Job summary
Applications are invited from enthusiastic individuals to join our team as a full time Healthcare Science Assistant in Cellular Pathology at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne. The Department provides Histology, Cytology and Mortuary services. It is purpose-built within a prime City-centre location, offering an attractive career opportunity.
A Healthcare Science Assistant (HCSA) is part of a clinical support team in a hospital laboratory whose purpose is to provide timely and accurate high quality scientific information that will assist service users from the hospital and community, in the establishment of a clinical diagnosis and monitoring of patient treatment.
The HCSA will use practical skills to carry out a variety of laboratory duties including reception and data entry of requests received, filing of slides/sample blocks and some basic pathological tests under the supervision and guidance of a Biomedical Scientist.
Applicants should meet the essential requirements with experience of working in a laboratory. The laboratory core working hours are from 7am and 6pm, some flexibility in shift patterns may be required to support service needs. Participation in a Saturday rota will also be required.
This post will provide a range of duties to support the cellular pathology team across the reception, dissection, slide production, archive, cytology, neuropathology and immunohistochemistry sections of the department.
Main duties of the job
- Interview Date: 13th June 2025
- 37 hours 30 minutes/week
- You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy.
NO AGENCIES PLEASE
This post will provide a range of duties to support the cellular pathology team across the reception, dissection, slide production, archive, cytology, neuropathology and immunohistochemistry sections of the department.
- Receipt and processing of patient samples, which include anatomically identifiable body tissues and fluids
- Assisting Biomedical Scientists and Pathologist during specimen dissection
- Slides from patient samples for issue, Sorting, transport and filing of blocks and slides from patient sample
- Inputting data into Laboratory Information Systems (APEX), machine maintenance
- Restocking of laboratory consumables and reagents
- Discard of laboratory waste
- Other general laboratory duties supporting Biomedical Scientists and Medical Staff in preparing patient samples for diagnosis.
About us
Our staff oversee around 6,500 patient contacts every day, delivering high standards of healthcare from the following sites:
o Freeman Hospital
o Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)
o Health Innovation Neighbourhood (on the former Newcastle General Hospital and Centre for Ageing and Vitality site)
o Newcastle Dental Hospital
o Newcastle Fertility Centre
o Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria
o Northern Genetics Service
o Cramlington Manor Walks
These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting-edge care (supported by state-of-the-art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS.
We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.
Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under 'Documents to download' or 'Supporting documents'.
For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Job description
Job responsibilities
- A Healthcare Science Assistant (HSA) is part of a clinical support team whose purpose is to provide timely and accurate high quality scientific information that will assist service users from the hospital and community, in the establishment of a clinical diagnosis and monitoring of patient treatment.
- The HCSA will use practical skills to carry out a variety of laboratory duties including reception and data entry of requests received and some basic pathological tests under the supervision and guidance of a Biomedical Scientist.
- To assist in the preparation of specimens for analysis, including booking in patient and specimen details, storing, retrieving and disposing of specimens.
- To carry out, under supervision, some laboratory procedures (e.g. embedding, microtomy of simple cases,) and the operation of laboratory equipment e.g. microtome, Faxitron X ray machine, cassette labelling machine, slide staining machine.
- Label stained microscope slides and match them to correct request form
- Match labelled tissue cassettes with request form.
- Filing and retrieval of slides and tissue blocks both in the laboratory and at the offsite archive.
- Record on request form dictated specimen details during the dissection of tissue samples by medical and scientific staff.
- To work in compliance with local health and safety rules to ensure a safe working environment for you, colleagues and visitors.
- To adhere to department and Trust Health and Safety policies (including COSHH, Risk assessments and Standard Operating Procedures) and to report any non-compliances to a senior member of staff.
- Ensure the risk of infection to yourself, colleagues, patients, relatives and visitors is minimised by:
- being familiar with, and adhering to Trust policies and guidance on infection prevention and control
- attending Trust Induction Programme(s) and statutory education programmes in infection prevention and control
- including infection prevention and control as an integral part of your continuous personal/professional development
- taking personal responsibility so far as is reasonably practicable, in helping ensure that effective prevention and control of health care acquired infections is embedded into everyday practice and applied consistently by you and your colleagues
Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first months pay.
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- A Healthcare Science Assistant (HSA) is part of a clinical support team whose purpose is to provide timely and accurate high quality scientific information that will assist service users from the hospital and community, in the establishment of a clinical diagnosis and monitoring of patient treatment.
- The HCSA will use practical skills to carry out a variety of laboratory duties including reception and data entry of requests received and some basic pathological tests under the supervision and guidance of a Biomedical Scientist.
- To assist in the preparation of specimens for analysis, including booking in patient and specimen details, storing, retrieving and disposing of specimens.
- To carry out, under supervision, some laboratory procedures (e.g. embedding, microtomy of simple cases,) and the operation of laboratory equipment e.g. microtome, Faxitron X ray machine, cassette labelling machine, slide staining machine.
- Label stained microscope slides and match them to correct request form
- Match labelled tissue cassettes with request form.
- Filing and retrieval of slides and tissue blocks both in the laboratory and at the offsite archive.
- Record on request form dictated specimen details during the dissection of tissue samples by medical and scientific staff.
- To work in compliance with local health and safety rules to ensure a safe working environment for you, colleagues and visitors.
- To adhere to department and Trust Health and Safety policies (including COSHH, Risk assessments and Standard Operating Procedures) and to report any non-compliances to a senior member of staff.
- Ensure the risk of infection to yourself, colleagues, patients, relatives and visitors is minimised by:
- being familiar with, and adhering to Trust policies and guidance on infection prevention and control
- attending Trust Induction Programme(s) and statutory education programmes in infection prevention and control
- including infection prevention and control as an integral part of your continuous personal/professional development
- taking personal responsibility so far as is reasonably practicable, in helping ensure that effective prevention and control of health care acquired infections is embedded into everyday practice and applied consistently by you and your colleagues
Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first months pay.
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Person Specification
Qualifications & Education
Essential
- Five GCSEs at grade 4 or above including English, Maths and Science or equivalent qualification (e.g. NVQ Level 2 in Clinical Laboratory Support)
Knowledge & Experience
Desirable
- Understanding of a basic range of routine laboratory processes including assisting in basic sample processing, using laboratory equipment
- Basic understanding of human biology
- Previous NHs Laboratory experience
- Understanding of Health and Safety
- Experience of using Laboratory equipment
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Good communication skills
- Good keyboard/typing skills
- Able to concentrate for long periods of time
- Good hand-eye coordination
- Attention to detail
- Self organisation and ability to prioritise
- Able to concentrate for long periods
- Able to meet the physical requirements of the role (Lifting weights of 10kg or more and carry out repetitive tasks for prolonged periods of time)
- Ability to tolerate exposure to samples of a distressing nature and prolonged exposure to unpleasant smells
Person Specification
Qualifications & Education
Essential
- Five GCSEs at grade 4 or above including English, Maths and Science or equivalent qualification (e.g. NVQ Level 2 in Clinical Laboratory Support)
Knowledge & Experience
Desirable
- Understanding of a basic range of routine laboratory processes including assisting in basic sample processing, using laboratory equipment
- Basic understanding of human biology
- Previous NHs Laboratory experience
- Understanding of Health and Safety
- Experience of using Laboratory equipment
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Good communication skills
- Good keyboard/typing skills
- Able to concentrate for long periods of time
- Good hand-eye coordination
- Attention to detail
- Self organisation and ability to prioritise
- Able to concentrate for long periods
- Able to meet the physical requirements of the role (Lifting weights of 10kg or more and carry out repetitive tasks for prolonged periods of time)
- Ability to tolerate exposure to samples of a distressing nature and prolonged exposure to unpleasant smells
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.
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.
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).
