THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2009
CAREERS IN
The Daily Telegraph
jobs.telegraph.co.uk
J 3
A rosy outlook While the wider economy may be in need of a cure, healthcare remains robust and full of opportunities, finds Thea Jourdan
T
he public healthcare sector has enjoyed over a decade of sustained investment and there is going to be a guaranteed demand for its services as the baby boomers enjoy their longer life expectancy. That said, it looks likely that the NHS will have to go through a period of budget cuts as it tries to balance its books. NHS chief executive David Nicholson used his report on the year 2008-2009 to warn: “We should also plan on
the assumption that we will need to release unprecedented levels of efficiency savings between 2011 and 2014 — between £15 million and £20 billion across the service over the three years.” Belt tightening in the public sector could spell good news for the thriving private health sector that already adds £3.2 billion to the economy annually. Four and a quarter million people in the UK had private medical insurance at the start of 2008 and the number could increase as people choose
to buy a “health safety net”. And it is not just the sharp end of patient care where things are looking distinctly healthy. The UK pharmaceutical industry is the biggest in Europe. UK-based company GlaxoSmithKline, which markets Gaviscon, Zantac and the new anti-obesity drug, Alli, is one example of a home-grown global giant. As a whole, the UK pharma industry employs around 72,000 people, with an export business worth around £14.5 billion. Only the US industry is bigger.
Not surprisingly, opportunities are plentiful, and demand regularly outstrips supply. “It’s a strong sector and it is growing” says John Herron, divisional director for recruitment operations Reed Health, Doctor and Nurse. On the clinical side, gaps exist in many areas, including chiropractic, pharmacy, medical science and psychology. The Government publishes a list of professions that have a high number of vacancies, called the UK National Shortage
Occupation List. At the moment, it includes GPs, cardiologists, orthodontist dentists, social workers and pharmacists. Nursing, meanwhile, has an ageing workforce, although there is only an acute shortage in areas, such as critical care and operating theatre nursing. To help people navigate their way around the 350 different careers that exist in public healthcare, NHS Careers now offers information for all job seekers throughout the NHS. Interim workers, or those who are prepared to work flexible contracts, are particularly desirable employees. Herron has noticed that the demand for temporary contract workers in the NHS has shot up, by more than 40 per cent over the past two years. “This trend is evident across the board, from managers to technicians, and from physiotherapists to doctors. It is driven by a need to rationalise the NHS and create a more fluid and reactive workforce.” What’s more, NHS employees in
a patient-centred role can expect job satisfaction along with daily challenges. According to the 2008 NHS staff survey, 90 per cent of respondents felt that their role made a difference to patients and 80 per cent said that they found their job interesting. In the pharmaceutical sector, companies are offering generous packages to graduates who come on board as management trainees or sales and marketing reps. Graduates in pharmaceutical marketing and sales can expect to start on a salary of £25,000-£30,000 and can head up to the £60,000 mark, or even higher. When it comes to medical research and innovation, the UK is a world leader. Five of the world’s top 20 bestselling pharmaceuticals were developed
In a 2008 NHS staff survey, 90 per cent of respondents felt they made a difference
in the UK, and GlaxoSmithKline spends around £368,000 an hour on research and development alone. British companies are strong in the field of nanotechnology and have been responsible for products that can combat bird flu, provide an instant asthma diagnosis and illuminate cancer cells. This area is very profitable and expanding rapidly. According to the Office of National Statistics Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics, the UK life sciences industry exported £17.3 billion worth of “medicinal products” in 2008, a startling increase of 19 per cent from the previous year. Would-be entrepreneurs are being encouraged to join the flood of innovators in healthcare who are making their mark globally. Toby Wilson Waterworth,
chief executive of Atlantic Healthcare, entrepreneur and investor in life sciences, and adviser to the British Government on the Global Entrepreneurs Programme, says that this area has huge potential. “We are fantastic innovators and we punch far above our weight, but in the past there has perhaps been a lack of business know-how,” he says. “That is now changing as our world-class scientists learn how to create commercial businesses that are capable of competing on the international stage.” Sir Andrew Cahn, chief executive of UK Trade Investment, agrees: “Life sciences are buzzing with innovation and enthusiasm. Our exports are flourishing and it’s a sector that will help to bring the UK out of recession and position it for growth in the coming years.”
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JOBS ONLINE: jobs.telegraph.co.uk/ careers-insider
GOOD FOR BUSINESS — AND FOR IMPROVING LIVES HEALTHCARE INNOVATIONS: J4
PROFESSIONALS ON THE FRONT LINE REWARDING CAREER PATHS: J4
BUOYANT SECTOR POISED FOR GROWTH PRIVATE HEALTH: J6
SARAH HANSON
Healthcare
Thursday, June 18, 2009 jobs.telegraph.co.uk/ca
Produced byTelegraph Special Reports
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