• Healthcare scientists underpin 80% of all diagnoses within the NHS
• Teams in Bolton are working to improve patient experience and choice with new initiatives
• Healthcare Science Week 2024 celebrates their vital contribution

Thousands of patient samples are being carefully analysed to help diagnose a range of health conditions every single day by a small, but important, scientific backbone of the NHS in Bolton.

At Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, 143 healthcare scientists work across a range of specialties, including audiology, cardio-respiratory, and laboratory medicine.

Their life-changing work is being celebrated as part of Healthcare Science Week 2024 (11-15 March), which aims to shine a spotlight on how they keep patients and communities safe and well.

Jamie Osborne, Principal Clinical Scientist at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said:

What we do in the labs is extremely complex and we’re constantly working on new ways to deliver our services, be it through faster, more accurate tests or by coming up with more convenient ways for busy patients to get their samples to us.“Being such an important part of the patient journey is a big part of what gets me out of bed in the morning. Thousands of patient samples a day come through our labs and we have an opportunity to help every single one of them.

“Our service is a really important tool that the rest of the NHS can use to make accurate, speedy diagnoses and get to the right treatment sooner. If you’ve ever had any samples taken in Bolton then chances are we’ve helped you.

Introducing changes to improve patient experience

Healthcare science strives to improve patient outcomes by using science, engineering and technology to prevent, diagnose and treat many different medical conditions.

Across England, their work underpins 80% of all diagnoses, while in Bolton a number of new initiatives have been introduced over the past twelve months to improve access to tests and the experience patients receive.

Our healthcare scientists work throughout our organisation to provide vital support to patient care.

We have 1⃣4⃣3⃣ in total – take a look at the areas they work in ⤵️#HCSWeek24 #AtTheHeartOfHealthcare pic.twitter.com/D0Y5nHW0GY

— Bolton NHS Foundation Trust (@boltonnhsft) March 12, 2024

An online booking system for blood tests at Royal Bolton Hospital, which launched in April 2023, has seen a reduction in the amount of time people wait to access a test and get the results they need.

After just six months, 100% of patients who had a pre-booked appointment for the hospital’s phlebotomy service were seen within five minutes.

Pre-booked online appointments offered phlebotomy teams a better picture of daily demand and allowed them to manage that by ensuring staffing levels are increased at the busiest times of the day.

A new system has also been introduced at Royal Bolton Hospital to allow staff to access, transfuse and record blood transfusions so that each unit can be traced from donor to recipient.

Led by the Trust’s Clinical Lead for Blood Transfusion, the introduction of this technology allows the Blood Transfusion Service to trace every donated blood product, enhancing patient safety and quality of care.

In Andrology, the field of male reproduction, the service has transitioned to a new World Health Organisation standard that allows the team to analyse semen samples more effectively.

Meeting the standard helps with the diagnosis, treatment and management of fertility issues by providing greater detail test reports while offering fertility specialists a better understanding of the fertility status of patients, which allows them to deliver the best treatment options for patients.

Tyrone Roberts, Chief Nursing Officer at the Trust, added:

The work of our healthcare scientists directly impacts the lives of others by helping to diagnose, prevent and treat illness.

“Science and technology are vital in changing lives for the better and I’m really excited to see what the future holds for our health care professions in Bolton.

A number of healthcare scientist roles are currently available to apply for at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, including a Biomedical Scientist and Medical Photographer. Visit the Trust’s website for more information or to apply.