Promoting Healthcare Science Week

Date of release: 17 March 2023

Visitors to New Cross Hospital have the chance to look at different careers in healthcare science this week.

Healthcare Science Week, 13-19 March 2023 brings together over 50 scientific specialisms and professional groups to celebrate and raise awareness of this diverse NHS workforce. At New Cross Hospital, a stand at Greggs is promoting the awareness event.

Maria-Louise Feenan, Business Development Officer at Staffordshire University, is there promoting a healthcare sciences practitioner degree at Staffs in association with The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT).

She said: “We talk to people about who might want to do an apprenticeship and we engage with employers such as RWT, who we’re proud to be associated with. We have 10 apprentices here at the Trust and when they finish their studies they will be fully qualified microbiologists.”

Also at the stand were first-year trainee Cardiac Scientists, Bradley McLeavy and Harrison Guest. Both are both based at RWT and are enrolled on the Scientist Training Programme (STP), studying at Manchester Metropolitan University. They brought along some of the devices their specialty works with, such as pacemakers.

The STP is a three-year programme of work-based learning, supported by a master’s degree, after which they will become fully qualified Cardiac Physiologists. Their salaries are paid by NHS England while they are learning on the job.

Bradley said: “It’s good because it’s really interesting – there’s lots of new stuff to learn. In the second year we can go to the United States, Kenya or Switzerland to see how different healthcare systems compare to the NHS.”

Harrison added: “Although we’re learning about Cardiology, we do rotation in different modules such as Vascular and Respiratory because they’re interlinked with cardiology so we understand what’s going on more. I’m really enjoying it.”

Wayne Fellows, Microbiologist, at Black Country Pathology Services, hosted by RWT, also lent his support. He said: “Over 70 per cent of the results we produce have a direct impact on patients’ wellbeing and diagnosis.

“We try to dispel myths because there’s a lot of ignorance about healthcare science – people think it’s only doctors and nurses because that’s what they see in the news.

“In what we do, it’s not just Pathology and Radiology but other departments that help to get patients better. It’s an excellent career and very rewarding.”