#SpotlightOnHealth

Jobs in Health

Find out about the health industry in Wales. Learn what jobs are needed now and in the future.

About the health industry in Wales

If you want to help people, working in the health industry can be one of the most rewarding careers. The industry provides the physical and mental healthcare we need.

Health is one of Wales’ largest and most important industries. It employs 1 in 11 of?the workforce in Wales. The National Health Service is the largest employer, with 90,000 workers in Wales (Public Health Wales, 2023). You could also work in private health, medical supplies, or non-profit healthcare organisations.

When we think of the health industry we immediately think of hospitals, doctors, and nurses, but there are so many other medical and non-medical roles you could explore. From Podiatrist to Clinical Coder, Hospital Porter to Biomedical Scientist, or Emergency Control Room Operator to Medical Photographer.

There are hundreds of different job roles to suit all. The National Health Service, alone, has over 350 different job roles.

You could work in:

·???????Administration and management

·???????Allied health professional services like Physiotherapy or Rehabilitation

·???????Ambulance and emergency services

·???????Dental care

·???????Eye care

·???????Health informatics and digital technology

·???????Health promotion

·???????Healthcare sciences like clinical engineering, or biomedical science

·???????Hotel services and estates

·???????Medical equipment, supplies and prosthetics

·???????Medicine (Doctors, Surgeons, and GP’s)

·???????Nursing and Midwifery

·???????Nutrition

·???????Pharmacy

People are living longer, and our population is ageing so that there will be more demand for healthcare services and the workers that provide them.

New in the industry

Advances in technology continue to help the health industry to understand and treat illness, as well as fight new diseases.

Surgeons have been using robotics for some time. New technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning are being used more and more to examine health data and help diagnose illness. For example, machine learning is being used to analyse CT scans of COVID patients.

The Coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the use of digital technologies. We can now see our GP’s and get other health services virtually, from our homes. Digital systems are being used to improve our experience as a patient, from ordering prescriptions to mental health therapy apps.

The health industry is also playing its part in tackling climate change. Health is one of the biggest producers of carbon emissions and uses large amounts of products and equipment. There will be new and growing roles for jobs designed to reduce carbon emissions from healthcare services and supplies. Roles like sustainable nursing specialists, green hospital building experts or consultants in sustainable medicine might become more common.

The job roles and skills needed are changing as a result. Nurses, doctors, and other health professionals continue to be the most advertised job vacancies in Wales. Hands-on patient care skills that they provide will always be in demand, However, the growing use of technology and the need to be ‘greener’ means the industry will need people with skills in:

·???????Digital, eHealth and AI skills

·???????Biomedical and other scientific research

·???????Data analysis and Health Informatics

·???????Healthcare IT and system development

·???????‘Green’ skills like sustainable construction of hospitals or sustainable medical practice

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For further support please contact Careers Wales on 0800 028 4844 or visit our website for further information: https://careerswales.gov.wales/future-jobs-wales/jobs-in-health