Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) celebrated Healthcare Science (HCS) Week 2025 from Monday 10th March to Sunday 16th March, an annual week of celebration and raising awareness of the many careers in healthcare science.
The Trust’s first Healthcare Science Week Celebration Event was held at WWL’s Education Centre on Friday 28th March to celebrate the work of those in healthcare science roles, of which there are over 50 scientific specialisms within the NHS and global healthcare systems.
Healthcare science is a broad term encompassing a highly diverse scientific workforce and roles can be found in many areas of the NHS alongside doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, often developing new clinical and technological advances. These experts play a crucial role in diagnosing diseases, developing treatments, and ensuring the effectiveness of medical technologies. From biomedical scientists and clinical engineers to audiologists and cardiac physiologists, their work is essential for patient care and involves 80 per cent of all clinical decisions made in the NHS.
As well as presentations from colleagues within Cardiology, Ophthalmology, Audiology and Sleep Medicine, awards were presented by Lesley Hadley, Chief Allied Health Professional at WWL who said: “It’s great to have the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the work of our Healthcare Scientists who all play such a vital role in delivering a wide variety of services to our patients across many different locations and settings.”
Awards and certificates were handed out to individuals including:
Healthcare Scientist of the Year – Lisa Fenney, Advanced Clinical Physiologist
Healthcare Science Team of the Year – Medical Illustration
Healthcare Science Lifetime Achievement Award – Kathryn France, Audiology & Ophthalmology Service Lead
Kathryn France who received the Lifetime Achievement Award said: "I'm blown away to receive this award, I'm so privileged to work with the teams that I work with, and the work we are doing for the patients that we treat. It's an absolute honour and I'm very humbled to get this, just for doing a job that I love. I started working in the NHS in 1988 and will soon be celebrating 30 years - thank you to everyone who nominated me."