What types of careers are involved in Life Sciences, Healthcare and Social Care? The answer is…plenty! They range from highly innovative engineers who can design new healthcare digital technologies, through to social workers working with vulnerable adults, or even biopharma technicians creating new drugs. With words such as Biopharma, Medtech and AI holding space in this ever-growing sector, understanding what is involved in an innovative sector like Life Sciences can feel daunting, however, this information is here to show you that you can be a part of it too.
Buckinghamshire, in particular, is part of a world-leading ‘Golden Triangle’ of UK life sciences activity. The triangle covers Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire and London and is made up of a cluster of over 700 businesses that are supported by key research institutions such as Oxford University. This information will give you some idea of what the sector is all about.
FACTS AND FIGURES:
- In total, Buckinghamshire is home to around 1,500 life science, healthcare and social organisations.
- There are 85 biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical technology companies that are currently housed in Buckinghamshire.
- Stoke Mandeville, one of the beating centres of Buckinghamshire’s heart, is home to the UK’s National Spinal Centre. It is also home to a major housing growth area where innovation can provide ‘living lab’ opportunities to apply the application of new social technologies.
- Buckinghamshire is in the first wave of 8 Integrated Care Systems which will pioneer new approaches to health and care integration locally.
- Because of the proximity to Heathrow Airport, products such as those within the healthcare sector can reach a global market at a much quicker speed – this was seen with the likes of GE Healthcare innovations in cancer detection.
THE WORKFORCE:
Did you know that Buckinghamshire is home to 24 high growth and high growth potential medical technology, healthcare and life science companies?
There are currently around 32,000 people employed in Buckinghamshire's Life Science, Healthcare and Social Care sector, including 10,000 in social care, 16,000 in healthcare and 5,500 in life sciences.
We are also home to world-leading brands and innovators alike. Three of the world’s top 30 medical device manufacturers operate from Buckinghamshire; Johnson & Johnson, GE Healthcare and Danaher Corp. Alongside 6 of the world's top 25 pharmaceutical companies who have sites in Buckinghamshire; Amgen, Allergan, Johnson & Johnson, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer, and Takeda.
ROUTES INTO LIFE SCIENCES:
Looking to get into life sciences, health and social care? You can find a variety of courses to launch your career right here in Buckinghamshire. Use the list below as a starting point for what you could study.
- The University of Buckingham offers BSc and MSc courses in Medicine and Life Science.
- Bucks New University offers education programmes in Nursing, Social Work, Applied Psychology and Allied Health.
- The University of Bedfordshire has a campus in Aylesbury for Health, Nursing and Midwifery.
- Bucks College Group offers Apprenticeships and level 1,2 and 3 qualifications in Health and Social Care.
- Milton Keynes College offers a variety of courses that can create a good foundation to a career in life sciences including Applied Sciences, Forensic and Criminal Investigation, and Health and Social Care.
- Berkshire College of Agriculture offers applied science and health and social care at varying levels, as well as specialised courses in agriculture, arboriculture and horticulture – all of which can be used to gain entry into further life sciences study in these areas.
Not only do we have great education courses, but we are also home to HealthTec. HealthTec Thames Valley is a unique health simulation centre based in the Aylesbury Campus of the Buckinghamshire College Group. It provides young people and adults with a practical insight into the 350+ careers available within the NHS and Health and Social Care sector, as well as opportunities to experience working in health-related scenarios alongside professionals.