I haven't got any work experience in hospitals - will that affect my ability to apply to medical school?

Some medical schools will prefer you to have healthcare based work experience as that is most relevant to the course; however, the majority do not mind at all what kind of experience you have as long as you can say you learnt something from it and that taking something away from that experience/placement will make you a better doctor. Things that you can talk about in both your personal statement or your interview are how you developed your teamwork , problem solving and communication skills through these work experiences as that shows that you truly understand the essence of being a medic.