Work experience

Our work experience application process is now closed

The Trust is committed to offering work experience opportunities and we are delighted to be reintroducing these following the pandemic. We aim to provide a taste of working life and an idea of what to expect from a chosen career. We can offer work experience to shadow staff in a wide range of areas both clinical and non-clinical. Please note work experience placements are based at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill.

Students must be a minimum of 16 years of age; however, there is no upper age limit and we are happy to provide opportunities to those considering a change in career. All placements are unpaid and the Trust will not meet any costs of travel, subsistence, parking or accommodation.

The duration of the work experience placements offered through our service are normally structured around a one-week experience. Other departments feel it is sufficient to offer 2 days only. The placement duration is predetermined by the departments and is non-negotiable.

At East Surrey Hospital we offer both clinical and non-clinical placements. The departments who offer work experience vary per year but can include medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy, estates & facilities and finance. If you have a particular request please put this on your application and we will try to assign you to your chosen department however this is not always possible, in which case you will be offered an alternative.

Please note when filling in your requested dates that work experience placements will take place between April and October inclusive.

Work experience will not be offered in the following areas nor should you visit any of these areas if undertaking work experience in another department:

• Maternity
• G.U medicine
• Theatres
• Mortuary
• Paediatrics

Health clearance:

All work experience students are required to be health screened by the Trust's occupational health advisors and must receive health clearance before work experience can be confirmed.

The following information will need to be declared on the health declaration; please do not proceed with your application until you have this information to hand:

• You must have immunity against MMR (mumps, measles and rubella)
• Confirmation of the date of receiving the MMR immunisation must be declared on the health declaration. This will be found on your immunisation record (red book)
• You must have immunity against chicken pox. Confirmation of history of chicken pox must be declared on the health declaration. (Approx. date you had chicken pox).

This application will be processed only if you confirm you have the above information immediately available to declare on the health declaration.

Please do check your junk folder and complete the occupational health form as soon as possible to avoid delays in your application.

Once we have received your occupational health form back you can expect to receive confirmation of your placement within 6 weeks.

Due to unprecedent demand we have closed the Work Experience application process for 2023 having received sufficient applications to fill available placements. To be added to a wait list please sign up to our wait list.

Once you have submitted your form you will receive an automated response confirming receipt of your application.

The application window shall close when we have received sufficient responses to fill available spaces and a wait list will be opened, details of which will be shared here.

Please be aware work experience is popular and always oversubscribed and we cannot therefore guarantee a placement. Early applications are encouraged.

If there are any changes to your application whether this be a change of dates or you no longer wish to partake in work experience please do notify us via email to sash.academy@nhs.net.

We recognise the value of work experience for gaining insight into NHS careers and we look forward to receiving your application.

Medical Schools Council advice on work experience

Follow this link for guidance on work experience from the Medical Schools Council:  Work experience | Medical Schools Council (medschools.ac.uk)