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Healthcare science assistant

Healthcare science assistant

Health and science

Level 2 - Technical Occupation

Carrying out routine technical and scientific procedures and support within hospitals, doctor surgeries and other healthcare settings for a wide range of people.

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Reference: OCC0218

Status: assignment_turned_inApproved occupation

Average (median) salary: £34,605 per year

SOC 2020 code: 3119 Science, engineering and production technicians n.e.c.

SOC 2020 sub unit groups:

  • 3119/99 Science, engineering and production technicians n.e.c.

Technical Education Products

ST0218:

Healthcare science assistant

(Level 2)

Approved for delivery

TL0012c:

Healthcare science - Assisting with healthcare science

(Level 3)

Employers involved in creating the standard:

Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust Employer, East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cheshire & Merseyside Healthcare Partnership, North-East and Yorkshire Genomic Laboratory Hub, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, STERIS Instrument Management Services, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS FT, NHS Blood and Transplant, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust.

Summary

This occupation is found in hospitals, general practice and other settings in the health sector.

Employers can vary in size from a large national organisation such as the NHS through to a private practice.

Healthcare Science Assistants work in Life Sciences, Physiological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Clinical Engineering, Clinical Bioinformatics in environments such as outpatient departments laboratories and engineering workshops.

Healthcare Science Assistants are part of a wider team contributing to safe patient care across all care pathways from conception to end of life across all areas of healthcare science.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to perform a range of routine technical and scientific procedures whilst in a clinical setting.

Healthcare Science Assistants follow standard operating procedures in order to select and prepare equipment and the environment for healthcare science procedures. They perform healthcare science tasks and tests appropriate to their role. They log, prepare, input and store data.

A Healthcare Science Assistant may also carry out stock control of equipment and consumables.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with a wide range of stakeholders including, healthcare science professionals, the wider multi-disciplinary healthcare team, patients and the public. They are likely to report to a Healthcare Science Associate or professional.

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for carrying out clinical, technical, scientific or administrative duties according to standard operating procedures.

They follow specific protocols and adhere to health, safety, governance and ethical requirements.

They are responsible for carrying out a range of delegated activities and solving routine problems using simple rules and tools. They are accountable for their own work performance and are expected to take ownership of their own career and professional development.

Employers involved in creating the standard:

Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust Employer, East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cheshire & Merseyside Healthcare Partnership, North-East and Yorkshire Genomic Laboratory Hub, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, STERIS Instrument Management Services, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS FT, NHS Blood and Transplant, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust.

Typical job titles include:

Healthcare science assistant

Keywords:

Care
Hcsa
Healthcare
Medical
Medicine
Research
Science

Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)

K1: The legislation, standard operating procedures, codes of conduct and ways of working that apply to own role.
K2: The scope of own role, including the limitations of own competence.
K3: The importance of probity, honesty and integrity in professional practice.
K4: The importance of mental health, wellbeing and resilience.
K5: The scope and range of services within healthcare science used to investigate, diagnose and treat disease.
K6: The evidence base that underpins technical practice relevant to own role.
K7: Stock and equipment management relevant to own role.
K8: The principles of person-centred care.
K9: The meaning and importance of 'duty of care' and safeguarding.
K10: The rights of individuals and own role with regard to giving informed consent.
K11: The principles that underpin dignity, rights and privacy.
K12: The importance of individuals being actively involved in making informed choices about their care.
K13: How to explain technical terms in language others can understand.
K14: Barriers to communication and techniques for addressing them.
K15: The importance of information governance and confidentiality.
K16: The importance of accurate data and processes including digital considerations.
K17: The policy or procedure for complaints and difficult situations.
K18: The importance of working within the multi-professional team and how healthcare science impacts on the wider delivery of services.
K19: Where to go for help and support.
K20: The principles of leadership, role modelling and how it applies to own role and that of others in the team.
K21: The importance of being aware of own strengths, limitations and behaviours and how these affect colleagues and the wider team.
K22: Legislation and policies relating to health and safety at work and own responsibilities.
K23: The meaning and implications of ‘risk’ and ‘risk assessment’.
K24: What to do in situations that could cause harm to self or others such as critical incidents.
K25: The principles of safe lifting and handling of individuals, equipment or other items.
K26: Infection prevention and control requirements relevant to own role.
K27: How to handle hazardous materials and substances.
K28: The quality procedures and improvement protocols and regulations relevant to own role.
K29: The audit cycle relevant to own role and how audit contributes to the maintenance and improvement of services.
K30: The importance of delivering high quality service outcomes and continuous improvements (including sustainability) to benefit individuals and health services.
K31: The regulatory framework that innovation or research is conducted, including research ethics and the implications for own role.
K32: The importance of service improvement, innovation or research.
K33: Reflective behaviours and the benefits of self-reflection in helping maintain and support the quality of patient care.
K34: The role of appraisal and performance review.
K35: How to prepare for and develop an action plan as part of performance review.

S1: Act in line with legislation, standard operating procedures, codes of conduct and ways of working that apply to own role.
S2: Work within the scope of the role, the limits of own knowledge and skills.
S3: Act in line with probity requirements.
S4: Promote own mental health, wellbeing and resilience.
S5: Provide general information, advice and guidance about the scope and range of services relevant to role.
S6: Provide technical evidence-based advice, information and guidance relevant to role.
S7: Adhere to stock and equipment control policies.
S8: Support the provision of person-centred care that is delivered by the wider healthcare team.
S9: Support any care provided including adhering to the relevant requirements.
S10: Follow policy and protocols that relate to informed consent.
S11: Protect the dignity, rights and privacy of individuals.
S12: Assist the wider healthcare team to enable individuals to make choices about their care.
S13: Communicate basic information effectively verbally and in writing.
S14: Use techniques to facilitate understanding and reduce communication barriers.
S15: Keep accurate, confidential records including in a digital format.
S16: Produce reliable data by logging, inputting, retrieving and storing information within required governance processes.
S17: Follow protocols for handling, escalating or reporting difficult situations and complaints.
S18: Work as part of the healthcare science team and the multi-professional team to provide healthcare science services.
S19: Follow delegation, reporting and escalation protocols appropriate to own role.
S20: Act as a role model to others and show leadership skills relevant to own role.
S21: Contribute towards creating the conditions that assist the team in providing a supportive environment for colleagues.
S22: Work safely in the workplace following safety guidelines.
S23: Contribute to the risk management process in own workplace adhering to risk management guidelines.
S24: Take appropriate action in response to incidents or emergencies.
S25: Move and transport items safely for example individuals or equipment and items.
S26: Apply a range of techniques for infection prevention and control.
S27: Follow guidelines and procedures for handling hazardous materials and substances.
S28: Follow procedures and improvement protocols to meet the requirements of quality standards relevant to own healthcare science practice.
S29: Contribute to the audit process relevant to own role.
S30: Offer suggestions for improving services, emerging practices and sustainability.
S31: Work in accordance with the regulatory frameworks for ethics, innovation or research relevant to own role.
S32: Assist service improvement, innovation or research within the boundaries of own clinical and scientific practice.
S33: Reflect on own practice and keep own knowledge and skills up-to-date.
S34: Take part in appraisal or performance review and ongoing continuing professional development.
S35: Reply constructively to the outcome of feedback, performance review or appraisal.

B1: Treat people with dignity.
B2: Champion equality and diversity.
B3: Show compassion, respect and empathy.
B4: Be honest, conscientious and committed.
B5: Committed to continuously developing their own professional practice.
B6: Committed to working to the standards of good practice for the Healthcare science professions.

Duties

Duty D1

Perform a range of routine technical and scientific procedures and services in accordance with standard operating procedures, policies and protocols.

Duty D2

Select and prepare equipment and the environment for healthcare science procedures.

Duty D3

Carry out stock control of healthcare science equipment and consumables.

Duty D4

Support the provision of clinical care delivered to individuals and maintain client confidentiality.

Duty D5

Communicate effectively with individuals.

Duty D6

Record, report and store information adhering to information governance and confidentiality requirements.

Duty D7

Support a multidisciplinary healthcare team.

Duty D8

Maintain a healthy, safe and secure workplace.

Duty D9

Contribute to audit, innovation or research within scope of own role.

Duty D10

Maintain and develop own competence.

Occupational Progression

This occupational progression map shows technical occupations that have transferable knowledge and skills.

In this map, the focused occupation is highlighted in yellow. The arrows indicate where transferable knowledge and skills exist between two occupations. This map shows some of the strongest progression links between the focused occupation and other occupations.

It is anticipated that individuals would be required to undertake further learning or training to progress to and from occupations. To find out more about an occupation featured in the progression map, including the learning options available, click the occupation.

Progression decisions have been reached by comparing the knowledge and skills statements between occupational standards, combined with individualised learner movement data.

Technical Occupations

Levels 2-3

Higher Technical Occupations

Levels 4-5

Professional Occupations

Levels 6-7

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Level 6

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Level 6

Health and science