South Thames College Learners Gain NHS Experience at St George’s Hospital

Our Level 3 BTEC National Health & Social Care learners took part in an immersive clinical lab work experience day at St George’s Hospital. Delivered by the Southwest London NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB), the experience provided learners with valuable insight into clinical careers through interactive hands-on workshops.

Due to exceptionally high demand, we are proud to have 13 learners secure places on the programme which offered only 48 spaces across South West London. The day featured rotational workshops designed to simulate real healthcare environments and develop key employability skills.

Activities included a Life Saver workshop, where learners practised CPR and defibrillator use; a Clinical Skills workshop covering areas such as X-ray interpretation and infection control; a communication game focused on teamwork; and a patient journey activity exploring the roles of different departments. Learners heard directly from healthcare professionals, including a session on vital signs and how patient monitoring equipment supports clinical decision-making.

A highlight was the Life Saver workshop in which learners used state-of-the-art simulation manikins similar to those used in NHS staff training. These highly realistic models demonstrated breathing patterns, eye movement and pulse points, giving learners a powerful insight into how healthcare professionals assess patients and respond to medical emergencies.

Aiman Elsawy from the Employability Team at South Thames College said:

“This was a fantastic opportunity, our learners gained so much from the rotational sessions. Experiencing the same high-quality simulation training used by healthcare professionals gave them real insight. It was great to see their enthusiasm and the thoughtful questions they asked. The experience has motivated them, broadened their understanding of NHS careers and inspired some to explore volunteering and future work experience opportunities. We are grateful to the ICB team and staff at St George’s Hospital for making this possible.”

The College extends special thanks to Anisha Patel and Christine Monahan from the South West London NHS ICB for their support in coordinating, from application through to delivery.

The visit was an extremely valuable experience helping learners bring classroom learning to life while supporting aspirations for future careers in healthcare. South Thames College looks forward to building on this partnership with further work placement opportunities already planned across different departments at St George’s Hospital including a placement programme within the A&E department.