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Job overview
University Hospital Southampton is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.
Job Title: Advanced Healthcare Scientist
Department: Cellular Pathology / Histopathology
Contract Type: Fixed Term
Hours: 0.6 WTE (22.5 hours per week)
Fixed Term Contract End Date: 19th September 2027
Purpose for Fixed Term: Covering Maternity Leave
Main duties of the job
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and motivated individual to join our Cellular Pathology service on a 12-month fixed-term maternity cover basis (0.6 WTE).
This is a key leadership role within the Histopathology department, providing operational, quality, and regulatory expertise to support the delivery of a safe, efficient, and patient-focused service. As part of our team, you will play a pivotal role in overseeing the highest standards of laboratory practice and ensuring continued compliance with Human Tissue Authority (HTA) legislation, standards, and codes of practice.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
In this role, your key responsibilities will include:
- Lead and support the safe, efficient, and accurate processing of post-mortem specimens.
- Manage and oversee the safe and ethical use, storage, and disposal of human tissue in accordance with relevant legislation and HTA requirements.
- Act as the department's lead for HTA compliance, maintaining up-to-date knowledge of legislation, standards, codes of practice, and regulatory guidance.
- Lead and support regulatory assessments, inspections, site visits, and any associated investigations.
- Implement actions arising from HTA alerts, inspection findings, and regulatory requirements.
- Support and lead quality improvement initiatives, clinical audits, and service development projects.
- Investigate and report clinical incidents through the Trust Risk Management system, identifying and implementing corrective actions to improve patient safety and service effectiveness.
- Work closely with Laboratory Management, Clinical Leads, Quality Leads, Designated individual and multidisciplinary colleagues to ensure compliance
- Participate in the recruitment, appraisal, competency assessment, and development of laboratory staff.
About You:
You must be experienced with substantial knowledge of Histopathology and a strong understanding of Human Tissue Authority legislation and regulatory requirements. You will possess excellent organisational, communication, and leadership skills, with experience of managing quality systems, audits, inspections, and service improvement activities.
The successful candidate will have the ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams, prioritise workloads effectively, and contribute positively to delivering an outstanding pathology service.
Why Join Us?
This role offers an excellent opportunity to further develop your leadership, quality management, and regulatory expertise within a supportive and forward-thinking pathology team committed to providing high-quality patient care.
We welcome applications from enthusiastic individuals who are passionate about quality, compliance, and continuous improvement in pathology services.
Please be advised that this vacancy may close earlier than stated if we receive a large number of applications.
Person specification
Qualifications, knowledge and experience
Essential
- Possess an IBMS accredited BSc in Biomedical sciences
- Possess an MSc in relevant Life sciences field
- Evidence of utilising skills gained from the successful award of the Institute of Biomedical Scientists/RCPath Diploma of Expert Practice in Histological Dissection
- HCPC Registered
- Possesses or is working towards the IBMS/RCPath Advanced Specialist Diploma in Specimen Dissection
- Evidence of CPD including participating in internal and external training meetings, staying up to date with best practices
- Detailed knowledge of COSHH and relevant health and safety guidelines
- Knowledge of HTA guidelines
- Evidence with the UKAS accreditation process as well as demonstrating compliance
- Evidence of participation in departmental research and development initiatives, contributing to studies and innovations that enhance laboratory practices
Desirable
- Evidence of publications or presenting at symposia and conferences
- Experience of managing a team
- Possesses a trust or leadership academy qualification
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Advanced Healthcare Scientist with University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust in University Hospital Southampton. It is listed as a Band 8 Health science services role. The advertised salary is £57,528 - £64,750 - Per Annum, Pro Rata. The contract type is 12 months (Fixed term 12 months - Covering Maternity Leave). The application deadline is 31 Aug 2026.
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