Every day talented people call time on their healthcare career to focus on important personal commitments, such as raising a family.
And for every person that leaves the NHS, there will be someone desperate to return, if only there was a way to refresh their skills and confidence.
The free Return to Practice course from Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides people with exactly that – an easy route back into the career they love, plus all the training, support and guidance they’ll need to ensure they come back at the top of their game.
It’s proved hugely popular in the past with nurses and the team behind the course are now appealing for any allied health professionals, who have taken a career break, to follow suit.
The team are particularly interested to hear from anyone with experience of:
- Physiotherapy
- Occupational therapy
- Radiology
- Mammography
- Dietetics
Occupational Therapist Nicola Smith used Return to Practice to bridge the gap between leaving university and starting work with the Trust.
She said: “I’m a single parent and, now that my daughter is six, I wanted to put all my learning and experience to good use.
“The whole transition from recruitment to starting work was amazing – everyone was so helpful and friendly.
“I feel happy, settled and so much more confident in myself and I’m very excited for what the future holds.”
People taking part will be supported through re-registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and also benefit from having a named mentor, who can help rebuild confidence and fine-tune clinical skills.
Permanent jobs, at either the Great Western Hospital or with the teams caring for patients in their homes across Swindon, will be waiting for those who successfully complete the course.
Shelly Knight, Return to Practice Lead, said: “Coming back to any job after a long break can be daunting and healthcare is no exception.
“Return to Practice allows us to offer the kind of support, guidance and training needed to make people feel comfortable about returning to life in a busy NHS organisation.”
People interested in taking part in the course can find out more over coffee at the information session being held in the Academy at the Great Western Hospital between 11.30am and 2pm on Monday 22 May.
Alternatively, further details are available by contacting the team directly on either 01793 604437 or [email protected].