Publish date: 13 March 2023
13 – 19 March is Healthcare Science week, a week of celebration for those working in this varied area of medicine and an opportunity to highlight the great work our teams do across the Trust.
What kind of roles fall into Healthcare Science?
Healthcare science roles are present in a wide range of areas throughout the Trust, providing diagnostics and support to clinical teams in the following areas:
- Audiology
- Cardiophysiology
- Clinical Perfusion
- Gastrointestinal Physiology
- Neurophysiology
- Pathology
- Respiratory and Sleep Science
- Vascular science
Occupations range from supportive roles such as Healthcare Science Assistant (taking patient observations, processing pathology samples) to leading a department as Consultant Clinical Scientist.
What size is the Healthcare Science workforce at BTH?
We have 160 registered Healthcare Scientists with a further 130 staff in supportive roles.
What routes can people take to get into Healthcare Science?
There are numerous ways to start a career in Healthcare Science. Some people opt to go to university and do a degree before seeking employment, whereas there is the option to undertake an apprenticeship, starting at Level 2 with a Healthcare Science Assistant apprenticeship through to Level 7 and a Clinical Scientist apprenticeship. This gives people the opportunity to learn on the job, and provides a clear route of progression.
Why choose a career in Healthcare Science?
Working in healthcare science within the NHS provides you with the opportunity to prevent, diagnose and treat a large number of medical conditions and diseases, whilst developing your scientific knowledge and working with highly specialised equipment.
What does Healthcare Science bring to the NHS?
Healthcare scientists are involved in around 80% of diagnostic tests within the NHS, and the staff here work hard to ensure our patients receive the highest standard of care whilst performing a wide range of tests and assessments to support clinical teams both within the Trust and the wider community.
