Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Histology Support Secretary

The closing date is 19 February 2026

Job summary

An opportunity has arisen to join a busy and forward thinking team within the Histology Department. The role is full time , worked over 5 days Monday to Friday.

If you are an enthusiastic, experienced and motivated person we welcome your application to join a secretarial team embedded within a proud and hardworking department.

The successful candidate will be expected to support the specialist medical secretaries and the histopathologists in the Cellular Pathology Department.

Main duties of the job

To provide administrative support to the Cellular Pathology Department, all Consultant Histopathologist and Specialist Registrars. Perform various administrative tasks on behalf of the Cellular Pathology Team. Support the Cellular Pathology secretaries and assist with the facilitation of the day to day operation of the Cellular Pathology Department.

About us

About the trust:

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is situated on the west coast of Lancashire,and offers a full range of district hospital services and community health services to a population of 1.6 million in Lancashire and South Cumbria.

The Trust provides a comprehensive range of acute hospital services to 440,000 residents of Blackpool, Fylde & Wyre and North Lancashire, as well as specialist tertiary care for Cardiac and Haematology services across the wider region.

The Trust houses a state of the art Simulation & Skills Facility that provides training for all grades of staff to improve the safety and quality of the service that we offer our patients.

We run a portfolio of in-house courses that can be accessed by all staff to enhance their professional development needs. The training is supported by the use of modern equipment including part task trainers for such skills as venepuncture and full body manikins for the practice of emergency drills.

Details

Date posted

05 February 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,937 to £26,598 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

382-CS20-26

Job locations

Blackpool Teaching Hospital

Whinney Heys Road

Blackpool

FY3 8NR


Job description

Job responsibilities

To organise and prioritise own workload and provide a full range of clerical/administrative support services including:

Opening, recording and following up on mail and e-mail received and sort, distribute and prioritise incoming mail for Consultant Histopathologists, & Specialist Registrars, using judgement to prioritise and disseminate information and to action requests.

Carry out photocopying, scanning and distribution of documents as necessary.

Deal with requests, via email, post and internally, for specimens to be sent to other hospitals.

Update and log, on spreadsheets, all incoming external reports received.

Check spreadsheets for outstanding reports and act upon this accordingly.

To enter all requests for specimens to system.

Check external databases for updates on pending reports.

Print MDT lists and print out appropriate reports.

To be the first point of contact for written and telephone enquiries from patients, relatives, General Practitioners, Consultants and other medical staff and other external organisations, and to exercise initiative, judgement and sensitivity, often in the absence of the pathologist, in dealing with and prioritising these enquiries.

Collating and circulating documents.

To act as first point of contact for health care professionals, patients/relatives, police and Coroners officers.

To co-operate, as required, with other members of the Consultant Medical Staff and their teams of Junior Medical Staff, senior Managers, departments within Victoria Hospital and Community hospitals, other Trusts, General Practitioners and other external organisations as necessary.

Responsible for maintaining an efficient Cellular Pathology office systems tracer system for all case notes & ensure that case notes are correctly maintained following guidelines.

To maintain diaries, appointments and information relevant to the Consultant Histopathologists and Specialist Registrars, and to assist in the co-ordination of activities.

Co-operate fully in appropriate collection, input and retrieval of clinical information into information systems in use within the Trust, maintaining confidentiality and data protection at all times.

Work as part of the Cellular Pathology Team to assist with the various administrative tasks, have the ability to deal with routine matters on own initiative and to work well as a team player.

To participate in departmental audits, service and efficiency reviews, and co-operate with the introduction of technology, methodology, performance and organisational improvements.

Additional duties will be undertaken as directed by the Head of Department and/or Consultant Pathologist, in consultation with the post holder.

To take responsibility for ones own personal development, and in conjunction with the Head of Department, to ensure compliance with Trust Personal Development guidelines, and maintain a personal development log.

To ensure personal compliance with regards to service requirements, mandatory requirements, Trust policy, Quality, Governance and professional demands.

To maintain awareness of future needs and contribute towards service development, to compile and review all relevant procedures and protocols, and suggest modifications and improvements as necessary.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To organise and prioritise own workload and provide a full range of clerical/administrative support services including:

Opening, recording and following up on mail and e-mail received and sort, distribute and prioritise incoming mail for Consultant Histopathologists, & Specialist Registrars, using judgement to prioritise and disseminate information and to action requests.

Carry out photocopying, scanning and distribution of documents as necessary.

Deal with requests, via email, post and internally, for specimens to be sent to other hospitals.

Update and log, on spreadsheets, all incoming external reports received.

Check spreadsheets for outstanding reports and act upon this accordingly.

To enter all requests for specimens to system.

Check external databases for updates on pending reports.

Print MDT lists and print out appropriate reports.

To be the first point of contact for written and telephone enquiries from patients, relatives, General Practitioners, Consultants and other medical staff and other external organisations, and to exercise initiative, judgement and sensitivity, often in the absence of the pathologist, in dealing with and prioritising these enquiries.

Collating and circulating documents.

To act as first point of contact for health care professionals, patients/relatives, police and Coroners officers.

To co-operate, as required, with other members of the Consultant Medical Staff and their teams of Junior Medical Staff, senior Managers, departments within Victoria Hospital and Community hospitals, other Trusts, General Practitioners and other external organisations as necessary.

Responsible for maintaining an efficient Cellular Pathology office systems tracer system for all case notes & ensure that case notes are correctly maintained following guidelines.

To maintain diaries, appointments and information relevant to the Consultant Histopathologists and Specialist Registrars, and to assist in the co-ordination of activities.

Co-operate fully in appropriate collection, input and retrieval of clinical information into information systems in use within the Trust, maintaining confidentiality and data protection at all times.

Work as part of the Cellular Pathology Team to assist with the various administrative tasks, have the ability to deal with routine matters on own initiative and to work well as a team player.

To participate in departmental audits, service and efficiency reviews, and co-operate with the introduction of technology, methodology, performance and organisational improvements.

Additional duties will be undertaken as directed by the Head of Department and/or Consultant Pathologist, in consultation with the post holder.

To take responsibility for ones own personal development, and in conjunction with the Head of Department, to ensure compliance with Trust Personal Development guidelines, and maintain a personal development log.

To ensure personal compliance with regards to service requirements, mandatory requirements, Trust policy, Quality, Governance and professional demands.

To maintain awareness of future needs and contribute towards service development, to compile and review all relevant procedures and protocols, and suggest modifications and improvements as necessary.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Word processing - Qualified to RSA III/NVQ level 3 or equivalent qualification/demonstrable skills
  • Experience of working in an administrative role
  • Minimum of 4 GCSEs one shall be English

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential

  • Ability to communicate in a clear and concise manner
  • Ability to act on own initiative, within the confines of operational procedures
  • oAble to follow protocols, meticulous attention to detail, methodical and accurate
  • oSpecific knowledge of reporting systems.
  • oAble to work as part of a dedicated and motivated team

Personal

Essential

  • Motivated, flexible and proactive
  • Tactful, courteous and polite
  • Smart appearance in accordance with BVH dress code
  • oAware of the need for confidentiality
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Word processing - Qualified to RSA III/NVQ level 3 or equivalent qualification/demonstrable skills
  • Experience of working in an administrative role
  • Minimum of 4 GCSEs one shall be English

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential

  • Ability to communicate in a clear and concise manner
  • Ability to act on own initiative, within the confines of operational procedures
  • oAble to follow protocols, meticulous attention to detail, methodical and accurate
  • oSpecific knowledge of reporting systems.
  • oAble to work as part of a dedicated and motivated team

Personal

Essential

  • Motivated, flexible and proactive
  • Tactful, courteous and polite
  • Smart appearance in accordance with BVH dress code
  • oAware of the need for confidentiality

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Blackpool Teaching Hospital

Whinney Heys Road

Blackpool

FY3 8NR


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Blackpool Teaching Hospital

Whinney Heys Road

Blackpool

FY3 8NR


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Histology Medical Secretarial Manager

Davinia Cannell-Squire

Davinia.Cannell-Squire@nhs.net

01253956949

Details

Date posted

05 February 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,937 to £26,598 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

382-CS20-26

Job locations

Blackpool Teaching Hospital

Whinney Heys Road

Blackpool

FY3 8NR


Supporting documents

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