Explore your future career in health and care.

We are not just doctors and nurses.

The people who work in our teams make a positive difference each and every day.

There are over 350 different careers within the NHS, each with a vital role to play in delivering high quality, compassionate care, from healthcare assistants to business managers, estates to IT, allied health professionals to healthcare scientists and so much more! 

Work experience provides you with a valuable introduction to careers in health and care, and the opportunity to develop your understanding of the sector and the career pathway you may like to pursue.

We recommend that you explore the Health Careers website before deciding which department you would like experience in. This will ensure that you are gaining the most for your work experience with Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust.

For those wishing to apply for work experience opportunities at PHU, please use the application form below.

Please note, there are some age restrictions in relation to work experience. Clinical placements will require students to be over the age of 16 (and this increases to 18 years in some areas). For those aged 14-16 years, only an admin/office placement can be considered.

Who can apply? 

  • You must live in Portsmouth and surrounding areas to apply for work experience.
  • For a clinical placement, you must be aged 16 – 25 years old and in Year 12+ (or equivalent) when you start your placement. 
  • Non-clinical placements are also available to young people aged 14-16, and in Year 10+ (or equivalent).

 

We give priority to: 

  1. Care-experienced applicants (e.g. looked after children, care leavers); 
  2. NEET young people on a recognised training programme or being supported into work through employment programmes (e.g. Kings Trust, DWP); 
  3. Students studying at a local sixth form or Further Education college.

 

Students currently studying at a university who require placement as part of their course can contact Learning Environment Team directly: pho-tr.learningenviromentteam@nhs.net 

 

  • While we do our best to fulfil as many requests as possible, we have a limited capacity and cannot guarantee placements. We may pause applications if we reach capacity. 
  • All applications must be able to provide a suitable reference at the time of application (school/college, social worker, caseworker, PHU staff member). 
  • Applicants under the age of 18 must have permission from a parent/carer to participate in workplace shadowing. 

 

What roles can I experience? 

Below is a list of departments who have availability to support our work experience programme.  

  • Pharmacy 

 

Successful applicants will be expected to complete an induction programme as part of their experience to gain that impact out of the programme, and to feel fully prepared for future employment within the NHS. 

As work experience opportunities are highly competitive and places are limited, we recommend completing online work-related learning prior to applying (in the useful resources tab below).

 

Where does work experience take place? 

  • Most placements are based at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Southwick Hill Road, Cosham P06 3LY (although some may take place at Lakeside North Habour, Western Road, Cosham, Portsmouth P06 3EN)
  • Our site is well served by public transport. Unfortunately, we are not able to provide transport. 
  • There is a car park on site for which there is an hourly charge. 

 

When can I apply? 

  • You can apply for work experience during the time periods below. 
  • Capacity for placements within our host teams is limited, and applying for an experience does not guarantee a place on our programme. 
  • Placements usually last two and a half days, with the remaining half as induction day. 
  • We do not offer placements on weekends. 
  • We aim to let you know if your application has been successful or unsuccessful no longer than 2 weeks after the closing date. 
  • Unfortunately, we cannot accept applications received outside of these dates. Please email pho-tr.workexperience@nhs.net if you have any queries about work experience. 

 

Workplace experience placement will take place within the following weeks, for 2 and half days.  

The induction day will usually take place on the Tuesday morning. The placement within your chosen area will be from the afternoon of the Monday and on Wednesday and Thursday. Details will be communicated to you if you are successful with your application. 

  Work experience week Application window Application form Placements
Autumn Term 2026 7th December - 11th December 2026 26th October -9th November 2026 Click here to apply
  • IT 
  • Rostering 
  • ED (Adult) 
  • Bowel Screening Team
  • Respiratory Physiology 
  • Dental Nursing 
  • Simulation 
  • Pharmacy 
  • AMU 
  • Discharge Unit
  • Surgical Outpatients
  • Audiology
Spring and summer term dates to follow

 

 

 

Related pages:

Apprenticeships at PHU

Volunteering

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