Across the NHS, there are plans to create additional theatre capacity within hospital trusts, with four of these sites being within West Yorkshire. Our trusts are therefore going to require a larger theatre workforce than ever before, to respond to the needs of our population. Surgery itself offers a wide range of career possibilities, yet it is often overlooked by students wanting to work within the NHS.

In response to this, in 2023, the WYAAT Planned Care programme worked closely with local schools and colleges to provide an overview of a career in surgery to secondary school students. The project, named ‘NHS: A Career in Surgery’, aimed to attract the future healthcare workforce by getting young people interested in different roles and professions within surgery. It helped students to make informed choices and consider the full range of roles and professions in the NHS, whilst dispelling common myths providing them with a realistic view of the world of work and the different routes available to them.

Project programme

• Online learning modules: students were given access to online learning modules about various career topics.
• Webinars: students who were interested in a career in surgery, or who wanted to find out more about NHS careers, were invited to attend virtual webinars and have the opportunity to complete the online learning. The webinars were led by clinicians working across WYAAT.

• School visits: WYAAT theatre teams attended schools to talk through their career journeys, teach students about the unique responsibilities and career progression associated with each role. NHS colleagues facilitated several interactive sessions where students could participate in hands on activities such as learning how to use some of the surgical equipment.

Our work was featured in The Dewsbury Reporter.