We are UHB: Obinna Iloka

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust runs Good Hope, Heartlands, Queen Elizabeth and Solihull hospitals, the Birmingham Chest Clinic, and Solihull community services.

I have always wanted to work in the NHS, but despite applying numerous times, I was never invited to an interview. Then I saw an advert from The Prince’s Trust on Facebook that piqued my interest. I applied for their Get into Hospital Services programme in December 2021. In January 2022, I got an interview to work in the complex discharge team as a Band 3 administrator. I went for the interview, and I got the job. During that period, I was also successful in an interview for a healthcare assistant role, but I chose to accept the complex discharge role since it better fit my career path.

I'm grateful to God for pointing me to The Prince's Trust initiative; if I hadn't seen their advertisement, I might not have had this opportunity. This is my nineteenth month with the NHS, and I've gone from band 3 administrator to band 4 coordinator in the complex discharge team, and then to band 5 as a clinical standards officer within the clinical compliance team.

The Prince's Trust, in collaboration with the UHB Learning Hub, paved the path for me. Through their programme, I learned that I was overlooking the most critical aspects of the NHS?job applications. Despite having a master's degree, I still required guidance. I used to believe that the supporting information space was simply for writing anything more that wasn't addressed in your application. So I reasoned that since I fit the qualifications on the?job description, I should leave the supporting information blank.

The programme taught us how to write a compelling application, how to write your supporting information; the kind of things that are needed in a great application. And that was what I have been missing all through the time. I had been applying without any guidance. In addition to this, we were also taught about the NHS work ethics, team working, maintaining confidentiality, safeguarding and other basic, but vital, things about working in the NHS. And that’s what made it so special – it was really aimed specifically for people working in the NHS. It was a very practical way of learning.

As part of my work as a clinical standards officer, I work in partnership with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), which publish evidence-based recommendations and guidelines aimed at promoting best and effective health and social care delivery. On a monthly basis, these recommendations are sent to the relevant specialties and services within the Trust and subsequently followed up to ensure that they are put in place. The aim of our team is to ensure that UHB is providing the best care to our patients, with new and up-to-date technologies, medicines, and procedures.

The favourite part of my job is witnessing constant advancement in healthcare delivery. I am in a position where I am witnessing all these innovations, new things and ensuring that our staff are aware and able to put them into practice. Knowing that patients visiting our hospitals are certain they will receive the best possible care makes me happy. The difference I am making in people's lives give me much satisfaction. I am not a doctor, or a nurse, or a healthcare assistant, or anyone who has direct patient contact. They are doing an excellent work, and I am happy that from the background I am helping them to provide that care. I am glad that I am giving them all the information that they need to continue doing the best in their work.

Some of my cohort from The Prince’s Trust programme are in a job now. Although the Get into Hospital Services programme was only supposed to last six months, we all had job offers within a month or two. It was really quick. So, my advice to anyone with intention to work in the NHS and thinks it is difficult or not possible is, that, yes, it is possible – where there is a will, there is a way. There are always people here who are willing to help. Get in touch with The Prince's Trust, or The Learning Hub at UHB. They will relentlessly work with you to become whatever you want to be.

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