Job summary
To support the maintenance and development of the Quality Management System (QMS) for the benefit of the service users and laboratory staff.
To support the Pathology Quality Managers ensuring appropriate quality issues are addressed within the QMS to meet standards as assessed by external accrediting bodies.
Main duties of the job
* The Quality Officer will have the key knowledge, skills and inherent technical ability in the medical laboratory environment in order to actively and proactively support quality and quality improvement activities within Pathology.
To apply medical laboratory knowledge and experience in order to contribute to maintaining compliance with the ISO15189 standard, Blood Safety and Quality Regulations (BSQR), Human Tissue Authority (HTA), whilst ensuring the consistent delivery of the QMS across all sections.
The post holder will support the Quality Managers by monitoring the QMS, coordinating with departmental leads to minimise variation and defects to agreed key performance indicators.
To facilitate the timely running of sectional (technical) audit schedules and act as first point of contact for technical audit related activities.
About us
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.
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.
Details
Date posted: 05 November 2025
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 5
Salary: £31,049 to £37,796 a year (£29,970 - £36,483 Per Annum)
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working
Reference number: 216-DH-C7344762
Job locations: Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, PL6 8DH
Job responsibilities
1. Reporting to the Quality Managers and the Pathology Governance Lead on the performance of the Quality Management System and any need for improvement.
2. Collating, interpreting and analysing data on performance of the Quality System to produce timely and detailed quality reports and Scorecards for the Quality Managers and sectional quality meetings.
3. Undertake other data collection processes in support of specific projects; inputting, monitoring and checking data, required for finite and ongoing projects within the team.
4. To become familiar with all areas of work being supported across UHP Pathology, the relevant statutory requirements, the policies and procedures within the QMS, the Trust and the requirements of accreditation in use.
5. Responsible for overseeing the preparation of Quality Team meeting agendas, write‑up and distribution of meeting notes within Q‑Pulse.
6. To support the revision and review of Pathology documents, in line with the document control policy.
7. Assist in the production of communications materials, such as website content, user surveys and quality performance targets, ensuring the content is up to date.
8. Collate CAPA incidents for laboratory sectional and management meetings.
9. 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.
Qualifications and Requirements
Qualifications (Essential)
* Educated to Diploma level or equivalent.
* Willingness to undertake study leading to a Quality Management qualification.
Qualifications (Desirable)
* Audit training.
Knowledge and Experience (Essential)
* Demonstrable interest in the area of Quality Management.
* Demonstrable experience of working in a medical laboratory environment.
* Demonstrable understanding of the UKAS assessment process to ISO 15189:2022.
Knowledge and Experience (Desirable)
* Demonstrable experience of other pathology disciplines.
Aptitude and Abilities (Essential)
* Capable of delivering complex detailed reports at departmental management meetings.
* Excellent communication skills, being able to communicate with all grades of staff across UHP pathology with tact and diplomacy on a one‑to‑one, or small group basis.
Aptitude and Abilities (Desirable)
* Teaching/lecturing/presentation demonstrable experience.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here: Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.
Employer Details
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, PL6 8DH
Website: https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/
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