Huge interest among young people in NHS careers

• Almost three-quarters of young people[1] are considering or have considered healthcare careers with ‘improving the lives of others’ the main appealing factor. 
• But there are several significant factors which the majority of young people say would put them off a healthcare career including perceptions of long hours, high pressure and low pay.
• Universities UK and the Nuffield Trust say health leaders and the UK Government must capitalise on strong interest in healthcare careers, as universities stand ready to support plans for a massive increase in the size of the NHS workforce.

The Censuswide survey, commissioned by Universities UK and analysed by the Nuffield Trust, spoke to more than 5,000 young people across the UK, aged between 16 and 26. It found that 73%[2] are considering or have considered a career in healthcare, with nursing (39%), medicine (35%), and midwifery (22%) the most popular courses for these respondents and those who already work in healthcare. Improving the lives of others (46%) is the reason most often given for their interest in these careers, closely followed by having a rewarding career (40%).   

Around three-quarters of respondents said they would be more likely to choose to study a healthcare course at university if they received additional financial support (e.g. grants and loans) while studying (cited by 72%[3]) or if they were paid for their clinical placements (73%[4]). Universities UK is calling for maintenance support to keep up with the increased cost of living to relieve financial pressures on healthcare students. The Nuffield Trust has previously argued for a student loans forgiveness scheme. 

The survey also shows that the vast majority are being put off embarking on healthcare careers because of perceptions of low pay (90%), poor work/life balance (82%), stress of the job (79%), and long working hours (75%)[5].

Universities are already working closely with the UK Government and health leaders to increase supply to meet growing need in the health service, and to implement the long-term workforce plan in England. The central tenet of the plan, which has widespread political support, is to embark on the biggest recruitment drive in health service history but this requires sufficient people enrolling onto clinical courses and working in the NHS on graduation.  

To meet the nation’s future healthcare needs, clinical professionals will be needed in a broad range of fields and from across the UK, so universities are working hard and together to recruit students from a more diverse range of backgrounds, for example through partnerships between different institutions to open campuses in areas where there are shortages of medical professionals [see case studies in Notes to Editors].

The survey suggests strong interest among the most disadvantaged, as those eligible for free school meals are more likely to consider healthcare careers than those who have never been eligible (78 v 70%)[6]. However, young people whose parents did not go to university are less likely to consider studying medicine (30%) than those who had one parent (35%) or both parents (42%) that went to university.[7]

Only 20% of respondents claimed to be ‘very familiar’ with the variety of career options available within the NHS beyond becoming a doctor or nurse, showing a pressing need to promote the diversity of healthcare careers available, in schools and elsewhere, across the country.

Alongside efforts to recruit the healthcare professionals of the future, universities are looking to make the most of robotics, artificial intelligence, and immersive technology to transform training , with initiatives ranging from virtual community placements to dental simulators.

In October 2023, Universities UK published a position paper with a series of recommendations for making healthcare education and careers more appealing, including: 

• additional wellbeing support for students,  
• better coaching and mentoring of students,  
• investment in new facilities and technologies,  
• improving the quality and choice of placements,  
• and greater financial help for those studying from low-income families.  

Case studies of universities supporting the NHS

With a severe shortage of GPs in the south of England, King’s College London and the University of Portsmouth recently announced a partnership to jointly deliver a medical degree through a branch campus in Portsmouth.

The University of Hull’s Pathways to Medicine programmes in partnership with the Sutton Trust offer opportunities to students from state schools in the north of England to widen access to medical education.

Students taking part gain insight into medicine as a career, including how to apply to medical school, receive mentoring from current medical students, as well as an online or residential summer school.

Notes to editors 

The Censuswide survey of 5,259 young people, aged 16-26, in the UK (4,022 aged 16-18, 1,237 aged 19-26) took place between 13 December 2023 and 21 December 2023.  Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct which is based on the ESOMAR principles. A full breakdown of the results is available here: https://charts.censuswide.com/J12800CWMP/J12800CWMP_VIbox.html