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Apprenticeship training course

Biomedical scientist (level 6)

Carry out a range of laboratory and scientific tests to support the diagnosis and treatment of disease.

Qualification level
6
Equivalent to degree.
Typical duration
36 months
Apprenticeship category
Health and science
Maximum funding
£27,000
Maximum amount government will fund
for apprenticeship training.
Skills
Skills an apprentice will learn
  • Identify the limits of own practice and when to seek advice or refer to another professional or service.
  • Recognise the need to manage own workload and resources safely and effectively, including managing the emotional burden that comes with working in a pressured environment.
  • Keep own skills and knowledge up to date.
  • Maintain high standards of personal and professional conduct.
  • Promote and protect the service user’s interests at all times.
  • Actively look for signs of abuse and engage in relevant safeguarding processes.
  • Respect and uphold the rights, dignity, values, and autonomy of service users, including own role in the assessment, diagnostic, treatment and/or therapeutic process.
  • Recognise that relationships with service users, carers and others should be based on mutual respect and trust, and maintain high standards of care in all circumstances.
  • Obtain valid consent, which is voluntary and informed, has due regard to capacity, is proportionate to the circumstances and is appropriately documented.
  • Exercise a professional duty of care.
  • Apply legislation, policies and guidance relevant to own profession and scope of practice.
  • Recognise the power imbalance which comes with being a health care professional, and ensure it is not for personal gain.
  • Work in accordance with the British, European and International Standards that govern and affect pathology laboratory practice.
  • Identify own anxiety and stress and recognise the potential impact on own practice.
  • Develop and adopt clear strategies for physical and mental self-care and self-awareness, to maintain a high standard of professional effectiveness and a safe working environment.
  • Recognise that they are personally responsible for and must be able to justify their decisions and actions.
  • Use own skills, knowledge and experience, and the information available, to make informed decisions and / or take action where necessary.
  • Make reasoned decisions to initiate, continue, modify or cease treatment or the use of techniques or procedures, and record the decisions and reasoning appropriately.
  • Make and receive appropriate referrals, where necessary.
  • Exercise personal initiative.
  • Demonstrate a logical and systematic approach to problem solving.
  • Use research, reasoning and problem solving skills when determining appropriate actions.
  • Respond appropriately to the needs of all different groups and individuals in practice, recognising this can be affected by difference of any kind including, but not limited to, protected characteristics, intersectional experiences and cultural differences.
  • Recognise the potential impact of own values, beliefs and personal biases, which may be unconscious, on practice and take personal action to ensure all service users and carers are treated appropriately with respect and dignity.
  • Actively challenge barriers to inclusion, supporting the implementation of change wherever possible.
  • Adhere to the professional duty of confidentiality.
  • Respond in a timely manner to situations where it is necessary to share information to safeguard service users, carers and/or the wider public and recognise situations where it is necessary to share information to safeguard service users, carers and/or the wider public.
  • Use effective and appropriate verbal and non-verbal skills to communicate with service users, carers, colleagues and others.
  • Communicate in English to the required standard for the profession.
  • Work with service users and/or carers to facilitate the service user’s preferred role in decision-making, and provide service users and carers with the information they may need where appropriate.
  • Modify own means of communication to address the individual communication needs and preferences of service users and carers, and remove any barriers to communication where possible.
  • Use information, communication and digital technologies appropriate to own practice.
  • Communicate the outcomes of biomedical procedures.
  • Keep full, clear and accurate records in accordance with applicable legislation, protocols and guidelines.
  • Manage records and all other information in accordance with applicable legislation, protocols and guidelines.
  • Use digital record keeping tools, where required.
  • Recognise and communicate the risks and possible serious consequences of errors and omissions in both requests for, and results of, laboratory investigations.
  • Use systems for the accurate and correct identification of service users and laboratory specimens.
  • Work in partnership with service users, carers, colleagues and others.
  • Contribute effectively to work undertaken as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
  • Identify anxiety and stress in service users, carers and colleagues, adapting own practice and providing support where appropriate.
  • Identify own leadership qualities, behaviours and approaches, taking into account the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion.
  • Demonstrate leadership behaviours appropriate to own practice.
  • Act as a role model for others.
  • Promote and engage in the learning of others.
  • Engage in evidence-based practice.
  • Gather and use feedback and information, including qualitative and quantitative data, to evaluate the responses of service users to own care.
  • Monitor and systematically evaluate the quality of practice, and maintain an effective quality management and quality assurance process working towards continual improvement.
  • Participate in quality management, including quality control, quality assurance, clinical governance and the use of appropriate outcome measures.
  • Evaluate care plans or intervention plans using recognised and appropriate outcome measures, in conjunction with the service user where possible, and revise the plans as necessary.
  • Select and apply quality and process control measures.
  • Identify and respond appropriately to abnormal outcomes from quality indicators.
  • Apply the principles and applications of scientific enquiry, including the evaluation of treatment efficacy and the research process.
  • Evaluate analyses using qualitative and quantitative methods to aid the diagnosis, screening and monitoring of health and disorders.
  • Change own practice as needed to take account of new developments, technologies and changing contexts.
  • Gather appropriate information.
  • Analyse and critically evaluate the information collected.
  • Select and use appropriate assessment techniques and equipment.
  • Undertake and record a thorough, sensitive, and detailed assessment.
  • Undertake or arrange investigations as appropriate.
  • Conduct appropriate assessment or monitoring procedures, treatment, therapy or other actions safely and effectively.
  • Critically evaluate research and other evidence to inform own practice.
  • Engage service users in research as appropriate.
  • Perform and supervise procedures in clinical laboratory investigations to reproducible standards.
  • Operate and utilise specialist equipment according to own discipline.
  • Validate scientific and technical data and observations according to pre-determined quality standards.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in practical skills in cellular science, blood science, infection science, molecular and genetic science and reproductive science, where appropriate to the discipline.
  • Demonstrate practical skills in the processing and analysis of specimens including specimen identification, the effect of storage on specimens and the safe retrieval of specimens.
  • Demonstrate practical skills in the investigation of disease processes.
  • Work in conformance with standard operating procedures and conditions.
  • Work with accuracy and precision.
  • Perform calibration and quality control checks.
  • Demonstrate operational management of laboratory equipment to check that equipment is functioning within its specifications and to respond appropriately to abnormalities.
  • Formulate specific and appropriate management plans including the setting of timescales.
  • Select suitable specimens and procedures relevant to service users’ clinical needs, including collection and preparation of specimens as and when appropriate.
  • investigate and monitor disease processes and normal states.
  • Use standard operating procedures for analyses including point of care in vitro diagnostic devices.
  • Use statistical packages and present data in an appropriate format.
  • Design experiments, report, interpret and present data using scientific convention, including application of SI units and other units used in biomedical science.
  • Safely interpret and authorise service user results.
  • Comply with all relevant health and safety legislation, local operational procedures and policies.
  • Work safely, including being able to select appropriate hazard control and risk management, reduction or elimination techniques in a safe manner and in accordance with health and safety legislation.
  • Select appropriate personal protective equipment and use it correctly.
  • Establish safe environments for practice, which appropriately manages risk.
  • Empower and enable individuals, including service users and colleagues, to play a part in managing their own health.
  • Engage in occupational health, including being aware of immunisation requirements.

Full information on Biomedical scientist (level 6) is available from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.

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Regulated occupation

Biomedical scientist (level 6) needs a training provider who is approved by EPAO must be approved by regulator body as a HCPC approved Education Provider or IBMS accredited..

Apprenticeship location

PO3 Portsmouth Remove location

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