Health of the nation Work in the healthcare sector and you could give your job prospects a shot in the arm T he pandemic has made us all realise how vital our healthcare service is and how reliant we are on the millions of people who work in this sector. From frontline medical staff and pharmacists to vaccine researchers and mental health professionals, plus countless others who keep the system running, the pandemic has made us all realise how much we rely on those who commit their careers to the public's health. If you want a rewarding career that will enable you to make a huge contribution to society, healthcare should be top of your list. It's also a vast sector - in fact, around one in 10 of the workforce in England is employed in healthcare, according to independent charity The King's Fund. The NHS isn't just a national treasure; it's the biggest employer in the UK. There are also tens of thousands of people who work for independent healthcare providers. This means job opportunities are plentiful and varied. The NHS is crying out for new recruits - there's a current shortage of more than 100,000 staff in NHS trusts, according to The King's Fund, and the number of newly trained staff and international recruits is falling - so you should not have any trouble finding a post. If the recent crisis has jobsandcareersmag.com /// JOBS & CAREERS /// 305http://www.jobsandcareersmag.com