Job summary
Business Support Officer (BSO)
Cellular Pathology and Microbiology Departments
Band 4 pa pro rata if part-time
Hours: 18.8 per week (Part Time) - Looking for support in the afternoons, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working
The Pathology department is seeking to recruit an enthusiastic and proactive individual to take up the post of Business Support Officer as a secondment for 6 months, to cover the afternoons.
The successful candidate will provide secretarial and admin support to the Pathology Laboratory Managers and Operational service leads. The aim of the role is to provide an efficient, effective, and high-quality administrative business support service to support the day-to-day operational delivery of diagnostic laboratory services.
The Cellular Pathology and Microbiology are busy, diagnostic departments with Cellular Pathology playing a vital role in the Trust's diagnostics cancer service. However, the individual may be required to support other departments within pathology as and when required, during annual leave etc.
The key elements of this role are varied and include administrative duties, personnel and data management, data collection and resource management.
Interview date: 10.10.2025
Main duties of the job
We care We communicate We collaborate We contribute
To provide an efficient and high-quality administrative business support service to the Cellular Pathology and Microbiology Laboratory Managers and the Operational service leads of both departments.
We are looking for a competent and versatile individual with a 'can do' attitude and willing to learn new skills to join our team. The candidate will be able to exercise a high level of confidentiality in respect of patient, staff, and financial information. The nature of the role means the post holder will work largely independently to ensure all aspects of the role are completed within working hours.
The successful candidate will be a professional with strong IT and time management skills, and the ability to communicate confidently and effectively with all staff groups. The candidate will work as part of a professional and friendly team of scientific and support staff to deliver a diagnostic service that meets accreditation & regulatory requirements to deliver effective patient care to the highest possible professional and quality standards.
About us
Milton Keynes University Hospital, in proud partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital committed to advancing patient care through cutting-edge research and education. With a "Good" rating from the CQC and significant investment underway, this is an exciting time to join our team and grow your career.
As a medium sized general hospital, we provide a full range of general medical and surgical services, including a busy Emergency Department, Maternity, and Paediatrics. As the population of our city and surrounding areas continues to grow rapidly, we are expanding and enhancing our facilities to meet rising demand and improve access to care for all our communities.
We are also proud to offer a growing portfolio of specialist services. In January 2025 we opened our state-of-the-art Radiotherapy Centre, bringing advanced cancer treatment closer to home. Our services also include neonatology, specialist surgical care, and a wide range of diagnostics, supported by the new Community Diagnostic Centre at Whitehouse Health Centre.
Further investment is underway, including the construction of Oak Wards - a new ward block featuring two 24-bed wards - and the recently approved Women and Children's Centre, set to open by 2030.
Visit our website to explore the latest news and opportunities at MKUH - News - Milton Keynes University Hospital -
For further information about Milton Keynes please visit - Visit Milton Keynes
Job description
Job responsibilities
Secretarial Duties
To provide a comprehensive, effective, and high-quality business admin support to the Cellular Pathology and Microbiology Laboratory managers and the Operational Service Leads. This includes: -
- Dealing with telephone and postal enquiries both routine and urgent directing/delegating tasks and taking appropriate action to ensure that appropriate action is taken in the absence of the Laboratory Manager.
- Ensure that all relevant information is made available to the Laboratory Managers including the Pathology Services Manager.
- Assisting with relevant administrative duties as necessary including effective diary management. Using electronic diary system.
- Arranging and attending meetings, booking venues, drafting agenda, taking and transcribing minutes, sometimes of a complex nature, and distributing all relevant documentation within specified deadlines.
- To undertake work of a confidential nature that must be carried out with maximum discretion and diplomacy in line with trust policy, e.g., personal folders, sickness absence monitoring.
- Updating QPulse with department documentation including copies of Minutes & SOPs/policies and create workflows for collection of feedback.
- Monitor HCPC Register for all staff roles requiring registration, liaising with relevant managers, as required.
Personnel Issues
- To work closely with the Pathology Business Administrator providing all information in a timely manner, assist with the generation of folders for newly recruited staff and to maintain the personnel files of the Department and to complete the necessary documentation when staff are amending details, leaving, or being recruited.
- Facilitate a smooth process for staff selection, providing supporting documentation and making interview arrangements as required by the departments.
Assist in monitoring of staff absence, maintaining local records and updating staff availability in HealthRoster including shift amendments.
Assist in maintenance of staff annual leave and contractual hour records; including documentation of staff leave requests when staff are unable to utilise Employee Online functionality.
Data Management.
To set up and maintain data-based records on Excel and provide spreadsheet information in accordance with the needs of the Laboratory Managers. These include;
Staff personal details, held in Trust database systems (ESR) and local personnel files.
Staff appraisal records held in Trust database systems (ESR) and local personnel files.
Staff personal development folders.
Orders, invoices etc. (NHS Shared Business Services)
Mandatory training and activity data held in Trust database systems (ESR) and local personnel files.
QPulse database.
Data Collection/Statistics
Run WinPath queries to: -
Provide weekly lists of malignancy cases, for all specialities, for MDT co-ordinators.
Provide monthly billing data.
Provide monthly Cancer Registry data, as required.
Identify outstanding work and inform the relevant pathologist, as required.
Provide data for mandatory infection control returns, as required.
Provide workload data for contract monitoring.
Provide other data returns as required.
Please refer to the job description for further details.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Secretarial Duties
To provide a comprehensive, effective, and high-quality business admin support to the Cellular Pathology and Microbiology Laboratory managers and the Operational Service Leads. This includes: -
- Dealing with telephone and postal enquiries both routine and urgent directing/delegating tasks and taking appropriate action to ensure that appropriate action is taken in the absence of the Laboratory Manager.
- Ensure that all relevant information is made available to the Laboratory Managers including the Pathology Services Manager.
- Assisting with relevant administrative duties as necessary including effective diary management. Using electronic diary system.
- Arranging and attending meetings, booking venues, drafting agenda, taking and transcribing minutes, sometimes of a complex nature, and distributing all relevant documentation within specified deadlines.
- To undertake work of a confidential nature that must be carried out with maximum discretion and diplomacy in line with trust policy, e.g., personal folders, sickness absence monitoring.
- Updating QPulse with department documentation including copies of Minutes & SOPs/policies and create workflows for collection of feedback.
- Monitor HCPC Register for all staff roles requiring registration, liaising with relevant managers, as required.
Personnel Issues
- To work closely with the Pathology Business Administrator providing all information in a timely manner, assist with the generation of folders for newly recruited staff and to maintain the personnel files of the Department and to complete the necessary documentation when staff are amending details, leaving, or being recruited.
- Facilitate a smooth process for staff selection, providing supporting documentation and making interview arrangements as required by the departments.
Assist in monitoring of staff absence, maintaining local records and updating staff availability in HealthRoster including shift amendments.
Assist in maintenance of staff annual leave and contractual hour records; including documentation of staff leave requests when staff are unable to utilise Employee Online functionality.
Data Management.
To set up and maintain data-based records on Excel and provide spreadsheet information in accordance with the needs of the Laboratory Managers. These include;
Staff personal details, held in Trust database systems (ESR) and local personnel files.
Staff appraisal records held in Trust database systems (ESR) and local personnel files.
Staff personal development folders.
Orders, invoices etc. (NHS Shared Business Services)
Mandatory training and activity data held in Trust database systems (ESR) and local personnel files.
QPulse database.
Data Collection/Statistics
Run WinPath queries to: -
Provide weekly lists of malignancy cases, for all specialities, for MDT co-ordinators.
Provide monthly billing data.
Provide monthly Cancer Registry data, as required.
Identify outstanding work and inform the relevant pathologist, as required.
Provide data for mandatory infection control returns, as required.
Provide workload data for contract monitoring.
Provide other data returns as required.
Please refer to the job description for further details.
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- Good general education including English, minimum of 5 GCSE (Grade A to C) or equivalent.
- Strong IT skills in relation to Microsoft packages including word/excel to NVQ level 3 or RSA III or equivalent.
Experience
Essential
- Relevant secretarial/administration experience working within a clinical department.
- Knowledge of relevant Acts i.e., Data Protection which affect daily operations, including awareness of patient confidentiality.
- Ability to input and retrieve information on a computerised system whilst adhering to complex local and national policies and guidelines accurately and efficiently.
- Experience of using: Excel, Access, and Windows.
Desirable
- Experience of working within the NHS
- In depth understanding of NHS performance targets internal and external.
- Experience of using full range of IT/Patient data systems.
- Knowledge of medical terminology.
- Experience of handling inbound and outbound telephone calls of a potentially sensitive nature whilst recording information accurately into multiple electronic data systems.
Skills
Essential
- Effective verbal and written communication
- Good telephone manner.
- Excellent word processing skills/computer skills
- Evidence of working under pressure to tight deadlines and dealing with difficult situations e.g., patients, public, visitors and Coroners Office.
- Good administrative skills.
- Good all round communication skills.
- Good customer service skills.
- Strong organizational skills with ability to prioritise.
- Good attention to detail.
- Ability to make decisions using own initiative.
Personal and people development
Essential
- Must be able to work as an integral member of a team.
- Have a flexible and positive approach to work.
- Must have a professional attitude/appearance and be courteous at all times.
- Willing to develop personal skills and knowledge.
Communication
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal skills.
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
- Active listener.
- Ability to educate in the use of applications and systems for best practice.
Specific requirements
Essential
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- Good general education including English, minimum of 5 GCSE (Grade A to C) or equivalent.
- Strong IT skills in relation to Microsoft packages including word/excel to NVQ level 3 or RSA III or equivalent.
Experience
Essential
- Relevant secretarial/administration experience working within a clinical department.
- Knowledge of relevant Acts i.e., Data Protection which affect daily operations, including awareness of patient confidentiality.
- Ability to input and retrieve information on a computerised system whilst adhering to complex local and national policies and guidelines accurately and efficiently.
- Experience of using: Excel, Access, and Windows.
Desirable
- Experience of working within the NHS
- In depth understanding of NHS performance targets internal and external.
- Experience of using full range of IT/Patient data systems.
- Knowledge of medical terminology.
- Experience of handling inbound and outbound telephone calls of a potentially sensitive nature whilst recording information accurately into multiple electronic data systems.
Skills
Essential
- Effective verbal and written communication
- Good telephone manner.
- Excellent word processing skills/computer skills
- Evidence of working under pressure to tight deadlines and dealing with difficult situations e.g., patients, public, visitors and Coroners Office.
- Good administrative skills.
- Good all round communication skills.
- Good customer service skills.
- Strong organizational skills with ability to prioritise.
- Good attention to detail.
- Ability to make decisions using own initiative.
Personal and people development
Essential
- Must be able to work as an integral member of a team.
- Have a flexible and positive approach to work.
- Must have a professional attitude/appearance and be courteous at all times.
- Willing to develop personal skills and knowledge.
Communication
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal skills.
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
- Active listener.
- Ability to educate in the use of applications and systems for best practice.
Specific requirements
Essential
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
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.
