Healthcare Science (Physiological Sciences)

Healthcare Scientists perform key scientific roles within the National Health Service (NHS) these include diagnostic investigations, monitoring and treatment of patients. The BSc (Hons) Healthcare Science programme at Wolverhampton aims to equip graduates to be able to enter the NHS workforce where they will provide the underpinning clinical investigations for diagnosis and health monitoring, support disease prevention and help develop treatment strategies for patients. The Modernising Scientific careers agenda underpins this course which forms part of the Practitioner Training Programme. The course is designed to provide education and training in cardiac physiology and respiratory and sleep science to enable a student to enter practice as a Healthcare Science Practitioner upon its completion. The programme is highly clinical and patient-focussed and benefits from the involvement of a range of lecturers and practitioners who have experience of working within a healthcare environment.

Cardiac physiology involves assessing patients with heart disease using a variety of tests and equipment. Cardiac Healthcare Scientists have direct patient contact often working in large teams to provide appropriate patient care. They interact with patients of all ages performing electrocardiographs (ECGs), blood pressure monitoring and a range of other techniques. Healthcare scientists who specialise in cardiac physiology assist in the diagnosis of heart disease, pacemaker implantation, on-going patient monitoring and exercise stress testing.

Respiratory physiology and sleep science involves assessing patients with a range of breathing disorders. Respiratory and sleep scientists interact with patients of all ages performing a range of tests that require considerable encouragement and technical accuracy combined with a dedicated and caring approach. They perform a range of tests including spirometry, measurements of lung volume, allergy testing, blood gas analysis, full cardio-pulmonary exercise testing and overnight monitoring of patients with sleep disordered breathing.

The academic component of the programme provides an understanding of the scientific basis of healthcare science along with discipline specific study in cardiac physiology and respiratory and sleep science. Practical training is provided in partnership with a number of local NHS hospitals. Placements are provided in each year of the programme so that competency can be achieved in the required techniques. The aim is to provide the opportunity for students to develop the practical skills required to enable them to be employed as healthcare science practitioners in either cardiac physiology or respiratory and sleep science upon completion of the course.