Apprentice Health Care Science Support Worker
SOUTH TEES HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
CLEVELAND (TS4 3BW)
Closes in 13 days (Tuesday 5 August 2025)
Posted on 22 July 2025
Contents
Summary
Are you a self-motivated, hardworking and enthusiastic individual looking to take your first step into a Healthcare Science Career? Why not earn, learn and make a difference with a Healthcare Science Apprenticeship with an NHS Pathology Service? Our apprenticeships offer routes into scientific careers within the Pathology Service.
- Wage
-
£24,169 a year
- Training course
- Healthcare science assistant (level 2)
- Hours
-
The department operates a 24/7 shift system. While his role will mostly involve working between the hours of 8am and 8pm, there may be occasional requirement for out of hours working, depending on the needs of the service.
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Tuesday 30 September 2025
- Duration
-
1 year 6 months
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
- To sort all specimens entering the departments as required and to send other departments specimens to the appropriate laboratory areas.
- To prioritise all urgent specimens and to communicate these effectively to all staff to enable immediate action to be taken.
- To de-bag, check and label all specimens in line with current SOPs ensuring any inaccurate details or incorrect specimens are dealt with appropriately in line with current SOPs.
- To accurately enter patient demographic details onto the laboratory information system. On request from service users to add tests to existing requests, retrieving these specimens from
storage as required, ensuring that all current SOPs and procedures are followed, asking for guidance from a senior staff member if required. - To aliquot samples as required for testing performed by external laboratories in line with current SOPs.
- To centrifuge specimens as required and load onto sample sorter as part of the initial stages of sample analysis.
- To load analysers with sample racks on a regular basis to maintain workflow.
- To re-cap and store all specimens, scan, and file request forms in line with current SOPs.
- In accordance with current SOPs and Health and Safety legislation discard previously analysed specimens and request forms.
- Perform a range of cleaning and disinfection duties including benches, equipment, and fridge areas on a regular basis.
- Attention to detail and accuracy is required in a busy environment where there is very little time allocated to each sample to maintain turnaround times for samples from both primary and secondary care.
- To carry out procedures to package and document specimens which need to be sent to external organisations in line with current SOPs.
- Ensure all procedures to maintain service provision, during routine or emergency technical or electrical failures/shutdowns, are in place and are reviewed regularly.
- Responsible for ensuring completion of own daily workload to ensure effective and efficient running of the service daily.
- Liaise with Laboratory staff regarding pre-analytical processing of samples and with staff from other departments regarding shared use of equipment, samples etc.
- Participate in change management projects associated with this role as and when required to support service improvement and development.
- Participate in internal and external audit activities as directed by the audit schedule.
- Arrange external transport as needed (i.e. couriers, blood bikes).
Please refer to the job description in the advert for further details.
Where you'll work
JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
MARTON ROAD
MIDDLESBROUGH
CLEVELAND
TS4 3BW
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
EAST DURHAM COLLEGE
Training course
Healthcare science assistant (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Act in line with legislation, standard operating procedures, codes of conduct and ways of working that apply to own role.
- Work within the scope of the role, the limits of own knowledge and skills.
- Act in line with probity requirements.
- Promote own mental health, wellbeing and resilience.
- Provide general information, advice and guidance about the scope and range of services relevant to role.
- Provide technical evidence-based advice, information and guidance relevant to role.
- Adhere to stock and equipment control policies.
- Support the provision of person-centred care that is delivered by the wider healthcare team.
- Support any care provided including adhering to the relevant requirements.
- Follow policy and protocols that relate to informed consent.
- Protect the dignity, rights and privacy of individuals.
- Assist the wider healthcare team to enable individuals to make choices about their care.
- Communicate basic information effectively verbally and in writing.
- Use techniques to facilitate understanding and reduce communication barriers.
- Keep accurate, confidential records including in a digital format.
- Produce reliable data by logging, inputting, retrieving and storing information within required governance processes.
- Follow protocols for handling, escalating or reporting difficult situations and complaints.
- Work as part of the healthcare science team and the multi-professional team to provide healthcare science services.
- Follow delegation, reporting and escalation protocols appropriate to own role.
- Act as a role model to others and show leadership skills relevant to own role.
- Contribute towards creating the conditions that assist the team in providing a supportive environment for colleagues.
- Work safely in the workplace following safety guidelines.
- Contribute to the risk management process in own workplace adhering to risk management guidelines.
- Take appropriate action in response to incidents or emergencies.
- Move and transport items safely for example individuals or equipment and items.
- Apply a range of techniques for infection prevention and control.
- Follow guidelines and procedures for handling hazardous materials and substances.
- Follow procedures and improvement protocols to meet the requirements of quality standards relevant to own healthcare science practice.
- Contribute to the audit process relevant to own role.
- Offer suggestions for improving services, emerging practices and sustainability.
- Work in accordance with the regulatory frameworks for ethics, innovation or research relevant to own role.
- Assist service improvement, innovation or research within the boundaries of own clinical and scientific practice.
- Reflect on own practice and keep own knowledge and skills up-to-date.
- Take part in appraisal or performance review and ongoing continuing professional development.
- Reply constructively to the outcome of feedback, performance review or appraisal.
- Act in line with legislation, standard operating procedures, codes of conduct and ways of working that apply to own role.
- Work within the scope of the role, the limits of own knowledge and skills.
- Act in line with probity requirements.
- Promote own mental health, wellbeing and resilience.
- Provide general information, advice and guidance about the scope and range of services relevant to role.
- Provide technical evidence-based advice, information and guidance relevant to role.
- Adhere to stock and equipment control policies.
- Support the provision of person-centred care that is delivered by the wider healthcare team.
- Support any care provided including adhering to the relevant requirements.
- Follow policy and protocols that relate to informed consent.
- Protect the dignity, rights and privacy of individuals.
- Assist the wider healthcare team to enable individuals to make choices about their care.
- Communicate basic information effectively verbally and in writing.
- Use techniques to facilitate understanding and reduce communication barriers.
- Keep accurate, confidential records including in a digital format.
- Produce reliable data by logging, inputting, retrieving and storing information within required governance processes.
- Follow protocols for handling, escalating or reporting difficult situations and complaints.
- Work as part of the healthcare science team and the multi-professional team to provide healthcare science services.
- Follow delegation, reporting and escalation protocols appropriate to own role.
- Act as a role model to others and show leadership skills relevant to own role.
- Contribute towards creating the conditions that assist the team in providing a supportive environment for colleagues.
- Work safely in the workplace following safety guidelines.
- Contribute to the risk management process in own workplace adhering to risk management guidelines.
- Take appropriate action in response to incidents or emergencies.
- Move and transport items safely for example individuals or equipment and items.
- Apply a range of techniques for infection prevention and control.
- Follow guidelines and procedures for handling hazardous materials and substances.
- Follow procedures and improvement protocols to meet the requirements of quality standards relevant to own healthcare science practice.
- Contribute to the audit process relevant to own role.
- Offer suggestions for improving services, emerging practices and sustainability.
- Work in accordance with the regulatory frameworks for ethics, innovation or research relevant to own role.
- Assist service improvement, innovation or research within the boundaries of own clinical and scientific practice.
- Reflect on own practice and keep own knowledge and skills up-to-date.
- Take part in appraisal or performance review and ongoing continuing professional development.
- Reply constructively to the outcome of feedback, performance review or appraisal.
Training schedule
As an apprentice you will receive all the training you need to be able to carry out this role fully and competently and you will undertake the Healthcare Science Assistant Level 2 apprenticeship standard. You will be released for study to achieve this qualification (location to be confirmed).
More training information
Though the department is based at The James Cook University Hospital, this position may require cross site working as appropriate.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Administrative skills
- Team working
- Flexible
- Able to work under pressure
Other requirements
Applications cannot be accepted if you have previously completed a Health Care Science qualification or apprenticeship (in the same field) at level 2 or above. Please note this post will close at sufficient applicants
About this employer
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the largest hospital trust in the Tees Valley with two acute hospitals and services in a number of community hospitals. Our workforce of almost 10,000+ provides a range of specialist regional services to 1.5million people.
https://www.southtees.nhs.uk/ (opens in new tab)
Disability Confident
A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.
You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.
After this apprenticeship
Following the successful achievement of the apprenticeship standard, opportunities will be available for the apprentice to progress.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
SOUTH TEES HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
Dan Davison
daniellee.davison@nhs.net
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000333089.
Apply now
Closes in 13 days (Tuesday 5 August 2025)
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