Job summary
- Main area
- Cellular Pathology
- Grade
- Band 6
- Contract
- Bank - as and when required
- Hours
- Flexible working - Bank - as and when required
- Job ref
- 100-BANK-HS002-0525
- Employer
- Hywel Dda University Health Board
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Glangwili General Hospital
- Town
- Carmarthen
- Salary
- £37,898 - £45,637 per annum pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 09/06/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 20/06/2025
Employer heading

Bank Specialist Biomedical Scientist
Band 6
Our Hywel Dda values reflect who we are and how we behave. We continuously work together to be the best we can be as we strive to develop and deliver excellent services, putting people at the heart of everything we do. Throughout our recruitment process you will be asked to think about how you would demonstrate these values in the way that you work with us.
If you are registered Health Care professional considering relocating to the Hywel Dda area in West Wales please don’t hesitate to contact our recruitment campaigns team directly via [email protected]
To keep up to date with our latest recruitment activity follow us on Facebook (Swyddi Hywel Dda Jobs), LinkedIn or on Twitter @SwyddiHDdaJobs
Hywel Dda University Health Board reserve the right to close vacancies after 24 hours if a large number of suitable applications are received. We encourage early applications to ensure consideration for a post.
Please be advised that there is a temporary top up for Bands 2 and 3 to reflect the incorporation of the top up to the living wage of £12.60 per hour - £24,638 per annum.
This temporary top up will be in place until the annual pay uplift for 2025/26 is confirmed.
Job overview
Applications are invited from enthusiastic individuals with a proven background of working in a Cellular Pathology environment, with the associated education and competency, to join this friendly, well-equipped Cellular Pathology department as a Bank Specialist Biomedical Scientist. The laboratory processes approximately 30,000 samples per year, providing essential services to the population of Hywel Dda University Health Board.
The post holder will work alongside the wider Cellular Pathology team to fulfil the daily operational requirements of this busy department. The central Histology laboratory service is situated on the Glangwili Hospital site in Carmarthen with a small satellite team based at Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli. This role will require the occasional working between sites.
The successful candidate will be expected to develop and maintain close working relationships with all grades of staff, both scientific and medical to ensure the effective delivery of the service. We are committed to continued professional and career development of all our staff.
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post, English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.
Main duties of the job
-
Receipt of specimens ensuring that they meet quality standards of identification and preservation as defined in Standard operation procedures. This includes sorting, labelling and computer data entry, cataloguing and storing paraffin wax blocks and microscope slides. Routine and urgent fixation, processing and presentation of specimens for reporting by a Consultant Pathologist.
-
Undertake specialist demonstration and processing techniques to include specialised staining techniques, frozen sections.
-
To rotate to the IHC laboratory and undertake manual and automated immunology techniques including immunohistochemistry, for tumour identification/typing.
- Undertake dissection of tissue as instructed by consultant pathologist.
-
Participate in external quality control schemes.
Function with enhanced responsibility, working alone as required. To have the experience, skills and knowledge to be able to competently operate independently and perform emergency frozen sections for urgent diagnosis.
To perform computer data entry and retrieval of information including precise patient matching to ensure the accuracy of permanently stored patient records.
To record all test results and workload data onto the Laboratory Information Management System.
To carry out preliminary maintenance, troubleshooting, repair, keeping complex equipment in optimal condition.
Working for our organisation
Hywel Dda University Health Board is the planner and provider of NHS healthcare services for people in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and its bordering counties. Our 12,000 members of staff provide primary, community, in-hospital, mental health and learning disabilities services to almost 400,000 people across a quarter of the landmass of Wales. We do this in partnership with our three local authorities and public, private and third sector colleagues, including our volunteers, through:
Four main hospitals: Bronglais General in Aberystwyth, Glangwili General in Carmarthen, Prince Philip in Llanelli and Withybush General in Haverfordwest.
Five community hospitals: Amman Valley Hospital and Llandovery Hospital in Carmarthenshire, Tregaron Hospital in Ceredigion and Tenby and South Pembrokeshire Hospital Health and Social Care Resource Centre in Pembrokeshire.
Two integrated care centres (Aberaeron and Cardigan, Ceredigion).
Community facilities, including:
48 General Practices (GP surgeries), 49 Dental Practices, 98 Community Pharmacies (chemists), 44 General Ophthalmic Practices (including eye health and low vision services), 38 sites providing mental health and learning disability services, care within your own homes
Highly specialised and tertiary services commissioned by the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee, a joint committee representing seven health boards across Wales.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
1 You will be able to find a full job description and person specification attached within the supporting documents.
The Health Board is committed to supporting its staff to fully embrace the need for bilingualism thereby enhancing patient and service user experiences. In our commitment to increase the number of staff who are able to communicate in Welsh with patients and professionals, we welcome applications from Welsh speakers.
The ability to communicate in Welsh is desirable for this post. If you do not meet the Welsh Language requirements specified, the Health Board offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal desirable requirements during the course of your employment with us.
Interviews will be held on 20th June 2025
Person specification
Qualifications & Knowledge
Essential criteria
- BSc. (Hons) Degree Biomedical Science/Life Science
- Specialist Diploma or equivalent
- HCPC Registration
- Evidence of CPD
- Knowledge of Pathology Quality Assurance
Experience
Essential criteria
- Prior experience as a Registered Biomedical Scientist
- In-depth knowledge of complex laboratory instrumentation
- Technical ability to troubleshoot, repair, advise or provide in-depth information relevant to speciality
Other
Essential criteria
- Ability to travel between sites in a timely manner
- Flexible approach to needs of the service.
Language Skills
Desirable criteria
- Welsh Speaker (level 1)
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
Welsh language skills are desirable
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Dunisha Piyadasa-Jones
- Job title
- Specialist Biomedical Scientist Cellular Pathology
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01267 227457
List jobs with Hywel Dda University Health Board in Health Science Services or all sectors