Dorset County Hospital Work Experience

Dorset County Hospital's Widening Participation team offers in-person work experience placements for local people seeking practical hospital experience. There are clinical and non-clinical programmes: standard work experience placements (up to five days/40 hours) for applicants aged 16 (Year 12) and above, NHS Careers Exposure three-day programmes for Year 10-11 students, and Year 12-13 clinical programmes (Introduction to Medicine, Medical and Dentistry, Introduction to Nursing) which run up to one week and may require tutor references.

Placements are subject to departmental availability and clinical pressures.

Priority is given to applicants from the Dorset Council area and to groups including those with an EHCP, young people who are NEET, looked-after children and care leavers, young carers, those from lower-income families, applicants with lower-than-expected exam grades, individuals with mental ill health, learning difficulties, disabilities or long-term illness, and refugees or asylum seekers. Some departments cannot host placements (for example ambulance/paramedicine and paediatrics/child services/maternity).

Work experience is run term-time only and does not take place during the listed school holiday periods.

To apply, prospective participants must complete an expression of interest form and then an application form plus a health and equality questionnaire; a member of the Widening Participation team will respond (the page states contact within five working days). The page lists examples of past placements (therapies, pharmacy, microbiology, finance, ICT, adult nursing, etc.

) and provides links to travel information and related NHS careers resources.