Graduate performer in hospital, sick, leaving worker to deal with the rubbish (7)
I believe the answer is:
dustman
'graduate performer in hospital sick' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'worker to deal with the rubbish' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
'worker' could be 'man' (man is a kind of worker) and 'man' is present in the answer.
'the' could be 't' (the is pronounced as a 't' sound in some dialects) and 't' is present in the answer.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
'leaving' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for dustman that I've seen before include "My old man's occupation" , "Bin emptier" , "I clear what's left" , "Refuse worker" , "Garbage collector" .)