will often think of either a doctor, nurse or possibly dentist. Yet, there is such a large variety of jobs out there that go beyond these job types. In this article, we will look at what health and social care encompasses, the variety of roles and some of the possible options out there. Hopefully then, when you are next thinking of health and social care, yout think of the large variety of jobs this entails that go beyond doctors and nurses.
Ultimately, health and social care jobs all come down to one thing; helping people. This can be anything from helping people with their physical health, all the way to making someone feel like a strong member of the community. Either way, you are helping improve someone’s quality of life. The word to consider when thinking about these types of job is care, in terms of fact you are providing care in different formats. Also though, you yourself need to care greatly about your profession. It isn’t necessarily the easiest job in the world, and a lot of the time, your job satisfaction is going to have to stem somewhere else than financial gains.
Another things that links health and social care is the importance of relationships with patients and service users. The more sustainable, harmonious and trusting relationships you can build the more effective you will find yourself being at your job. As the element of trust and belief in your advice can have a huge effect on how effective treatment is. Or if a patient/service user will even consider a treatment you recommend.
In terms of careers, there are a huge variety of jobs that stem from many different types of academic backgrounds. If you want to pursue a career in healthcare, it is likely you will need a combination of further studies (such as a degree, or a high-level diploma), and on-the-job training. Yet, in social care, it is more likely you will start straight away with on-the-job training, while being able to ascertain further qualifications such as diplomas or degrees later on in your career.
Finally, it is highly likely pursuing a career in health will lead you to being employed at some point by the NHS, as it is the largest employer in the whole of Europe! While it is still relatively likely a career in social care will cross paths with the NHS at some point, it is less guaranteed. As social care can take place far outside the institution of health services, and is often a lot more community based.
