Healthcare Science T-Level
T Levels are a brand-new, 2-year qualification that can be completed as an alternative to A levels, other post-16 courses or an apprenticeship. They bring classroom learning and an extended industry placement together on a course designed with businesses and employers.
A T level qualification has been designed for Healthcare science (Assisting with Healthcare Science) and it covers all of the professions within Healthcare Science. The BAA has been involved in discussions with NCFE (https://www.ncfe.org.uk/t-levels/health-and-science) around the delivery of the structure and content as set out by the Institute for Apprenticeships (https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/media/2948/healthcare-science-final-outline-content-final-version.pdf). This T level (https://www.tlevels.gov.uk/students/subjects/healthcare-science) will focus on providing generic skills in Healthcare Science so there is limited profession specific content included.
The Healthcare Science T level is suitable for anyone interested in a career in health or science and career options might include working as a clinical analyst or healthcare science associate. Students can also use this T Level to progress to a related higher-level apprenticeship or course of study at a higher level. The following three performance outcomes are assessed:
Performance Outcome 1: Contribute to patient care by supporting physiological, physical and clinical engineering services to produce reliable data and images for use by health care professionals in diagnosis and treatment
Performance Outcome 2: Contribute to patient care by supporting the collection of a range of specimens for analysis to aid diagnosis and treatment
Performance Outcome 3: Contribute to patient care by processing and analysing patient specimens in a range of life science areas and laboratory environments to produce reliable data sets for use by healthcare professionals in diagnosis and treatment
Level 5 and 6 as well as some level 4 apprenticeships may therefore be more suitable to Audiology departments in the NHS requiring profession specific trainees.