The NHS is encouraging anyone in the capital looking for a fulfilling and meaningful career to consider nursing after 82% of Londoners surveyed said nurses have made a positive impact in their life, according to a new survey.

Commissioned by NHS England for its annual We Are The NHS recruitment drive, the survey also found that 46% of people in London are in the process of or looking to change career in the next 12 months, with 42% of Londoners saying they would consider a career in nursing.

This year’s We Are The NHS campaign shines a light on the array of NHS nursing roles. Nursing in the NHS covers a huge variety roles and responsibilities, in areas such as learning disabilities, mental health and children’s care, and their work can involve anything from caring for patients, medical procedures, conducting clinical research and creating treatment plans.

NHS nurses also work in a diverse range of environments, from hospitals and GP practices, to patient’s homes, schools and even prisons.

Jane Clegg, Chief Nurse for the NHS in London, said:

“Nursing is a profession that has the capacity to positively affect so many people’s lives.

“I am proud to have had the opportunity to work with so many incredible colleagues since I became a nurse more than 40 years ago. Although typically associated with hospitals and traditional healthcare settings, nursing spans a wide range of specialities, including community, practice, maternity, mental health and social care, so there are plenty of opportunities to broaden your skills and find your passion!

“If you are thinking of changing career and are looking for a varied and fulfilling role with the opportunity to make a difference, nursing could be the right path for you. It really is a life-changing and rewarding career choice.”

New data also shows that 60% of people in London believe nursing to be the most rewarding career, ahead of teaching and policing, with 66% of people saying nursing is the career that has the biggest impact on people’s lives.

Ronke Ajidahun, Haemophilia Clinical Nurse Specialist at St Thomas’ Hospital, said:

“When I came to the UK from Nigeria in the late 90s, I started working in a supermarket but I always had the intention of returning to study.

“I met a mother from my son’s school, who at the time was studying mental health nursing and she encouraged me to follow my desire to study. Following that conversation, I enrolled for a career in adult nursing.

“Over the years I have built on and developed many new skills including clinical, management and leadership. Nursing is no longer just a career for me; it has become a passion, a platform to empower people to seek medical support early and address issues of health inequalities in our community.”

Nursing graduates are amongst the most employable of healthcare workers, with 94% in work within six months of completing their degree, and there are opportunities to specialise in a range of disciplines, including mental health, community care and paediatrics.

As part of the campaign, the NHS has also launched a quiz to raise awareness of the wide range of nurse roles, that people can take to find out which nursing role they’d be best suited to.

For more information and to find out more about the range of nursing, allied health professionals, and healthcare support worker roles available within the NHS in London, search NHS careers.