Case study: Abigail, Healthcare Assistant

Abigail is an Apprentice Healthcare Assistant at the Mid Yorkshire Hospital’s NHS Trust who began her healthcare career working on multiple high-pressure wards such as Children’s Emergency Department and CAU. She started her career with the Mid Yorkshire Hospital’s NHS Trust in year 2016.

I left school at 16 and started working for HSBC bank mainly because I need to get out of my home environment and so that meant getting a full time job. Sadly this meant I sacrificed being able to continue studying and a career that I truly wanted.

Several years passed whilst I worked in this profession and during this time I had my beautiful children, this is what led me to the NHS as after my second child I got a job in the NHS booking outpatient appintments and then arranging surgery. This is something I did for 5 years.

Although this was within the NHS, I still felt it wasn’t truly what I wanted to do and enough to give back after spending a lot of time in hospital whilst having my children. I wanted a patient facing role but I had no experience, I wondered how I could get some experience to make this possible. It was then when I learnt about the HCA Apprentice scheme at the Trust and knew this was the way in!

The scheme is something that I can work around my children and it allows me to be able to study, work and have a homelife with my family – which is incredibly helpful.

I have now been an HCA Apprentice since March 2022 and the time has flown by. I’ve learnt so much in such a short time. I’ve adapted to change and seen people at their most vulnerable, helping look after them and their families at a difficult time is so validating. My experience has been incredible, and something that will stay with me for the rest of my life and I can't wait to continue my career within the NHS and hopefully eventually become a Registered Nurse.

The opportunities I have had and continue to have are amazing and I'm so grateful that its now my time to do something for me whilst also giving back so much to others.