Goring-by-sea hospital worker shares apprenticeship journey from Medical Records to Healthcare Assistant

“I was already working at the Goring Hall Hospital as a Medical Records Officer at the time. However, I wanted to do something different in my career, so I enquired about doing a health and social care apprenticeship. It would allow me to grow professionally and develop my interpersonal skills. Furthermore, my managers said that I would be a great addition to the team, so that gave me the encouragement to do an apprenticeship programme,” Lloyd said.

Lloyd decided to make this career change a reality and after having further discussions with his managers at Goring Hall Hospital, he enrolled onto a Level 3 Senior Healthcare Support Worker Apprenticeship programme in 2023, which was accredited through Teesside University. The apprenticeship programme was the first step he needed to complete ahead of obtaining his healthcare assistant qualification. The skills he obtained during the apprenticeship programme gave Lloyd, the confidence he needed to work in a clinical environment.

“Transitioning from a Medical Records Officer at the hospital to a Healthcare Assistant wasn’t easy. However, the Level 3 Senior Healthcare Assistant Apprenticeship programme gave me the skills that I could pick up and use in my role at Goring Hall Hospital. The apprenticeship programme gave me the confidence that I could move forward during the first steps in my career in healthcare. This meant I could take the skills that I had learnt and develop them in a clinical environment,” Lloyd said.

“The apprenticeship route was the right environment for me. I was accepted onto the course and I’m grateful to my managers for encouraging me to take up the qualification. It’s opened up so many opportunities for me.

Lloyd is due to complete his qualification in August 2024. Reflecting on his experiences so far, Lloyd admits that it has not always been easy.

“I never thought that I would be working as a Healthcare Assistant, every day I come across new challenges. Balancing working full-time and studying can be hard sometimes. The most challenging part was making the initial change, going from a completely different area of work into this new role without any experience. The change was daunting at first, however the support from my colleagues at the hospital has been brilliant and they have helped me along the way,” Lloyd said.

“I’m really enjoying my role at the hospital and the apprenticeship has given me some great opportunities to further my career.”

Working towards the Level 3 Senior Healthcare Support Worker qualification has changed the life of Lloyd. When asked what this has meant to him and what his hopes for the future are, he said: “Doing an apprenticeship has given me a career for life and that has only been made possible thanks to Circle Health Group making further education programmes available for everyone. Once my current course ends, I want to enrol onto another apprenticeship programme and become an Occupational Departmental Practitioner.”

Lloyd is one of thirteen apprentices who are working on or have completed their qualifications at Goring Hall Hospital. In 2023 alone, Circle Health Group supported over 200 apprentices who completed their apprenticeship qualifications.

Since launching the apprenticeship programme in 2017, 35 bespoke programmes aimed at recruiting and retaining talent in clinical and non-clinical roles. Have been launched by Circle Health Group across the UK.