Returning to Healthcare

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Firstly, you need to be honest with yourself about why you left healthcare in the first place. Was it the long hours, the lack of a social life, resources at practice level or the medical hierarchy that made you look elsewhere? Some of these things may have changed, others will not.

If you are returning to the NHS you can expect greater support of part-time working, more clinical autonomy and a greater emphasis on continuous professional development in many fields. This is particularly true if you left healthcare more than ten years ago.

However, you may also find that financial resources are still extremely stretched, that you are expected to undertake a wider range of tasks than you were previously familiar with, and that you will be held more personally accountable for clinical practice than was the case before.

You might also want to look at some case studies on the NHS Careers website for those who have made a successful return to the healthcare profession. Try www.nhs.uk