Industry insights and case studies
One of the best ways to learn about careers in health and care is to hear from the people who work there. Kent and Medway have a vast health and care workforce from all backgrounds, each of whom bring a unique set of skills, knowledge, and experience to their employing organisation.
On this page you will find stories from real people in Kent and Medway, telling you about their experiences and what it means to work in health and care.
Being a Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in Kent and Medway
Meet the Primary Care Workforce
The Kent and Medway Primary Care Training Hub Youtube channel contains videos which showcase some of the brilliant people and roles available within Primary Care. They include:
You can also see videos about Technology Enhanced Learning in Primary Care, Returning to Nursing in Primary Care, Apprenticeships in Primary Care and much more.
Different ways of learning
On this partnership page, Kent Community Health Foundation Trust celebrate Laura Hoare and Emily Lillis, Learning Disability Nurses who graduated from their Clinical Academy, and how they use Star Wars as a creative approach to connect with patients May the force be with you | Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (kentcht.nhs.uk)
You can also hear from Laura Stoneham, who completed a Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship apprenticeship to become a Registered Nurse in the Community.
National Apprenticeship Week 2023
Hear about the experience of six apprentices working in Hospitals, Community and Care settings in this video celebrating Kent and Medway Apprentices for National Apprenticeship Week 2023.
Kent and Medway Apprenticeship Graduation Ceremony
Every year, we celebrate the successes and achievements of our incredible Apprentices.
Watch this short video celebrating Kent and Medway's Apprenticeship Graduates on 10th October 2022 at Rochester Cathedral.
Academy careers video for job seekers
This short guide to Health and Care Careers and Career Pathways in Kent and Medway was developed by the Academy as per a request from the Department of Work and Pensions. It was presented at a Jobcentre event in Folkstone in June 2023 and will be used in future
Jobcentre events to inform Kent and Medway jobseekers and those looking to change careers about the careers available in Health and Care, and to educate Jobcentre staff about these opportunities so that they can support people seeking employment in their local
Hints and Tips - Applying for a role in Health and Care
All NHS roles are advertised through the NHS Jobs website.
When you make an application, read the job description and person specification carefully. Your written application will be scored against the competencies you demonstrate that fit the requirements set out in these documents. Whether or not you meet these requirements will decide if you will be shortlisted for interview. Be sure to check your spelling and grammar.
The “personal information” section will not be used for shortlisting but is a great opportunity for you to tell the employer what sets you apart from the other applicants – your personal set of strengths and skills.
If you should be shortlisted for interview, this will usually either take place remotely via zoom or MS Teams or at the employing organisation. You will be offered an interview date and time slot. Be sure to dress appropriately and plan how you will travel there – parking at some Health and Care organisations can be tricky!
You will be asked a series of questions that are both based on the competencies set out in the job specification, and some situational questions. Situational questions are usually structured as follows:
“Tell me about a time you had to work alongside a difficult co-worker.”
“Give me an example of a time you had urgent, conflicting priorities and how you managed this.”
This is an opportunity to draw from your experiences and demonstrate you have the skills and experience required. A tip on answering these questions is using the STAR method:
- Situation – describe the situation you were involved with that needed a solution. This can be from work experience, school, or home.
- Task – clearly define the task that needed to be done in that situation and what the end goal was.
- Action – where you describe the role you took to address the situation. Remember to use “I” instead of “we” to demonstrate how you personally approached the issue. This answer should show your personal traits like decision making, conflict resolution, organisational skills, leadership, and creativity.
- Results – where you explain the results that came from your actions, lessons learned and your individual achievements, and how these benefited the organisation.
You will also likely be asked questions about the organisation’s values, confidentiality and equality, diversity and inclusion, so be sure to visit the organisation’s webpage to find out more and be able to clearly describe how you embody these values.
Remember to keep answers concise, listen carefully and provide all the information the questions ask for. Remember, the recruiting team is on your side. If you don’t understand a question or need a moment to think, just ask the panel to repeat the question.
You can also often find example questions online so do your research and practice your answers.
Good luck!
We want to hear from you
What role interests you? Which area in our system would you like to learn more about and hear stories from? Use the form at the bottom of the page to tell us.
We look forward to sharing more stories with you from our wonderful people working in Health and Care, so please come back soon.
And…
If you are a Kent and Medway Health and Care Employee who would like to share your career journey, we want to hear from you! Please feel free to get in touch via the form below.