Main area Biomedical Science - Cellular Pathology Grade Band 4 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday -Friday) Job ref 216-CB-C7157247
Employer University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust Employer type NHS Site Derriford Hospital Town Plymouth Salary £26,530 - £29,114 Per Annum Salary period Yearly Closing 12/06/2025 23:59
Healthcare Scientist Assistant
Band 4
Job overview
Applications are invited from suitably demonstrable experienced candidates to join our busy team within the Department of Histology based at Derriford Hospital Plymouth.The laboratory is well equipped and handles over 40,000 requests per annum.
We are looking for an enthusiastic, motivated, highly adaptable person who is a good team player and communicator and has the ability to liaise effectively with colleagues and service users.
Derriford is a Cancer Care Centre and the largest teaching hospital within the southwest peninsula and offers excellent onsite facilities including a modern library, teaching, meeting and video-conferencing facilities. It has strong links with Plymouth University and the Peninsula school of Medicine and Dentistry.
The Department of Cellular and Anatomical Pathology is at provider of Histological and cytological services in the Southwest, serving a population of approximately 450,000.
Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will work together with the senior staff in Cellular and Anatomical Pathology to produce a timely, high quality, accurate and cost-effective service.
A keen interest and knowledge in the Molecular part of the service would be advantageous.
The post holder will assist in the timely processing of tissue and other biological specimens submitted for examination, typically 40,000 per annum.
Working for our organisation
We are a people business – where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure.
As part of the future plans of the Pathology service and in order to deliver on current workload demands, there may be an ask to work evenings and weekends.
If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment team on 01752 432100.
We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
* To assist the Biomedical Scientists (BMS) in the preparation and processing of tissue specimens submitted for histological and non-gynaecological cytology examination.
* To manipulate small pieces of tissue and embed them into wax using your knowledge and skill acquired during training, to ensure they are orientated correctly.
* Prioritise and separate urgent and other clinically indicated samples for immediate action.
* Undertake specimen preparation and cut-up duties
* Preparation of slides and samples in both Histology and Non-Gynaecological Cytology for microscopic examination. Undertake staining procedures of a routine nature.
* Utilising a microtome, cut sections using the high level skills acquired during training to produce sections that are artefact free and of the necessary quality. Cut levels from blocks of small biopsy material.
* Assist in the maintenance and running of any laboratory equipment as directed. This will include maintaining cleanliness to the necessary standard, discarding waste chemical solutions, replenishment of fresh solutions and use of the instruments.
* To become familiar with any laboratory instrumentation used in your day-to-day activity and resolve first line problems.
* To participate in the entry of data into the laboratory computer system during the various stages of tissue processing.
* To extract slides, reports and all necessary items for the multiple clinical and non-clinical meetings.
* To participate in the despatch of specimens and material to other centres.
* To participate it the collection, receipt, safe storage and disposal of reagents and other supplies.
* To make up solutions and collect chemicals from the various stores as required.
* Participate in the maintenance of the safe storage of, slides, blocks and diagnostic samples.
* To assist in the maintenance and compilation of workload statistics.
Person specification
Knowledge & Experience
* Demonstrable experience and competency of a wide range of histological procedures
* Familiar with medical terminology utilised during specimen dissection
Qualifications
* NVQ level 3 or equivalent science based qualification or demonstrable proven knowledge of a wide range of histological procedures
* Good communication skills, staff at all levels of the organisation with tact and diplomacy
* Effectively organise and prioritise own work
* Good manual dexterity skills for manipulation of specimens at all stages of the histological process
* Ability to resolve problems
PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY INCLUDING YOUR JUNK FOLDER.
If you need support with the online application process or require reasonable adjustments with the application and/or interview process please contact the Recruiting Manager for this post.
We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants about less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. We recommend contacting the manager of the role prior to applying and we commit to giving requests full consideration.
We welcome and encourage applicants who identify with all protected characteristics to apply for our roles. We believe that diversity strengthens our teams and improves our patients' experience. At UHP we aim to create an inclusive workplace and hospital where everyone feels they belong and included .
It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.
Providing false information is an offence & could result in the application being rejected or summary dismissal/police action if an applicant is successful.
Please note that if you are successful in your application & accept the position you agree that the Staff Health and Wellbeing Department can access your health records from your current/previous employer in order to check the status of your inoculations & screening tests. This is an automated process & the information will only be used for these purposes prior to your taking up the position with us.
For Doctors Roles:
Unsolicited CVs and Candidate Profiles/Details
University Hospitals Plymouth has a commitment to sourcing candidates directly and as such we do not accept speculative CVs from agencies.
We do, however, work with a defined list of preferred HTE Framework suppliers who may be invited to support us in sourcing candidates for particular roles.
In line with our preferred supplier list, we only pay agency fees where we have a signed agreement in place and an agency has been instructed by a member of the Trust’s Medical Workforce team.
We do not pay agency fees where speculative and unsolicited CVs are submitted to the Trust or Trust employees by any other means than the official route above. Where this is not observed the Trust reserves the right to contact these candidates directly and initiate discussions without payment of any agency fee.
Any candidate details (whether written or spoken) or CVs that are referred directly will not constitute an introduction. The Trust will under no circumstances be responsible for any recruitment fees in relation to these contacts.
Submission of any unsolicited CVs, candidate’s details and/or proposals to the Trust will not be considered further and will be deemed evidence of full and unlimited acceptance of this Agency Protocol.
In order to establish and maintain good working relationships with the Trust’s agency suppliers, we ask that this Protocol is adhered to and thank you for your co-operation.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Name Louise Keers Job title Cellular Pathology Technical Service Lead Email address louisekeers@nhs.net Telephone number 01752 4430851
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