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Original poster

Private school pupils banned from work experience in hospitals

506 replies

beelegal · 17/08/2025 15:16

“Pupils who want to be doctors 'barred' from vital work experience at NHS hospitals - because they go to private school”

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15007121/amp/doctors-work-experience-NHS-hospitals-private-school.html

This will be extended to all civil service jobs.
Bridgitte Philipson is a nasty bully. What next, private school pupils to sit on certain sections on buses? I cannot wait until the next general election, this shower need a wipeout.

Private school students 'barred' from work experience at NHS hospitals

Some of the UK's largest hospital trusts have effectively barred private-school pupils who want to be doctors from undertaking vital NHS work experience.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15007121/amp/doctors-work-experience-NHS-hospitals-private-school.html

OP posts:
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6
FrodoBiggins · 17/08/2025 16:18

SimoneHere · 17/08/2025 16:17

I can’t get worked up about this TBH.

I privately educated my kids because the state school couldn’t provide teachers in the subjects they were passionate about, and one of my kids was traumatised when trapped in a school building during an arson attack. There were no other state schools.

I haven’t been able to organise any work experience for them because all schemes are run only for state schools, and my employer counts nepotism the same as it does bribery - I am expressly not allowed to arrange anything at work or through my contacts.

But you know what? They’ll survive! The help I was able to give them to get them back on track by paying for private school more than offsets a lack of work experience.

To put it another way - if I had left them in that state school, even if they had the benefit of work experience, they would have had nowhere near the opportunities they have now had.

I just really, really wish all state schools were as good as the private school I had to pay for. And I certainly don’t begrudge state school students anything.

Good for you. A sensible logical and compassionate take from an interesting perspective.

itsgettingweird · 17/08/2025 16:19

The reason “barred” is in inverted comments is because they aren’t actually barred.

But it’s the DM it needed a LW bashing headline.

It says that some hospital trusts are running schemes for population state school and some are prioritising those in state education.

No one has been banned.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 17/08/2025 16:19

nearlylovemyusername · 17/08/2025 16:15

Of course. Your username and language are signifiers of great IQ.

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😂😂😂😂

What the fuck do you know? You don’t know me,

I can write it in big words if you want?

GoldThumb · 17/08/2025 16:20

I understand the point, however imo this is wrong.

You can make an effort to give the opportunity to a wider range of people, without specifically banning certain demographics.

Positive discrimination is still discrimination, and is not a good thing

GoldThumb · 17/08/2025 16:21

itsgettingweird · 17/08/2025 16:19

The reason “barred” is in inverted comments is because they aren’t actually barred.

But it’s the DM it needed a LW bashing headline.

It says that some hospital trusts are running schemes for population state school and some are prioritising those in state education.

No one has been banned.

If that’s the case then I have no issues.

But if practically it means a ban then I don’t.

Depends how it’s implemented in reality

GreenFlag · 17/08/2025 16:21

Work experience is the sort of thing that anxious parents fret about for their precious wannabe doctor/lawyer/accountant etc child. Recruiters don’t care about a fortnight folding towels in the local hospital.

This!

A few weeks work experience isn’t going to erode years of education.

CurlewKate · 17/08/2025 16:21

dogcatkitten · 17/08/2025 16:00

It always seems to be levelling down, not levelling up. What the government should be doing is bringing state schools up, not dragging private pupils down.

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One of the ways of doing that is redistributing the privilege a bit.Sadly, it always seems to be the privileged who get more of it!

jay55 · 17/08/2025 16:21

Presumably private school students can still get work experience in care homes and other settings.

daddysgirlnot · 17/08/2025 16:22

Summerhillsquare · 17/08/2025 15:39

When you're used to privilege, equality feels like oppression, eh?

Agree with you 100%

Absentmindedsmile · 17/08/2025 16:23

FrodoBiggins · 17/08/2025 16:13

Yes of course it is. Being posh isn't a protected characteristic under the Equality Act

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You think all children that go to private school are ‘posh’? Do you also think that all children who go to ‘state’ school, are chavs?

verycloakanddaggers · 17/08/2025 16:23

itsgettingweird · 17/08/2025 16:19

The reason “barred” is in inverted comments is because they aren’t actually barred.

But it’s the DM it needed a LW bashing headline.

It says that some hospital trusts are running schemes for population state school and some are prioritising those in state education.

No one has been banned.

Please don't try to bring facts into this, there's no need for any of that!

itsgettingweird · 17/08/2025 16:25

GoldThumb · 17/08/2025 16:21

If that’s the case then I have no issues.

But if practically it means a ban then I don’t.

Depends how it’s implemented in reality

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It’s the same scheme that have been running since I was a child (I’m very much old now!)

Schemes to offer pupils from poorer backgrounds who may think some careers aren’t open to them - to get some work experience. It’s about social mobility.

There’s currently another thread running where the poster insists you should just “get a better paid job”.

Well if you’ve gone to local sink comp where no one ever made you feel like being a GP or consultant was open to you then it’s not that simple.

This isn't a Labour thing. It’s a U.K. thing that’s been running for years!

bldy · 17/08/2025 16:25

I know lots of doctors and surgeons who went to private school and who come from medical families. Won't they just get placements through family connections?

FrodoBiggins · 17/08/2025 16:26

Absentmindedsmile · 17/08/2025 16:23

You think all children that go to private school are ‘posh’? Do you also think that all children who go to ‘state’ school, are chavs?

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Yes and no

Charlottejbt · 17/08/2025 16:28

dogcatkitten · 17/08/2025 16:00

It always seems to be levelling down, not levelling up. What the government should be doing is bringing state schools up, not dragging private pupils down.

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True, but the govt aren't doing anything to private schools in this case, just giving a particular oppirtunity to state schooled kids. I'm all for it.

twistyizzy · 17/08/2025 16:28

FrodoBiggins · 17/08/2025 16:26

Yes and no

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So basically you are just a reverse snob? Applying very narrow set of stereotypes to each child based purely on the type of school they go to? Because all children fit into 1 of your categories of posh/not posh.....great world view!

bldy · 17/08/2025 16:28

I'm a doctor and the last few work experience kids I've hosted have been privately educated (children of colleagues, typically).

exactly

HostaCentral · 17/08/2025 16:31

This has been happening forever. DD got some medical experience via her Optometrist, who had clinics at the hospital and was happy to help. The main acute hospital only gave work experience to state school pupils.

FrodoBiggins · 17/08/2025 16:31

@twistyizzy lol yes that pretty much does represent my view, but don't get distracted from my point by my choice of words: "posh", "rich", "privileged", "privately educated", however you prefer to described it, it's not a protected characteristic 👌

TheignT · 17/08/2025 16:32

PamIsAVolleyballChamp · 17/08/2025 15:22

So you don't think people who go to private schools should be allowed to be doctors?
Any other jobs?

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Of course they can still be doctors.

bldy · 17/08/2025 16:33

People need to calm down! Privately educated dc still get plenty of advantage & opportunity, nothing is being taken away from them.

dizzydizzydizzy · 17/08/2025 16:34

redskydelight · 17/08/2025 15:47

Real clickbaity title.

Private school children are not banned from work experience in hospitals. They are banned for accessing certain schemes that are aimed at state school pupils.
Most likely because children at private schools probably already have their own family contacts to get work experience in hospital, or, if they don't, there will be someone they know who does, or the school will help them.

So basically it's about broadening opportunities for children who wouldn't normally have them.

Completely agree.

And the Daily Mail is not a reliable source.

UncharteredWaters · 17/08/2025 16:35

LuckysDadsHat · 17/08/2025 15:24

I can see the theory behind this, but it has probably been badly implemented.

I would think a high percentage of drs children are privately educated. This gives a distinct advantage to them for getting work experience as it is correct its who you know, not what you know. And state school students are then unable to get work experience due to not having the same contacts. They are trying to level that field.

Average doctor salaries is not going to pay for private school these days.

twistyizzy · 17/08/2025 16:36

FrodoBiggins · 17/08/2025 16:31

@twistyizzy lol yes that pretty much does represent my view, but don't get distracted from my point by my choice of words: "posh", "rich", "privileged", "privately educated", however you prefer to described it, it's not a protected characteristic 👌

I never said it did. You said all independent kids are posh and all state kids aren't.
How do you feel about the kids who go to this state school then? Which box would you put them in?
How do you respond to Sutton Trust who state that top 200 state schools are as "privileged" as the top independent schools?

Private school pupils banned from work experience in hospitals
RH1234 · 17/08/2025 16:37

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 17/08/2025 15:25

I didn’t say that.

We need less private schools. And more working class doctors. This is the first step towards it.

They don’t HAVE to go to private schools. They could just go to a state school like everyone else.

Iys great that it’s stamping out the privelisge of private education.

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My daughter will not be going private school when I say this.

We don’t need less private school and we don’t need more working class doctors. All I care about is that my family and others can access doctors that are competent and qualified, couldn’t care less about their background.