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University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Pathology Quality Officer

The closing date is 30 November 2025

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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. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. 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. 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.

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 description

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 on-going 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.

***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.***

Job description

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 on-going 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.

***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.***

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • oEducated to Diploma level or equivalent.
  • oWillingness to undertake study leading to a Quality Management qualification

Desirable

  • oAudit training

Knowledge and experience

Essential

  • oDemonstrable interest in the area of Quality Management
  • oDemonstrable experience of working in a medical laboratory environment .
  • oDemonstrable understanding of the UKAS assessment process to ISO 15189:2022

Desirable

  • oDemonstrable experience of other pathology disciplines

Aptitude and Abilities

Essential

  • oCapable of delivering complex detailed reports at departmental management meetings.
  • oExcellent 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.

Desirable

  • oTeaching/lecturing/presentation demonstrable experience
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • oEducated to Diploma level or equivalent.
  • oWillingness to undertake study leading to a Quality Management qualification

Desirable

  • oAudit training

Knowledge and experience

Essential

  • oDemonstrable interest in the area of Quality Management
  • oDemonstrable experience of working in a medical laboratory environment .
  • oDemonstrable understanding of the UKAS assessment process to ISO 15189:2022

Desirable

  • oDemonstrable experience of other pathology disciplines

Aptitude and Abilities

Essential

  • oCapable of delivering complex detailed reports at departmental management meetings.
  • oExcellent 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.

Desirable

  • oTeaching/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 (Opens in a new tab).

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 (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

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 (Opens in a new tab).

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 (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Address

Derriford Hospital

Plymouth

PL6 8DH


Employer's website

https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Address

Derriford Hospital

Plymouth

PL6 8DH


Employer's website

https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Pathology Quality Manager

Kate Prior

kate.prior3@nhs.net

01752430097

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


Supporting documents

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