NHS Mentoring

Staff mentors from the Leeds NHS Teaching Hospital Trust support young people with an interest in the health professions.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is the largest health trust in Europe and the second biggest employer in Leeds. So far, 90 staff members have signed up to the Mentoring programme.
From the trust’s point of view, it is an ideal opportunity to introduce young people to the vast array of careers within the health service. The arrangement also fits firmly in place with the corporate and social responsibility remit.

Education Liaison Adviser Lynda Ross-Field said: “We see it as our responsibility to work with young people in the community.
“Mentoring means our staff can encourage them to reach their educational potential as well as consider a career in the health service. Young people think it is all about doctors and nurses – they have a limited idea what kind of jobs the health service can offer.” Mentoring incorporates all members of staff, including doctors, radiographers, administrators and clerics”.

Through the Education Liaison Team and Leeds Mentoring, mentors are matched as far as possible with young people who may be interested in their field of expertise. Mentors are encouraged to bring the pupils into the hospitals for work shadowing and experience. They are given time off work for an hour every two weeks to build up the relationship with their mentee. But it does not stop there. Many put in additional time for face-to-face meetings or offer guidance through email. And the Education Liaison Team is keen to keep contact with the young person as they progress through university.
“It would be great if the young person came back to work for us once they had completed their education,” said Lynda.

But mentoring is not just for pupils that are interested in the health service. “We can signpost them to the career of their choice,” said Lynda. “We have a database of all sorts of jobs and university courses. We can help with filling in forms and interview skills. The Education Liaison Team is there to provide back-up for the mentor so the young person gets the most out of the relationship.”

Informal research by the trust has revealed the staff get a huge amount of personal satisfaction from being a mentor.
“It makes a change from their day-to-day job so they come back refreshed. And, I think, by working with young people it gives you a young attitude to life!”