At NATH, widening participation means creating fair, visible and supportive pathways into Primary Care, particularly for those who may not traditionally see Primary Care as an accessible or obvious career option. Through our partnership with the University of Nottingham, we are proud to support work that helps students understand their options, build confidence, and feel better prepared for the transition from education into employment.
As part of this commitment, Desi Gillespie and Laura Bryden, AHP ARRS Ambassadors with NATH, have been working closely with physiotherapy students to support early career development, improve awareness of Primary Care roles, and provide practical guidance rooted in real-world experience.
Creating Clearer Pathways from University to Practice
For many healthcare students, the step from university into the workplace can feel complex and uncertain, particularly when career pathways are not always clearly explained during training. The sessions delivered by Desi and Laura focus on bridging this gap by offering clarity, reassurance and honest insight.
Students were supported to explore:
Career pathways in physiotherapy, including Primary Care and First Contact Practitioner (FCP) roles
What working in Primary Care looks like in practice
How multidisciplinary teams function and where physiotherapists fit within them
These sessions encouraged open discussion, reflection and questions, helping students better understand both the opportunities available and the skills they already bring.
Mentorship That Supports Individual Starting Points
A key part of this widening participation work is a mentorship offer for third-year physiotherapy students. Designed to be flexible and accessible, the programme offers up to three one-to-one mentoring sessions over four months, delivered virtually.
Mentorship conversations focus on:
Career exploration and confidence building
CV development and tailoring applications
Preparing for interviews and articulating experience
Navigating early career decisions
By meeting students where they are — rather than expecting a one-size-fits-all approach — this support helps reduce barriers and builds confidence at a critical transition point.
Practical, Real-World Career Preparation
Alongside mentoring, Desi and Laura provide practical guidance that students can apply immediately, including:
How to present placement experience effectively on a CV
Understanding job descriptions and person specifications
Preparing for interviews with examples drawn from clinical learning
Communicating skills, values and motivation clearly
This practical focus supports students to feel better equipped, more confident, and more informed as they begin applying for roles.
Raising Awareness of Primary Care Careers
An important outcome of this work is helping students see Primary Care as a viable, rewarding and achievable career destination. Through sharing lived experience and honest reflections, Desi and Laura help challenge misconceptions and highlight the breadth of opportunities available to physiotherapists.
This directly supports NATH’s wider aims to:
Strengthen AHP pathways into Primary Care
Support sustainable workforce development
Ensure opportunities are inclusive and accessible
Students were also signposted to the Grow Notts Primary Care App, helping them stay connected to local training, events and CPD opportunities as they move towards employment.
Strengthening Links Between Education and the NHS
This work also highlights the importance of strong partnerships between universities and the NHS. By working directly with the University of Nottingham, NATH helps ensure that workforce development conversations reflect the realities of clinical practice while remaining aligned with academic learning.
These collaborations help create smoother transitions from education into employment and ensure that students receive consistent, practical and relevant messaging about career options within the NHS.
Feedback from the University of Nottingham
The impact of this work was strongly reflected in the feedback received from the University of Nottingham teaching team following the session.
Students particularly valued hearing real-life career journeys, understanding that there is no single route into Primary Care, and seeing how different choices, opportunities and experiences can shape a fulfilling NHS career.
Thank you so much for your time sharing your journeys and insight with our third-year physiotherapy students. It was incredibly helpful for them to hear about your different career pathways and the decisions you’ve made along the way.
What stood out most was how relatable and practical the session felt for students approaching graduation. A snapshot feedback exercise carried out in the following session showed that career pathways delivered by guest speakers were rated as the highlight of the module, reinforcing just how valuable lived experience is in education.
The students also responded positively to the practical advice on job applications, CVs and networking, alongside the opportunity to ask questions openly and access mentorship.
The section on applying for jobs, applications, CVs and networking was particularly well received. Being able to offer mentorship on top of this was fantastic.
Desi and Laura were praised not only for their expertise, but for their approachability and enthusiasm, creating a supportive space where students felt comfortable engaging, asking questions and exploring future possibilities.
Your input added huge value to the student experience, and there’s no doubt you inspired students and gave insight into this essential area. We’d love to welcome you back again next year.
This feedback highlights exactly why widening participation work matters, when students can see themselves reflected in the workforce, confidence grows, ambition widens, and pathways feel achievable.
Mentor Quotes
I have really enjoyed meeting the 3rd year physiotherapy students and talking about their career plans and aspirations. None of the students I have mentored had considered a career in primary care. It has been a fantastic opportunity to discuss potential career pathways and promote the new possibilities for physiotherapists in primary care.
- Laura Bryden
Download the Slides and Stay Connected
To support continued learning, the slides from these sessions are available to download and revisit.
👉 Download the slides to explore:
Career pathways in Primary Care
Practical advice on CVs and interviews
Insights into working as a physiotherapist in Primary Care
If you’re a student, educator, or organisation interested in widening participation, early career support, or similar initiatives — we’d love to hear from you.
📩 Get in touch with us to:
Learn more about mentoring opportunities
Explore partnership working with universities
Find out how we support workforce development across Primary Care
Together, we can continue building clearer, fairer pathways into Primary Care — supporting the workforce of today and tomorrow.
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