Page Content
Job profiles
Clinical support worker
Hours
37.5 per week
Starting salary
£13,600 + per year
Clinical support workers help scientists and medical staff diagnose and treat patients. They work throughout the health service, on hospital wards, in clinics and laboratories.
To become a clinical support worker, you should have an interest in science. You need to have accuracy and attention to detail. You also need to be able to work under pressure.
You may not need any qualifications to start in this job. Some employers will prefer you to have GCSEs, and basic IT and word processing skills. It would be an advantage to have experience in the NHS, especially in a lab setting.
WorkDesc
The work
As a clinical support worker, your duties could include a range of lab skills such as:
- labelling, sorting and storing specimens
- assisting with the analysis of tissue and fluid samples
- putting together chemical solutions
- loading and operating machines
- using a computer to input and analyse data
- disposing of hazardous waste
- sterilising equipment
- maintaining stock levels.
Part of your work may also include responding to telephone enquiries as well as the keeping and filing of records.
You could work closely with scientists in a range of areas:
- biochemistry: studying chemical reactions in the body like kidney failure
- histopathology: examining the structure of diseased tissue
- virology: analysing viruses, the diseases they cause, and vaccines
- cytology: studying the structure and function of cells, and screening for cancers
- haematology: analysing diseases of the blood and blood forming tissues
- immunology: examining how the immune system works, for example with allergies
- transfusion science: transferring blood and blood products from one person to another.
You could combine your role with working in a closely related area of work such as phlebotomy.
Please see the phlebotomy job profile for more information.
HoursDesc
Hours
You would typically work 37.5 hours a week, Monday to Friday, but with some employers you may need to cover evenings or weekends. Part-time hours are often available.
You would be based in clean and sometimes sterile lab conditions. However, your work could involve dealing with unpleasant or challenging sights and smells from infectious materials, body fluids and biological samples. At times you may need to wear protective clothing, gloves, glasses and a mask to prevent contamination.
As well as the lab, you may work in a clinic and with patients on wards. You could also have clerical duties and spend some time in an office.
IncomeDesc
Income
Clinical support workers can earn around £13,600 to £16,700 a year.
With experience this can rise to around £18,500.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
EntryRequirementsDesc
Entry requirements
You may not need any qualifications to start as a clinical support worker. Some employers will prefer you to have GCSEs (A-C) including English, maths and science, and basic IT and word processing skills. It would be an advantage to have experience in the NHS (especially in a lab setting) and an understanding of medical terminology.
You could contact the personnel or biomedical sciences department at your local hospital for further information on their specific entry requirements. See the NHS Choices website for details of local NHS Trusts.
TrainingAndDevelopmentDesc
Training and development
You will receive on-the-job training covering issues such as safety procedures. You may also work towards a Certificate of Competence, which is awarded when you are assessed as performing your duties safely. Achieving the certificate would be particularly useful if you want to progress and apply for senior clinical support worker posts.
You could also take qualifications such as:
- Certificate (levels 1 and 2) in Laboratory Technical Skills
- NVQ Level 2 in Clinical Laboratory Support
- NVQ levels 1, 2 or 3 in Laboratory and Associated Technical Activities.
Joining a professional body, such as the Association of Medical Laboratory Assistants (AMLA), could also be useful in giving you access to education and training opportunities and helping you keep your skills up to date.
SkillsAndKnowledgeDesc
Skills and knowledge
To become a clinical support worker, you should have:
- an interest in science, particularly biology and chemistry
- accuracy and attention to detail
- the ability to concentrate for long periods
- good hand-eye coordination
- a methodical approach to work
- good teamworking skills
- good organisational skills
- the ability to work under pressure
- good time keeping, with the ability to meet deadlines
- the ability to follow strict health and safety guidelines.
MoreInformationDesc
More information
NHS Careers 
PO Box 2311
Bristol
BS2 2ZX
Tel: 0345 60 60 655
www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
Institute of Biomedical Science
12 Coldbath Square
London
EC1R 5HL
Tel: 020 7713 0214
www.ibms.org
Health Learning and Skills Advice Line
Tel: 08000 150850
OpportunitiesDesc
Opportunities
You will find most jobs within the NHS or private hospitals. You may also work in the blood transfusion service, public health service labs or research labs. Vacancies are advertised in the local press and on the NHS Jobs website.
With support from your employer, you could work towards becoming a biomedical scientist by studying part-time for a biomedical science degree. The Institute of Biomedical Science has more details.
Experience as a clinical support worker could lead to a career as a cardiological technician or cardiographer, a cervical cytology screener or phlebotomist.
Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
LMIData
Related industry information
Industry summary
The health sector is represented by Skills for Health Sector Skills Council, which comprises three sub‐sectors:
- National Health Service (NHS)
- Independent Healthcare Sector (such as private and charitable healthcare providers)
- Third Sector (healthcare) (such as small local community and voluntary groups, registered charities, foundations, trusts, social enterprises and co‐operatives)
The health sector is made up of hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, dental practices, the ambulance service, nursing homes, residential care homes, complementary medicine and a huge range of other health related activities, from sight tests in opticians to research in medical laboratories. Most people in the health sector work in the publicly funded National Health Service (NHS), which includes:
- primary care (organisations which the public goes to first) – Doctors/General Practitioners (GPs), NHS Walk in Centres, NHS Direct, Out of Hours Emergency Care
- secondary care (organisations which the public are referred onto) – Ambulance Trusts, NHS Trusts/hospitals, NHS Foundation Trusts/hospitals, Mental Health Trusts, Care Trusts (provide joint health and social care activities)
NHS policy in England is directed from the centre by the Department of Health. Local organisations, known as Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), are in charge of providing and commissioning services, controlling the majority of the budget. PCTs are overseen by 10 regional organisations called Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs).
The independent sector includes companies and charities that offer hospital and specialist services usually after referral from a doctor. Operations and other work are carried out in private hospitals, independent treatment centres, mental health units and hospices.
Key facts:
- The health sector is the largest employer in the UK, representing 5.5% of the working age population of the UK and 7.3% of the working age population that are currently in employment.
- It is estimated that the sector employs over 2 million people, including:
- over 1.5 million people in the NHS (72%)
- over 0.5 million people in the Independent Healthcare sector (26%)
- almost 40,000 in the voluntary sector (2%)
- 56% of the workforce has a higher education qualification (or equivalent).
- The age profile for the sector shows an older than average workforce, which is due in part to the fact that it takes some professions a long time to train and can mean that people enter the sector later.
There is a varied list of jobs in the sector ranging from a diverse number of clinical roles, to support and infrastructure staff, for instance: Allied Health Professionals (AHPs); Ambulance Staff; Dental Staff; Doctors/Medical staff; Nursing staff; Midwifery Staff; Healthcare Scientists; Health Informatics Staff; Management; Wider Healthcare Team; Complementary Therapists.
National and regional data
High proportions of the health sector workforce are located in:
- London
- South East
- North West
East Midlands - The health sector employs 131,515 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
- The East Midlands employs 8% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 29% of all employment across the sector or 41,200 employees.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
East of England - The health sector employs 164,720 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
- The East of England employs 9.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 52,300 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 14% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 103,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
London - The health sector employs over 249,524 people, which accounts for 6% of all the employment in the region.
- London employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 33% of all employment across the sector or 78,500 employees.
- Vacancies in health and social work account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 146,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North East - The health sector employs 89,201 people, which accounts for 8.7% of all employment in the region.
- The North East employs 5.3 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 23,800 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be almost 46,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North West - The health sector employs 251,960 people, which accounts for 8% of all employment in the region.
- The North West employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South East - The health sector employs 264,071 people, which accounts for 7.1% of all employment in the region.
- The South East employs 15.7% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 164,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South West - The health sector employs 182,187 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
- The South West employs 10.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 60,700 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 105,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
West Midlands - The health sector employs 168,746 people, which accounts for 7.2% of all employment in the region.
- The West Midlands employs 10% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 43,000 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 9% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 108,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Yorkshire and the Humber - The health sector employs 182,848 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
- Yorkshire and the Humber employ 10.9 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 24% of the total health care workforce or 42,000 employees.
- Vacancies in health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 97,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Northern Ireland - The health sector employs 61,300 people.
- Northern Ireland employs 3% of the total health sector workforce.
- 81% of the workforce is female.
- 26% of the workforce is aged 35‐44 years.
- 96% of the workforce is white.
- 10% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 48% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Scotland - The health sector employs 201,500 people.
- Scotland employs 10% of the total health sector workforce.
- 78% of the workforce is female.
- 30% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
- 95% of the workforce is white.
- 14% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 39% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Wales - The health sector employs 114,900 people.
- Wales employs 6% of the total health sector workforce.
- 74% of the workforce is female.
- 34% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
- 94% of the workforce is white.
- 18% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 40% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 27% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
[N.B. Data derived from Labour Force Survey, 2008‐2009, Annual Business Inquiry, 2007, and Northern Ireland Census of Employment, 2007]
Career paths
Further sources
NHS Careers has sections on:
View full Job market information
News
