TEENAGERS became "young doctors" for the week at Fairfield General Hospital.

TV dramas such as Casualty have raised the profile of medical work, and Fairfield receives many requests for work placements from young people. Now, to meet demand, the hospital has set up a "behind-the scenes" programme for those thinking about a career in the NHS.

The course is designed to give an insight into the range of careers in health and social care, as well as the reality of life in the NHS.

Senior high school and college students spent seven days shadowing a variety of medics, spending time in different departments and attending briefing sessions as well as learning some of the basics of using equipment.

Mrs Joy Coughlin, one of the Pennine Acute Trust's recruitment and retention co-ordinators, said: "It's very easy for young people to form their ideas of hospital through television programmes such as Casualty and ER. We have also had a large number of queries recently because of the success of the Young Doctors documentary series.

"This course certainly takes them beyond the drama and into reality. They have a chance to consider their future direction, and then we can work with the schools to signpost them towards courses and study programmes which will help them." The scheme has proved so successful that work placements have been increased from 20 to 25. It is to featured in Nursing Standard's "Nursing the Future Campaign", which praises projects promoting nursing and midwifery careers in imaginative ways.

Mrs Coughlin said: "The course is deliberately kept short but intensive. This minimises any disruption to staff while still giving the students the maximum benefits, and outlines the full range of NHS careers available.

"We run them in the school holidays, so the students have to be serious enough to want to give up their time. It is proving very popular, which is good news for everyone, as it will help us find the new generations of NHS staff."