Fair Work Opportunities
Fair work means secure employment with fair pay and conditions, where workers are heard and represented, treated with respect and have opportunities to progress.
It is vital in tackling poverty. It balances the rights of employers and workers and is good for society and the economy.
By widening access to NHS jobs for those in our local communities across Tayside, we as an organisation can increase incomes for families, reduce child poverty for people who would never have considered the NHS as a source of work before.
Fair work and reducing workplace inequalities are central to transforming Scotland’s economy, ensuring that everyone is able to contribute. The Scottish Government’s vision is for Scotland to become a leading fair work nation.
Read more about Fair and Inclusive Workplaces on the Scottish Government website here -Fair and inclusive workplaces - gov.scot
NHS Tayside is taking forward Fair Work opportunities in the following ways:
NHS Tayside are a Living Wage employer and are committed to paying all staff and contractors at least the Real Living Wage which is higher than the national minimum wage.
NHS Tayside hold various accreditations including:
• Real Living Wage Employer
• Disability Confident Leader status
• Carer Positive Exemplary status
• Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award
NHS Tayside has various internal employee networks which provide information and support to staff on a range of topics including
• Disability Equality Network
• Carers Network
• BAME Network
• EqualiTay
• Armed Forces in Tayside
• Staff Wellbeing Champions
• Green Champions
• Equality and Diversity Champions
NHS Tayside delivers several employability programmes aimed at providing opportunities to those with significant barriers to gaining employment. Partnership working with local colleges and education providers, Department of Work and Pensions, and Third Sector organisations is a crucial element of removing barriers. Outreach work currently takes place within schools and other relevant settings to promote careers in healthcare. Some of the programmes include:
Administration Academy is an SVQ2 course delivered in partnership with Dundee & Angus College
DFN Project Search is an international programme aimed at providing development opportunities for young adults with learning difficulties and/or autism. Eight interns were recruited to the programme in 2025 and have recently completed the last of their three-week rotations. The interns have had placements in various Departments across Ninewells Hospital and Royal Victoria Hospital. A lecturer from Dundee & Angus College and an employee support worker form Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership have been on site to support the interns throughout the duration of the programme.
The Healthcare Academy is a six week course in Dundee and has three cohorts each year with twelve students in each cohort. The course runs on a quarterly basis where students complete mandatory training in the first two weeks of the course and attend three, four day placements across various wards and departments in hospitals within Dundee. The final week of the course covers employability skills and students are supported by staff from Dundee & Angus College, NHS Tayside, and Discover Work Partnership. The Discover Work Partnership provides support to the students following completion of the course.
Kings Trust “Get Into Healthcare Clinical” is a five week course. This course is primarily aimed at 18- to 30-year-olds. The Kings Trust students complete mandatory training in the first two weeks of the course and then have two four-day placements in clinical areas in hospitals across Dundee. The final week of the course covers employability skills and students are supported by members of staff from the Kings Trust.
NHS Discovery Together is a pilot programme in partnership with Discover Works in Dundee that will be delivered in the latter part of 2025. It is a new programme targeted at unemployed parents within the city of Dundee to offer paid placements in a supernumerary capacity for a six-month period. This initiative is funded by the Cities Transforming Employability Group.
NHS Tayside has also participated in the Angus Restart programme by offering three supernumerary placements for the long term unemployed in Angus.
Students on each programme who have completed their employability placement in NHS Tayside qualify for a guaranteed interview scheme.
NHS Tayside offer a variety of apprenticeship programmes at all levels. These being:
Foundation Apprenticeships (FA) are part of the course choice in secondary school curriculum open to S5 and S6 pupils. On completion of the foundation apprenticeship award, pupils are awarded with an SCQF level 6, which is the equivalent to the traditional Higher qualification. These qualifications provide access to Higher Education courses.
Young people gain work experience in the area they want to study, the video link below outlines a student’s experience of the Foundation Apprenticeship programme.
Grace Stewart Foundation Apprenticeship, Health and Social Care
Modern Apprenticeships - There are 80 different frameworks that allow 16 - 24 year olds who in the main, are not traditional learners or who do not want to go to Higher Education and prefer to "Earn as they Learn".
We employ Modern Apprenticeships in some services, and in addition, we have supported some permanent members of staff to qualify; this assists the ambition of having the correct people with the right skills in the right place.
Graduate Apprenticeships like the foundation apprenticeships, graduate apprenticeships are in their infancy and allow those undertaking them to become degree - qualified whilst working.
The programmes of modern and graduate apprenticeships are open to new and existing NHS Tayside employees, for development and workforce planning purposes. Any new posts linked to NHS Tayside apprenticeship programmes are advertised on NHS Scotland Job Train.
NHS Tayside offers a wide range of exciting career opportunities and there are many benefits to pursuing a career within our organisation. If you wish to be part of our team, please browse our website below to learn more about our career opportunities.
NHS Tayside
It is vital in tackling poverty. It balances the rights of employers and workers and is good for society and the economy.
By widening access to NHS jobs for those in our local communities across Tayside, we as an organisation can increase incomes for families, reduce child poverty for people who would never have considered the NHS as a source of work before.
Fair work and reducing workplace inequalities are central to transforming Scotland’s economy, ensuring that everyone is able to contribute. The Scottish Government’s vision is for Scotland to become a leading fair work nation.
Read more about Fair and Inclusive Workplaces on the Scottish Government website here -Fair and inclusive workplaces - gov.scot
NHS Tayside is taking forward Fair Work opportunities in the following ways:
NHS Tayside are a Living Wage employer and are committed to paying all staff and contractors at least the Real Living Wage which is higher than the national minimum wage.
NHS Tayside hold various accreditations including:
• Real Living Wage Employer
• Disability Confident Leader status
• Carer Positive Exemplary status
• Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award
NHS Tayside has various internal employee networks which provide information and support to staff on a range of topics including
• Disability Equality Network
• Carers Network
• BAME Network
• EqualiTay
• Armed Forces in Tayside
• Staff Wellbeing Champions
• Green Champions
• Equality and Diversity Champions
NHS Tayside delivers several employability programmes aimed at providing opportunities to those with significant barriers to gaining employment. Partnership working with local colleges and education providers, Department of Work and Pensions, and Third Sector organisations is a crucial element of removing barriers. Outreach work currently takes place within schools and other relevant settings to promote careers in healthcare. Some of the programmes include:
Administration Academy is an SVQ2 course delivered in partnership with Dundee & Angus College
DFN Project Search is an international programme aimed at providing development opportunities for young adults with learning difficulties and/or autism. Eight interns were recruited to the programme in 2025 and have recently completed the last of their three-week rotations. The interns have had placements in various Departments across Ninewells Hospital and Royal Victoria Hospital. A lecturer from Dundee & Angus College and an employee support worker form Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership have been on site to support the interns throughout the duration of the programme.
The Healthcare Academy is a six week course in Dundee and has three cohorts each year with twelve students in each cohort. The course runs on a quarterly basis where students complete mandatory training in the first two weeks of the course and attend three, four day placements across various wards and departments in hospitals within Dundee. The final week of the course covers employability skills and students are supported by staff from Dundee & Angus College, NHS Tayside, and Discover Work Partnership. The Discover Work Partnership provides support to the students following completion of the course.
Kings Trust “Get Into Healthcare Clinical” is a five week course. This course is primarily aimed at 18- to 30-year-olds. The Kings Trust students complete mandatory training in the first two weeks of the course and then have two four-day placements in clinical areas in hospitals across Dundee. The final week of the course covers employability skills and students are supported by members of staff from the Kings Trust.
NHS Discovery Together is a pilot programme in partnership with Discover Works in Dundee that will be delivered in the latter part of 2025. It is a new programme targeted at unemployed parents within the city of Dundee to offer paid placements in a supernumerary capacity for a six-month period. This initiative is funded by the Cities Transforming Employability Group.
NHS Tayside has also participated in the Angus Restart programme by offering three supernumerary placements for the long term unemployed in Angus.
Students on each programme who have completed their employability placement in NHS Tayside qualify for a guaranteed interview scheme.
NHS Tayside offer a variety of apprenticeship programmes at all levels. These being:
Foundation Apprenticeships (FA) are part of the course choice in secondary school curriculum open to S5 and S6 pupils. On completion of the foundation apprenticeship award, pupils are awarded with an SCQF level 6, which is the equivalent to the traditional Higher qualification. These qualifications provide access to Higher Education courses.
Young people gain work experience in the area they want to study, the video link below outlines a student’s experience of the Foundation Apprenticeship programme.
Grace Stewart Foundation Apprenticeship, Health and Social Care
Modern Apprenticeships - There are 80 different frameworks that allow 16 - 24 year olds who in the main, are not traditional learners or who do not want to go to Higher Education and prefer to "Earn as they Learn".
We employ Modern Apprenticeships in some services, and in addition, we have supported some permanent members of staff to qualify; this assists the ambition of having the correct people with the right skills in the right place.
Graduate Apprenticeships like the foundation apprenticeships, graduate apprenticeships are in their infancy and allow those undertaking them to become degree - qualified whilst working.
The programmes of modern and graduate apprenticeships are open to new and existing NHS Tayside employees, for development and workforce planning purposes. Any new posts linked to NHS Tayside apprenticeship programmes are advertised on NHS Scotland Job Train.
NHS Tayside offers a wide range of exciting career opportunities and there are many benefits to pursuing a career within our organisation. If you wish to be part of our team, please browse our website below to learn more about our career opportunities.
NHS Tayside