Apprentice Healthcare Science Assistant

Find out about the current vacancies available at the Trust and take the next step in your career with us.

Main area: Pathology Reception

Grade: NHS AfC: Band 2

Contract: 20 months (Fixed term)

Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week (24/7 shift pattern)

Job ref: 345-CSU7-7983986

Site: University Hospital of North Tees

Town: Stockton on Tees

Salary: £25,272 pro rata per annum

Salary period: Yearly

Closing: 02/06/2026 23:59

Note this post will be closed early once a sufficient amount of applications have been received.

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, through a mix of on-the-job training and classroom learning.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a professional, motivated and innovative individual to join the Pathology Laboratory at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust working in Pathology Reception as an apprentice Healthcare Science Support Worker. The department has full UKAS accreditation and IBMS training approval. CPD is actively encouraged.

What you need to know about Level 2 - Healthcare Science apprenticeships:

• If you are aged 18+ in your first year of an apprenticeship, the minimum you should receive is £4.81 an hour (the National Minimum Wage for apprentices).
• Many NHS Pathology employers will pay you more than the minimum wage.
• They take 16 months to complete.
• Anyone over the age of 18 can do one.
• You’ll develop your skills and gain a competence qualification (based on what you can do in the workplace together with a knowledge qualification).

Main duties of the job:

• Work under supervision to provide high quality care within a clinical setting.
• Perform sample reception duties including receiving, sorting, labelling, barcoding and racking of samples on arrival including aliquoting urine samples.
• Load samples onto centrifuges, pre-analytical automation, tracking systems or other preparation equipment.
• Support in manual pre-analytical sample processing.
• Distribute specimens to relevant laboratories, fast tracking urgent samples as appropriate. This may include packaging of samples for referral to external and internal agencies.

Applying for a Healthcare Science apprenticeship:

There has never been a better time to start an NHS apprenticeship but often there’s a lot of competition for a place. This means your application and interview are crucial. Some things to think about:

• Show that you are committed.
• Make sure you are aware of your responsibilities.
• Demonstrate that you are able to cope with work and study.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities: See attached Job Description for details of the role, for the full details of the positions roles and responsibilities.

Qualifications:

• 5 GCSEs level A - E or 9-3 (must include Maths and English).
• Maths and English at GCSE C / grade 4 or above.
• Attendance at Novice and leadership improvement sessions within first year of role.

Experience:

• IT Skills including MS Office packages such as Word and Excel.

Personal Attributes:

• Ability to work as a member of the team.
• Able to plan own work and meet agreed targets.
• Self-motivated.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Communication and interpersonal skills.
• Effective time management.

Important - Once sufficient applications have been received this vacancy may close early.

Disclosure and Barring Checks (DBS): It is the policy of North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, that all successful candidates who are new to the Trust who require DBS clearance for the post they have been offered, are required to pay the cost for their DBS certificate. The method of payment for this is via salary deduction from your first month's pay on commencement with the Trust. The DBS check will be undertaken during the pre-employment check screening.

Working Hours: If the hours advertised for the post are up to full time (37.5 hours per week), applications are still welcomed from individuals who may be seeking to work less than full-time hours and all requests will be considered in line with the post being appointed to for the successful applicant.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: Everything we do is shaped by our values: Respect, Support, and Collaborate. At University Hospitals Tees we want our workspaces to be places where everyone feels welcome, valued and safe. We treat people with respect, and we celebrate the differences that make each of us unique. We welcome applications from everyone, no matter your age, background, race, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, family circumstances or beliefs. We are here to support you throughout your application and at every stage of your career with us. We believe we work best when we collaborate, learn from each other and build teams that reflect the communities we serve.

Disability: We are a Disability Confident Lead employer. This means we give fair and full consideration to applicants and will offer reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process. If you need help with your application, or need the information in a different format, please contact our recruitment team and we will support you.

Right to Work in the UK: The Trust welcomes applications from all candidates who meet the criteria for the role. Please note that from January 2021, to work in the UK all candidates who are not UK or Republic of Ireland (RoI) nationals require sponsorship unless they have permission to work via another route. Non UK/RoI candidates wishing to apply can self-assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship here: Work in the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Please provide full and accurate details of your current immigration status on the application form. Your current immigration status will not be considered as part of the shortlisting or interview process. Please note that not everyone needs a 'Skilled Worker' visa. If you are applying for health or social care, you may be eligible to apply for the Health and Care Worker visa instead.

As a supporter of the Armed Forces and an employer of Reservists, North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust are proud to be a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, which is a promise by the nation to ensure that those who serve or who have served in the UK Armed Forces (and their families) are treated fairly. We recognise that reservists and veterans bring a variety of transferable skills and qualities to our workplace, developed through their military careers. Our commitment to supporting the Armed Forces Community has been recognised through the Armed Forces Covenant as a Silver Employer.