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 Microbiology Service? Our apprenticeships offer routes into scientific careers within the Pathology Service.

Wage

£25,760 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course

Healthcare science associate (level 4)

Hours

The department operates a 24/7 shift system at A4C rates. It is expected that the post holder will participate in shift working after a suitable period of training.

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Thursday 12 November 2026

Duration

2 years

Positions available

1

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

The apprentice will work as part of the Microbiology team, supporting Biomedical Scientists and other staff. Duties will include:

• Receiving, sorting, labelling, preparing and processing specimens
• Preparing reagents and controls
• Using laboratory equipment and computer systems
• Maintaining stock
• Responding to enquiries
• Supporting the safe disposal of clinical waste

All duties will be carried out under supervision and in line with standard operating procedures.

Where you'll work

JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
MARTON ROAD
MIDDLESBROUGH
CLEVELAND
TS4 3BW

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 associate (level 4)

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 and support others to do the same.
• Act in line with probity requirements and support others to do the same.
• Promote mental health, wellbeing and resilience in the workplace.
• Provide technical healthcare-science-based services relevant to own role.
• Recognise problems and seek technical solutions to them and support others to do the same.
• Perform a range of equipment management activities appropriate to own role including fault-finding, preventative maintenance, calibration or repair.
• Contribute to the drafting or revising of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Support decisions made to initiate, continue, modify or cease using techniques or procedures.
• Analyse, interpret, record and present healthcare science technical data.
• Provide or support the provision of person-centred care.
• Take responsibility for any care provided by yourself and your team members including adhering to duty of care and safeguarding requirements.
• Apply policy and protocols that relate to informed consent.
• Protect the dignity, rights, privacy and confidentiality of individuals and support others to do the same.
• Deliver or support the delivery of high quality technical clinical procedures in the investigation or management of individuals.
• Convey information using appropriate techniques.
• Give and receive feedback that informs your own practice and that of others in the team.
• Use techniques to reduce communication barriers and support others to do the same.
• Keep accurate, confidential records and produce reliable data, inputting and retrieving information within required governance processes and checking that others do the same.
• Share information correctly as part of the healthcare science team and the multi-professional team.
• Use technology to present information.
• Follow protocols for dealing with or reporting difficult situations and complaints.
• Work as part of the healthcare science team and the wider healthcare team to provide healthcare science services.
• Plan, review and report on the work of a team and individuals within it.
• Follow delegation, reporting and escalation protocols appropriate to own role.
• Demonstrate leadership skills appropriate to own role and work in partnership with the healthcare science and wider healthcare team.
• Help create the conditions that assist the team in providing a supportive environment for colleagues.
• Maintain and check that others maintain a safe and healthy working environment.
• Participate in the management of risk, supporting others to do the same.
• Take appropriate action in response to incidents or emergencies, reporting or escalating as required by the situation.
• Move and transport items safely for example individuals or equipment and items.
• Adhere to protocols for infection prevention and control and support others to do the same.
• Follow guidelines and procedures for handling hazardous materials and substances.
• Demonstrate relevant health, safety or security practices to others in the team.
• Take part in quality management technical audit processes relevant to own role.
• Participate in audit or service improvement programmes.
• Share the outcome of audit or service improvement with others.
• Support the improvement of healthcare science practice by taking part in innovation or research or service improvement activities.
• Undertake audit, research or other activities which support quality improvement, innovation and sustainability in healthcare science.
• Critically reflect on your technical and non-technical practice and how it impacts on the quality and safety of patient care.
• Work within the limits of your personal competence, keeping up-to-date by engaging in continuing personal and professional development.
• Take part in mentoring processes with colleagues and students.
• Respond to appraisal or performance review and feedback in relation to your own development and action plans.
• Supervise and demonstrate practical skills to others.
• 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 and support others to do the same.
• Act in line with probity requirements and support others to do the same.
• Promote mental health, wellbeing and resilience in the workplace.
• Provide technical healthcare-science-based services relevant to own role.
• Recognise problems and seek technical solutions to them and support others to do the same.
• Perform a range of equipment management activities appropriate to own role including fault-finding, preventative maintenance, calibration or repair.
• Contribute to the drafting or revising of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Support decisions made to initiate, continue, modify or cease using techniques or procedures.
• Analyse, interpret, record and present healthcare science technical data.
• Provide or support the provision of person-centred care.
• Take responsibility for any care provided by yourself and your team members including adhering to duty of care and safeguarding requirements.
• Apply policy and protocols that relate to informed consent.
• Protect the dignity, rights, privacy and confidentiality of individuals and support others to do the same.
• Deliver or support the delivery of high quality technical clinical procedures in the investigation or management of individuals.
• Convey information using appropriate techniques.
• Give and receive feedback that informs your own practice and that of others in the team.
• Use techniques to reduce communication barriers and support others to do the same.
• Keep accurate, confidential records and produce reliable data, inputting and retrieving information within required governance processes and checking that others do the same.
• Share information correctly as part of the healthcare science team and the multi-professional team.
• Use technology to present information.
• Follow protocols for dealing with or reporting difficult situations and complaints.
• Work as part of the healthcare science team and the wider healthcare team to provide healthcare science services.
• Plan, review and report on the work of a team and individuals within it.
• Follow delegation, reporting and escalation protocols appropriate to own role.
• Demonstrate leadership skills appropriate to own role and work in partnership with the healthcare science and wider healthcare team.
• Help create the conditions that assist the team in providing a supportive environment for colleagues.
• Maintain and check that others maintain a safe and healthy working environment.
• Participate in the management of risk, supporting others to do the same.
• Take appropriate action in response to incidents or emergencies, reporting or escalating as required by the situation.
• Move and transport items safely for example individuals or equipment and items.
• Adhere to protocols for infection prevention and control and support others to do the same.
• Follow guidelines and procedures for handling hazardous materials and substances.
• Demonstrate relevant health, safety or security practices to others in the team.
• Take part in quality management technical audit processes relevant to own role.
• Participate in audit or service improvement programmes.
• Share the outcome of audit or service improvement with others.
• Support the improvement of healthcare science practice by taking part in innovation or research or service improvement activities.
• Undertake audit, research or other activities which support quality improvement, innovation and sustainability in healthcare science.
• Critically reflect on your technical and non-technical practice and how it impacts on the quality and safety of patient care.
• Work within the limits of your personal competence, keeping up-to-date by engaging in continuing personal and professional development.
• Take part in mentoring processes with colleagues and students.
• Respond to appraisal or performance review and feedback in relation to your own development and action plans.
• Supervise and demonstrate practical skills to others.