Placement Review at NHS

The Role

Role Description

•Contributed to the quality management agenda, information technology environment (web development), financial planning (assisting in the development of business cases) in addition to the day to day business and operational work. Gained exposure to the Deanery Executive strategy making and developed excellent working relationships with colleagues in both the NHS and the Department of Health.
•Worked as part of a multi-professional team on an International recruitment programme, including a two week recruitment programme in India. This not only developed my capacity to work cooperatively with people at different levels but also enhanced my intellectual ability to successfully analyse problems, develop workable solutions and plan their implementation in different work settings.

1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

very nearly my best job ever

2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

very challanging environment with many senior consultants and managers. it was nice to feel that everyone (doctors or admin people) were -pretty much- at the same level.

3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

a lot of support when needed but mostly a laissai-faire approach

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

as always there were quiter and busier days but if you wanted to get involved in projects there was always the opportunity to.

5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

by the end of it i was actively involved in decision making and feel like i have been given enough opportunities for my type of role.

6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

no doubt these skills are priceless

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

very relaxed and friendly yet strict and professional on occasions

8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

not much of a structure. made it up as we were going along which was good in a way as i was responsible for my own development

9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

considering this was supposed to be a 12-months placement i benefitted from a variety of training courses and workshops and ultimately had my contract extended for another 4 months to see through some projects i'd started

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

• Flexi Time
• International Travel
• Above 25 days holiday
• Working from home

11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

difficult times ahead for the public sector and the NHS. saying that i have been advised that it would be better for me to join the NHS graduate scheme rather than returning straight to the SHA. they were impressed and happy with my work, extended my contract and were willing to take me onboard after graduating but suggested the graduate scheme would be a more round opportunity for me

Other Information

12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

i was the only placement student (the first they ever took onboard) but there were always opportunities to socialise whether that would be going for a drink or playing football.

13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

unfortunately cost of living and level of salary meant that i had to be careful not to socialise too much

14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 1/10

workplace was far away from the centre with the nearest pub about 2miles away

15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

a fair amount

In addition to these questions, is there any extra information you would like to leave about your experiences on your work placement that other students may be interested in?

Of course you can just sit on your desk and stare at your computer screen all day or you can be smart and take advantage of every little opportunity that comes by.
I don’t believe there’s such a thing as a ‘good placement’…it’s what you make of it.

Review 32/76 for NHS

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