NHS Healthcare Science Jobs after Biomed

Hi everyone, I was just wondering if I could get some advice on looking for jobs in the healthcare science sector in the NHS. I completed my Biomedical Science BSc in 2013 and went on to do a Master's in Cardiovascular Research in order to try and help me apply for Medicine after these courses. However, I was unfortunately unsuccessful after trying for 2 years and have been applying for various laboratory jobs in the NHS. I have so far been unsuccessful with these as well, and was wondering if anyone knows any other places to try and apply for or whether my experience so far is not enough to apply for these types of jobs. I have been working various voluntary jobs whilst applying for Medicine in hospitals and care centres for the elderly and disabled, but have not had a long-term paid job since completing my degrees. Is this the biggest hurdle for me to get over and should I just take any job to grant more of a chance of getting into a lab setting, or should I keep applying with the NHS and hope for the best? Thanks in advance.

I think your main problem is lack of focus. What do you want to do? Work in an NHS lab or be a doctor? Have you had any feedback on your applications as without that how do you know what to improve on?

Unfortunately no feedback is provided for any of the applications for Medicine. Joining an NHS lab was always going to be my backup plan if applying for Medicine didn't work out, considering that I studied Biomed as my undergrad degree. Although I know that you need to be HCPC registered in order to fully become a Biomedical Scientist, it seems to be impossible to do that without first actually getting into a lab job and then being able to complete the HCPC training whilst working. Are there any non-NHS places that I could apply to in order to try and complete this training?

So the main thing that is valued in NHS jobs is experience. The only level that you can enter at without experience is Band 2 or below and there are many experienced Band 2's that move between laboratories.

BSc Biomedical Science is not geared towards becoming a Biomedical Scientist, despite the name, it is BSc Healthcare Science (Life Science) which incorporates HCPC registration within the 3-year degree and allows entry at Band 5 level immediately after graduation.

Unfortunately you will have to enter at Band 2 and hope the laboratory will support you in the portfolio. You could apply for Trainee Biomedical Scientist jobs but these are rare, ~13 a year and 200+ applicants per post but obviously still apply!

Many without NHS experience do enter labs via Band 2 posts but at the same time many with NHS non-laboratory experience move across to these posts.

Non-NHS laboratories tend not to do training since to work in them you aren't required to be HCPC registered. Most private hospital's even use NHS labs so private workload isn't that significant.