NHS Oxford

Whether you’re early in your career journey and want to grow your skills and experience, or you’re looking for a career change and want to do something completely different, we have career options for you. When you join us, we will support you to discover what opportunities are available to you, what is best for you in your current role and how we can support you to look to your future career plans.

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There are a number of entry routes into the NHS depending on your previous qualifications and experience. If you have limited prior experience, we have a number of band 2 and band 3 entry level jobs for both clinical and non-clinical career pathways. Our most typical entry level roles start at band 3; with many people choosing to apply for an administration or healthcare assistant vacancy. These roles are a great stepping stone for career development because they lead to a variety of apprenticeship opportunities. Other opportunities may be available to start in a higher banded role, depending on your previous experience and level of prior study. Find your role here.

Entry Level roles

At Oxford Health, we offer the chance to gain nationally recognised English, Maths and Digital Functional Skills qualifications, providing you with essential practical skills for the workplace, daily life, and further studies. You can earn these qualifications at no cost, at both Level 1 and Level 2—Level 2 being equivalent to a GCSE grade 4. 

Our partnership with Pearson Edexcel ensures your exams are marked by the UK’s largest awarding body, and you’ll receive an official qualification certificate upon completion. Whether you’re seeking personal satisfaction, aiming for a higher band role, or interested in joining one of our apprenticeship programmes, these qualifications unlock exciting career opportunities and help you progress in your professional journey.

Functional Skills

Our apprenticeships are brilliant pathways for people of all backgrounds and experience to build long-term career prospects and start a lifelong career where they can truly make a difference. When you join us, we are committed to helping you explore the opportunities available to you, understand what’s best for your current role, and support you in planning your future career path. Find your role here.

Apprenticeships

Our ‘Flyer’ Programme is a mandatory initiative for all newly qualified nurses and allied health professionals (AHPs), offering Trust-wide preceptorship in line with Health Education England's (HEE) standards. Over the course of a year, participants will attend nine non-technical workshops, complemented by service-based support and individual preceptorship meetings. Additionally, attendees can earn 20 MSc credits by completing an additional module entitled ‘The Self as an Emergent Practitioner’.

The aim of the flyer programme is to prepare new professionals for the transition of becoming autonomous practitioners. It includes workshops on leading self and care, patient safety, human factors, teamwork, inclusive communication, resilience, wellbeing, career development, and CPD. For nurses, there are also sessions on Practice Assessor/Practice Supervisor roles. Action learning is incorporated for group reflection, and the programme also covers NMC Revalidation and HCPS Audits, ensuring comprehensive support throughout the year. Find your role here.

Preceptorship

Oxford Health apprenticeships

We can support you to achieve nationally recognised vocational qualifications (NVQs & Diplomas). These can sometimes be available as standalone qualifications however most are supported by the apprenticeship route. Our apprenticeships are available in a variety of subjects from:

Our Apprenticeship programmes offer a fantastic opportunity to earn while you learn. Apprentices work in their normal roles for the majority of the week, dedicating a minimum of six hours to study. The study time includes various learning tasks directly related to their job, ensuring the programme is practical and relevant. Throughout the programme, apprentices build a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate how they meet the national criteria, and there are no fees—apprentices are paid for their study time within working hours.

The length of the programme depends on the level and subject, with Level 3 typically taking 13-16 months, while higher levels can take 36-48 months. To enrol, apprentices must meet certain entry requirements, which include having Maths and English at Level 2 (equivalent to GCSE grades A*-C/9-4). For more details or to request further information, feel free to email our Apprenticeships team at Apprenticeships@Oxfordhealth.nhs.uk.

Early Careers

Entry Level roles

Functional Skills

Apprenticeships

Preceptorship

Clinical

Non-clinical

Apprenticeship Facts