Healthcare science

carreer image Healthcare science staff play a vital role in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of a huge number of medical conditions.

Healthcare scientists use their expertise to help save lives and improve patient care in a supporting role or in direct contact with patients. They work in four main areas - life sciences, physiological sciences, physical sciences and clinical engineering, and clinical bioinformatics.

Together they provide the scientific backbone of the NHS and their work underpins 80% of all diagnoses. Their role stretches across the whole innovation pathway from academic and translational research, to patient-centred service transformation.

There are over 50 different specialisms in healthcare science

Roles in the life sciences can be divided into three areas: - Pathology - investigating the causes of illness and how it progresses; carrying out tests on tissue, blood and other samples from patients. Pathology plays a crucial role in helping doctors choose the best type of treatment for patients, and monitoring its effectiveness - Genetics - understanding the genetic components of illnesses. - Reproductive science - a rapidly developing field, creating life and providing other solutions to infertility.

Healthcare science staff who work in the physiological sciences use specialist equipment, advanced technologies and a range of different procedures to evaluate the functioning of different body systems, to diagnose abnormalities, and to direct and in some case, provide therapeutic intervention and long-term management and care.

Clinical bioinformatics is an area of healthcare science responsible for developing and improving methods for acquiring, storing, organising and analysing biological data that supports the delivery of patient care.

Healthcare science staff in this area develop methods of measuring what is happening in the body, devise new ways of diagnosing and treating disease, and ensure that equipment is functioning safely and effectively.

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