If you left the NHS what did you do?

[ChidiAnagonye]

If you left working in healthcare altogether, what job did you do when you left?

I am just feeling a bit like I need a fresh start away from the NHS but I don’t know what I can leave to do. I have ended up backing myself into a niche corner where I like getting the money that I earn. But I don’t feel I have any job satisfaction anymore.

I was a Payroll Officer with the NHS for 10 years. I left when pregnant with my DD. I knew I wanted to stay at home with her until she started school. I decided not to find another job out of the house and became a childminder which I did for 27 years. My accounting experience in the NHS helped when faced with all the admin and self assessment in my childminding career.
I then worked in nurseries and schools for 4 years before working as a Support Worker for adults with Learning Disabilities. That was the job I liked most of all. I retired in 2021 aged 61.

Thank you.
I had considered childminding. (My partner has kind of talked me out of it and I don’t disagree because I feel like my house wouldn’t feel like my home anymore)

University lecturer. Better than the nhs but still bad workload

Thank you. Yes I had considered this and I suppose I’m still considering it. I’m sorry if it’s still not great. Im sure there are lots of bits to that that is still SSDD

It is definitely better and I’d never go back to the nhs. It’s interesting, the students are great, there’s more flexibility, wfh if don’t need to be on campus. When staffing is ok it’s a nice job.

Hospice….still within healthcare I know but a totally different approach /can do attitude/time to care/ support for courses AND still getting nhs pension contributions . If you have a skill set transferable to the charity sector this may be an option.

Ps other friends have moved into a. Legal assistant b. Computing/IT c. Medical repping d. Primary school teacher . Sometimes it’s worth seeing a careers adviser/coach to try and pull out what is important to you….when you have worked in nhs for a while it can be hard to see the wood for the trees! I personally could not have gone for a non person related job.

I left the chaos of the NHS and now work in a Nursing Home . Very busy, have to think of your feet ,too much pointless paperwork which no one ever looks at but the plus side is better staffing levels and job satisfaction !

Thanks all. These are great suggestions and I really appreciate every reply!