Job summary
- Main area
- Histopathology
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Part time - 33.75 hours per week
- Job ref
- 276-7789834-AC
- Employer
- Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Queen Victoria Hospital
- Town
- East Grinstead
- Salary
- £22.17 - £26.70 per hour (inclusive of WTD)
- Salary period
- Hourly
- Closing
- 03/09/2026 23:59
Employer heading
BANK Specialist Biomedical Scientist
NHS AfC: Band 6
Welcome to Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and thank you for your interest.
In addition to receiving tertiary referrals from across the South East of England, we have a network of ‘spoke’ sites at district general hospitals enabling our consultants to offer their expertise with routine treatments and consultations as close to patients’ homes as is possible. With the recent addition of video led ‘virtual’ consultations we also enable patients who have some distance to travel to avoid the additional stress and worry of a long journey.
Working at QVH combines the excitement, challenge and career opportunities of many larger organisations with the satisfaction of delivering excellent patient care that really does re-build our patients’ lives.
We also offer attractive benefits such as
- tailored personal development to support career aspirations, including accredited clinical and management development programmes
- flexible working arrangements for a work-life balance that suits you and your needs
- a dedicated reward programme, offering a range of national and local discounts, cashback and tax relief schemes
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Sustainability
At Queen Victoria Hospital we want to be the first Net Zero Hospital in England, and to achieve that wants every member of staff to be a green champion. The way in which the Trust works has a significant impact on the organisation’s carbon footprint and that of our patients. From the heat, light and power supplies within the hospital to avoiding unnecessary patient journeys, the Trust is empowering all staff to create a sustainable health and care environment for future generations. The Trust expects all staff to reuse and recycle more, to use energy and water efficiently, to walk or cycle to work if you can, and to have a focus on sustainability in the workplace.
You can view our Green Plan here: Green Plan - Queen Victoria Hospital (qvh.nhs.uk)
Job overview
**BANK opportunity for immediate start and until February 2027**
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic, experienced and capable Specialist Biomedical Scientist, with an interest in career progression.
The successful applicant will be a suitably qualified and experienced HCPC registered Specialist Biomedical Scientist holding an MSc.
The Histopathology Department provides a routine histology and frozen section service for the Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Trust. The trust is the regional centre for Maxillofacial, corneoplastic, and plastic / burns surgery. In addition the department also receives specimens from out-lying plastic outpatient clinics, Maxillofacial clinics and local dental practitioners. In total approximately 18,000 cutaneous, soft tissue, head and neck and corneoplastic surgical specimens are processed by the department per annum.
The department is an approved IBMS/HCPC training laboratory with UKAS ISO 15189 accreditation and continuous professional development is actively encouraged.
Main duties of the job
The post-holder is expected to perform the role of Senior Biomedical Scientist in a friendly and cooperative manner, providing technical assistance to the Laboratory manager, other Biomedical Scientists and Consultant Histopathologists, leading various exciting projects within the department and ensuring technical performance within these areas is of the highest standard. They will be expected to promote continuous improvement in service delivery and quality within all areas of the Histology Department.
The duties require a flexible approach incorporating common sense and a positive outlook . You will perform a range of senior specialist activities and provide highly specialist advice to clinicians and other service users.
Working for our organisation
Rated GOOD overall with outstanding care by the CQC. A specialist NHS hospital providing life-changing reconstructive surgery, burns care and rehabilitation services across the South of England and beyond.
We specialise in conditions of the eyes (corneoplastics), hands, head and neck cancer and skin cancer, reconstructive breast surgery, maxillofacial surgery and prosthetics, providing regional and national services in these areas of clinical expertise. Our world-leading clinical teams also treat more common conditions of the eyes, hands, skin, and teeth for the people of East Grinstead and the surrounding areas. In addition, QVH provides a minor injuries unit, expert therapies, a sleep service, and a growing portfolio of community-based services. Patients consistently rate QVH amongst the top hospitals in the country for quality of care.
Our success is underpinned by the skills and enthusiasm of our staff and a strong culture of partnership. We are fully committed to training and development of the workforce with support for continuing education and learning.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For full duties and responsibilities please refer to the attached document entitled Job Description.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- BSc Biomedical Science Degree
- MSc Biomedical Science or related science subject
- HCPC Accreditation
Desirable criteria
- Fellow of Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS)
- NHS Leadership/Management Courses
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience problem-solving as a specialist BMS including leadership and projects
- Experience in a range of routine and specialist laboratory techniques
- Experience training and mentoring junior BMS/unqualified staff
- Evidence of project leadership including pathology modernisation
Desirable criteria
- Experience with digital histopathology
- Experience with laboratory audit processes
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Excellent understanding of specialist histopathology techniques
- Knowledge of laboratory instrumentation and automation systems
- Understanding of workload planning, resource allocation, and laboratory efficiency.
Desirable criteria
- Understanding of digital pathology systems, slide management software, and telepathology.
- Knowledge of ISO 15189 standards, MHRA regulations, and Human Tissue Act compliance.
Skills
Essential criteria
- Recognise and produce work of high quality and to plan and allocate workloads efficiently, ensuring laboratory efficiency.
- Strong communication skills for liaising with pathologists, clinicians, and multidisciplinary teams.
- Ability to develop and deliver staff training programs, promoting continuous professional development.
- Ability to cope with a wide range of complex issues prioritising effectively when dealing with competing demands
- Experience with frozen sections and specialist dissection
Desirable criteria
- Proficient in using Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) and digital pathology software.
- Competent in documenting procedures, maintaining accurate records, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.
- Strong organisational skills to manage multiple priorities, urgent specimens, and high-throughput workflows.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Aneela Arshad
- Job title
- Laboratory Services Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01342 306634
If you have problems applying, contact
- Address
-
Holtye Road
East Grinstead
RH19 3DZ
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