Health and science
Healthcare science associate
Working in hospitals, primary care and other healthcare settings, carrying out routine technical and scientific procedures. Supporting healthcare science (HCS) practitioners and clinical scientists.
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 Associates work in Life Sciences, Physiological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Clinical Engineering, Clinical Bioinformatics in environments such as outpatient departments laboratories and engineering workshops.
The individual environment they work in determines the full scope of their role and the range of tests and activities they carry out.
Healthcare Science Associates 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 technical and scientific procedures and support the work of Healthcare Science Practitioners and Clinical Scientists.
The Healthcare Science Associate performs routine healthcare science investigations and communicates their results.
Healthcare Science Associates are likely to support the development and maintenance of healthcare science standards and protocols. They may contribute to the functioning of clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic services. They might help with quality controlling the technical processing of samples or tests. They may also manage medical equipment.
The Healthcare Science Associate follows specific procedures in accordance with health, safety, governance and ethical requirements.
In their daily work, an employee typically interacts with Healthcare Science professionals, the wider multi-disciplinary healthcare team, patients and the public.
They also support other members of the multi-disciplinary team with procedures from conception through to completion.
A Healthcare Science Associate will be responsible for performing diagnostic tests and tasks. They will also record and escalate adverse incidents or any results requiring urgent action to senior staff. They will deliver training and guidance to others.
They will support others on performing investigations and the appropriate use of equipment. They will plan their own workload and supervise that of others. They will ensure the effective use of stock and physical resources.
The Healthcare Science Associate follows specific procedures in accordance with health, safety, governance and ethical requirements.
A Healthcare Science Associate will contribute to multi-professional teamwork and to the day-to-day supervision of the service and its staff. They will ensure the accuracy of data recorded and collected. They will also take part in quality improvement, research and improvement as required by the role.
Typical job titles include
- Healthcare science associate
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 and that of others in your team.
K3:
The importance of probity, honesty and integrity in professional practice.
K4:
The importance of mental health, wellbeing and resilience of yourself and your team.
K5:
Underpinning healthcare science relevant to own role and services provided.
K6:
The methods and techniques for resolving problems.
K7:
The principles of equipment management.
K8:
The importance of Standard Operating Procedures and the requirements for drafting them and keeping them up to date.
K9:
The principles of critical evaluation of the evidence base that underpins own technical practice.
K10:
A range of different data presentation methods appropriate for the audience or circumstances including digital considerations.
K11:
The principles of person-centred care.
K12:
The principles of a ‘duty of care’ and safeguarding.
K13:
The rights of individuals and own role with regard to informed consent.
K14:
Key factors influencing dignity, rights, privacy and confidentiality.
K15:
Technical investigations appropriate to clinical conditions encountered within scope of own role.
K16:
Technical information and appropriate ways to present it including the use of digital technology.
K17:
The importance of active listening, observation, the use of language and feedback.
K18:
Barriers to communication and techniques for addressing them.
K19:
The importance of information governance and the legislation and protocols that apply to own role and your team members.
K20:
Confidentiality of consultation/medical records and the limits of the concept of confidentiality.
K21:
Best practice for presenting information including the use of digital resources.
K22:
The policy and procedure for complaints and difficult situations.
K23:
The importance of working within the wider healthcare team and how healthcare science impacts on the wider delivery of services.
K24:
The principles for planning, agreeing and checking the work of the team in line with protocols.
K25:
Where to go for help and support about anything related to own and the team’s work.
K26:
The principles of leadership and teamworking.
K27:
Why it is important to be aware of own strengths, limitations and behaviours and how these affect colleagues and the wider team.
K28:
Legislation and policies relating to health and safety at work and own responsibilities.
K29:
The meaning and implications of ‘risk’ and ‘risk assessment’, including the importance of disseminating findings and protocols for implementing outcomes.
K30:
What to do in situations that could cause harm to self or others such as critical incidents.
K31:
The principles of safe lifting and handling of individuals, equipment or other items.
K32:
Infection prevention and control requirements relevant to own role.
K33:
The hazardous materials and substances in own workplace and ways to manage them safely.
K34:
The principles of training others in health, safety and security practices relevant to own role.
K35:
Quality management, improvement, and audit within own area of practice.
K36:
The governance and ethical framework applied to audit and its contribution to patient care.
K37:
Audit or service outcomes and the importance of continuous improvements.
K38:
The benefits of evidence, evaluation, innovation or research to healthcare science practice.
K39:
The importance of developing and introducing innovation and sustainability into practice.
K40:
The importance of critical reflection in helping maintain and support the quality and safety of patient care.
K41:
The scope of own role and the importance of continuing personal and professional development.
K42:
The principles of mentoring practice and the underpinning theories of mentoring.
K43:
The importance of appraisal, performance review and preparing action plans.
K44:
The principles underpinning the practical training of others in techniques and procedures.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0220: Healthcare science associate (Level 4) Approved for delivery
- HTQHS2030: CertHE Healthcare Science Associate (Level 4) (Level 5)
- HTQHAS2001: Diploma: Healthcare Science Associate (Level 4) (Level 4)
- Reference:
- OCC0220
- Status:
Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £32,266 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.
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 and support others to do the same.
S3:
Act in line with probity requirements and support others to do the same.
S4:
Promote mental health, wellbeing and resilience in the workplace.
S5:
Provide technical healthcare-science-based services relevant to own role.
S6:
Recognise problems and seek technical solutions to them and support others to do the same.
S7:
Perform a range of equipment management activities appropriate to own role including fault-finding, preventative maintenance, calibration or repair.
S8:
Contribute to the drafting or revising of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
S9:
Support decisions made to initiate, continue, modify or cease using techniques or procedures.
S10:
Analyse, interpret, record and present healthcare science technical data.
S11:
Provide or support the provision of person-centred care.
S12:
Take responsibility for any care provided by yourself and your team members including adhering to duty of care and safeguarding requirements.
S13:
Apply policy and protocols that relate to informed consent.
S14:
Protect the dignity, rights, privacy and confidentiality of individuals and support others to do the same.
S15:
Deliver or support the delivery of high quality technical clinical procedures in the investigation or management of individuals.
S16:
Convey information using appropriate techniques.
S17:
Give and receive feedback that informs your own practice and that of others in the team.
S18:
Use techniques to reduce communication barriers and support others to do the same.
S19:
Keep accurate, confidential records and produce reliable data, inputting and retrieving information within required governance processes and checking that others do the same.
S20:
Share information correctly as part of the healthcare science team and the multi-professional team.
S21:
Use technology to present information.
S22:
Follow protocols for dealing with or reporting difficult situations and complaints.
S23:
Work as part of the healthcare science team and the wider healthcare team to provide healthcare science services.
S24:
Plan, review and report on the work of a team and individuals within it.
S25:
Follow delegation, reporting and escalation protocols appropriate to own role.
S26:
Demonstrate leadership skills appropriate to own role and work in partnership with the healthcare science and wider healthcare team.
S27:
Help create the conditions that assist the team in providing a supportive environment for colleagues.
S28:
Maintain and check that others maintain a safe and healthy working environment.
S29:
Participate in the management of risk, supporting others to do the same.
S30:
Take appropriate action in response to incidents or emergencies, reporting or escalating as required by the situation.
S31:
Move and transport items safely for example individuals or equipment and items.
S32:
Adhere to protocols for infection prevention and control and support others to do the same.
S33:
Follow guidelines and procedures for handling hazardous materials and substances.
S34:
Demonstrate relevant health, safety or security practices to others in the team.
S35:
Take part in quality management technical audit processes relevant to own role.
S36:
Participate in audit or service improvement programmes.
S37:
Share the outcome of audit or service improvement with others.
S38:
Support the improvement of healthcare science practice by taking part in innovation or research or service improvement activities.
S39:
Undertake audit, research or other activities which support quality improvement, innovation and sustainability in healthcare science.
S40:
Critically reflect on your technical and non-technical practice and how it impacts on the quality and safety of patient care.
S41:
Work within the limits of your personal competence, keeping up-to-date by engaging in continuing personal and professional development.
S42:
Take part in mentoring processes with colleagues and students.
S43:
Respond to appraisal or performance review and feedback in relation to your own development and action plans.
S44:
Supervise and demonstrate practical skills to others.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0220: Healthcare science associate (Level 4) Approved for delivery
- HTQHS2030: CertHE Healthcare Science Associate (Level 4) (Level 5)
- HTQHAS2001: Diploma: Healthcare Science Associate (Level 4) (Level 4)
- Reference:
- OCC0220
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £32,266 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.
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 scientific practice for the Healthcare science professions.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0220: Healthcare science associate (Level 4) Approved for delivery
- HTQHS2030: CertHE Healthcare Science Associate (Level 4) (Level 5)
- HTQHAS2001: Diploma: Healthcare Science Associate (Level 4) (Level 4)
- Reference:
- OCC0220
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £32,266 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.
