National Healthcare Science Week 2009

Healthcare Science Awareness Week pre-launch flier
The Department of Health, in partnership with the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, will hold Healthcare Science Awareness Week on 6-15th March 2009..

‘Change’ is the theme of the fifth Healthcare Science Awareness Week which takes place from 6 to 15 March 2009, in partnership with Science and Engineering Week. Young people at key stages 3 and 4 will have the opportunity to learn more about science in health and how it has changed over the 60 years of the NHS,
through a school-based activity entitled ‘Diagnose it!’ It also offers schools the opportunity to link with a local healthcare scientist who can visit and talk to them
about their work and assist with the teaching of the curriculum.
 
Healthcare Science Week exists to raise the profile of healthcare scientists working in the NHS, and create opportunities for young people in schools to learn more about science, and get them thinking about entering into the world of healthcare science.

Scientists in health are at the very core of the NHS, offering high quality evidence-based scientific services for thousands of people every year, and tackling some of our major priorities in health like cancer, coronary heart disease, stroke, COPD and other long-term conditions, and moving services closer to patients.  There are around 50,000 scientists working in the NHS including the National Blood Service and the Health Protection Agency, more than in many other areas outside academia, including the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. 

Pupils at schools across the country will be testing out their beating hearts for the day, by designing and building their own working heart pumps. As part of Healthcare Science Awareness Week 2007, pupils will be exploring the workings of their beating heart through the My Beating Heart Challenge, an initiative launched by the Department of Health to raise awareness of science in health and career options within the NHS.

Young people need to know about all the different career options for their future, and Healthcare Science Awareness Week is the perfect opportunity to educate students about the wide array of science careers that are available to them.

Throughout the week, healthcare scientists are also being encouraged to visit schools to talk about their jobs, what they entail and how they got into their careers in the first place.

In 2006 the week invited students to take part in a national Bacteriathon where they used prepared Petri plates containing agar medium and nutrients to grow bacteria from the imprints of everyday items, like pencils, coins, mobile phones and computer keyboards, as a starting point for engaging with NHS Scientists via the internet.  

Healthcare Science Week provides a real opportunity to impart our enthusiasm for, and knowledge of, our chosen fields to the next generation to ensure a bright future for science in health in the NHS. 

Healthcare Science Awareness Week 2007
The My Beating Heart Challenge - a step by step guide for pupils and teachers. more...

Resources 2006

Stakeholders information pack
Stakeholders 2006 case study form
The facts about healthcare scientists

Science careers in health care
Schools presentation on careers in healthcare science. Please note this a 15.3 MB file. Click for presentation

Healthcare Science Week, supported by the Department of Health, is intended to both acknowledge the important contribution made by all healthcare scientists in the NHS, and to educate young adults, the media and other NHS staff about the different roles played by healthcare scientists in healthcare today.

2005
FHCS: Celebrating Healthcare Science Week
NHS Careers campaign 2005
Events preview
NHS Careers Information pack
Events listing

2004
What happened in 2004
Resource pack