Louise Retout has recently joined the Greater Manchester Diagnostics Network as Physiological Sciences Workforce Project Management Lead. In this blog post for Healthcare Science Week, Louise shares her reflections on her placements which took place during her first few weeks to give her insights into the various different roles and disciplines within Physiological Sciences.
To celebrate Healthcare Science Week 2025, I wanted to share my experiences visiting various Physiological Science departments across Greater Manchester, and share my insights from my new role as the Physiological Sciences Workforce Project Lead at the Greater Manchester (GM) Diagnostics Network.
Starting a new role is always a daunting experience, and like many, I’ve had moments of imposter syndrome. However, I knew that immersing myself in the world of Physiological Sciences across GM was the best way to understand the profession and the impact on patient care, so I have been on a number of placements over the past few weeks within the different departments.
Healthcare Science staff are a highly skilled workforce group, using specialist and advanced equipment to test and analyse the function of different body systems to diagnose abnormalities, and in some cases, provide long-term management for patients. Despite their crucial role, many people may not have heard of Physiological Science teams, which includes specialisms such as Audiology, Sleep Science, Neurophysiology and Ophthalmic and Vision Science to name a few.
My placements started in Cardiac Science where I was offered a pair of scrubs and went straight into the Cath Labs to observe the Clinical Scientists monitoring a patient’s heart during Cardiac catheterisation and coronary angiography, a test used to look inside coronary arteries. I quickly learnt the level of expertise, precision and quick decision-making skills Cardiac Clinical Scientists and Practitioners need to have to undertake such an invasive diagnostic procedure. During my placement I met Apprentices, Practitioners and Clinical Scientists who explained the versatility of their roles, they explained no two days are ever the same!
Next, I visited Manchester Eye Hospital to meet Ophthalmic Science Practitioners and Clinical Scientists. Walking around the department, I quickly realised how little I knew about eye health beyond my routine visits to the opticians. The depth of knowledge and specialist equipment used by Clinical Scientists to diagnose and manage conditions like Glaucoma was truly eye-opening (no pun intended!).
Following this placement was Neurophysiology where I arrived in a dark corridor and was quietly greeted by a Neurophysiology practitioner. It turned out that several children had just drifted off to sleep, and the physiologists were monitoring their sleep patterns and epileptic activity. I was shown detailed reports used to assist in diagnosis and treatment planning. What struck me the most was learning that the Physiologists also support spinal fusion surgery by monitoring spinal cord activity, a revelation that hit close to home, as I have undergone spinal fusion for scoliosis myself. I had never realised that a team of physiologists had played such a crucial role in my own procedure.
Throughout my visits, I was keen to understand how staff entered the profession. Surprisingly, many had not originally planned to pursue a Healthcare Science career. Some had family members working in the profession, while others had taken up the role after studying unrelated degrees. This highlighted a significant challenge- there is limited awareness and promotional material about careers in Healthcare Science, meaning many people stumble upon the profession rather than actively seek it out.
Reflecting on my experiences, I have been inspired by the expertise, dedication and impact of Physiological Science teams. These professionals work behind the scenes, often unnoticed, yet play a vital role in patient care. Healthcare Science Week is the perfect time to shine a spotlight on these incredible teams and encourage more people to explore careers in these rewarding fields.