Tiny teddies and big dreams changing minds in Somerset schools (2025)

A unique initiative using teddy bears and miniature medical kits is helping to spark interest in NHS careers among Somerset's youngest schoolchildren.

As workforce recruitment pressures continue to mount, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust’s people services team is turning to primary school classrooms to sow the seeds for the next generation of healthcare professionals. Through interactive sessions and engaging resources, the team hopes to challenge the perception that the NHS is solely staffed by doctors and nurses.

Caroline Stone, the trust’s careers and employability skills facilitator, said the outreach aims to broaden children’s understanding of healthcare careers from an early age. “We’ve found that among lots of young people there’s a bit of a misconception that everyone who works in the trust must be a doctor or nurse and nothing else – mainly thanks to the many TV dramas and YouTube clips out there,” Caroline said.

“When we visit schools, we obviously still want to promote a medical or nursing career to young people, but we also find out exactly what they’re interested in, so we can tailor our conversation to fit that. For example, it may be that they love science, so we’d talk to them about the many healthcare scientist roles available.”

Mark Carter, the trust’s future careers facilitator, leads many of the primary school sessions using a ‘Teddy Bear Hospital’ to introduce children to basic healthcare ideas through play. “There’s no point in bombarding the very young kids with information, but instead we want to inspire them through practical things,” Mark said. “This basically involves allowing the children to play with the bears and some of the ‘medical equipment’, and within that setting we talk about which professions may use that equipment in very simple terms – no jargon allowed here!”

So far this school year, the Teddy Bear Hospital has visited 27 primary schools and engaged with 1,315 children.

Feedback from teachers has been overwhelmingly positive. One teacher said: “Mark was informative and the learning was well pitched to our children. I loved that it included the stoma bag and hearing aids, which was very useful for discussions and future learning.”

Another added: “The children had a brilliant time exploring the poorly teddy bears and the equipment. They were aware of the roles of doctors and nurses but weren't aware of the need for plumbers and decorators to help the hospital to function.”

The trust’s outreach continues into secondary schools too, with 59 events attended this academic year, reaching 3,916 students. In addition, 164 students have undertaken NHS work experience placements.

Caroline explained that the work adapts for different age groups, offering talks, simulation sessions, and career pathway guidance. “We attend a lot more careers fairs for secondary schools too, as well as mock interviews, and we’ve invited both teachers and students alike to visit our hospitals,” she said.

She added that many young people do not realise that a university degree is not always required for a career in healthcare. “There are so many entry levels to a career in the NHS, such as apprenticeships,” she said. “Many people don’t realise that it’s possible to come in as a healthcare assistant and work their way up to be a registered nurse.”

One former work experience student said they had discovered the lesser-known career of clinical coding during their placement, saying it had opened their eyes to previously unknown opportunities in the NHS.

Caroline concluded: “If we don’t have these sort of schemes then young people may not necessarily think of us or realise the range of opportunities we have available. Unless we go out and chat about it then people won’t know – we’ll keep spreading the word!”

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