BIOMEDICAL SCIENTISTS - HISTOPATHOLOGY B5

Job overview

An opportunity has arisen for an experienced, motivated Histology BMS to join the large and friendly team at Guildford.

The department has automated tinctorial staining with the introduction of Roche Benchmark SS and also introduced highly automated H&E staining via Roche HE600. In 2025, specimen tracking (Vantage) systems have been implemented. The department has installed 5 state of the art digital pathology scanners and has signed contractual agreements to fully digitise the service.

All training is supported by Histology Training Officer. The department has extensive and recent experience of IBMS Specialist Portfolio completion and staff progression. The department actively encourages Specialist Portfolio completion as well as supporting the IBMS Higher Specialist Diploma and Certificates of Expert practice with development towards leadership roles supported should a candidate wish to progress in that direction. There are also opportunities to study for online MSc modules via BioMed Online once trained to the appropriate level and as funding is released.

Main duties of the job

To contribute to the delivery and evolution of the Histopathology service to all BSPS sites.

The post holder will be a HCPC registered Biomedical Scientist with well-developed specialist knowledge and skills appropriate to their Pathology service.  They will be required to work unsupervised (including on shift or on-call systems where appropriate and necessary), either as part of a team or independently, receiving, analysing and reporting specimens for Pathological investigations.

The post holder will be required to perform a complex range of tests using dedicated scientific equipment on all samples received, including high-risk specimens, i.e., those from HIV and hepatitis B positive patients.  They will be required to interpret and report results in accordance with agreed service protocols to clinicians and nursing staff in primary & secondary care.  They will also be required to ensure their appropriate continual professional development and evidence such, in accordance with the requirements of the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC), and train and supervise less experienced staff as directed by their line manager.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the full job description & person spec

• hours per week Band 5 + HCAS (see details below)

Base - Surrey Histology Hub in Guildford (with travel to other sites across Surrey)

All training is supported by Histology Training Officer. The department has extensive and recent experience of IBMS Specialist Portfolio completion and staff progression. The department actively encourages Specialist Portfolio completion as well as supporting the IBMS Higher Specialist Diploma and Certificates of Expert practice with development towards leadership roles supported should a candidate wish to progress in that direction. There are also opportunities to study for online MSc modules via BioMed Online once trained to the appropriate level and as funding is released.

The department supports advanced practice in histological dissection and BMS reporting with multiple staff holding IBMS diploma in such areas. Dissection training is offered to all staff as part of their usual rotations with advanced practice usually commencing within the first year. The department has introduced BMS triage of certain specimens to request IHC and companion diagnostics and full training in tissue recognition and associate advanced practice is supported and provided.

The post will be largely based at the RSCH in Guildford, with occasional rotation to one of the other BSPS Surrey Histopathology sites at Frimley Park, St Peter’s/Ashford or East Surrey Hospital. We welcome applications from enthusiastic scientist who wish to be part of a technically advanced and cutting edge histology service and who wish to advance their own skills.

• The laboratory supports St Luke's Cancer Centre, a regional centre providing complex cancer surgery and radiotherapy and performs over 400 frozen sections per annum.
• Analyse and interpret test and other data involving complex facts in pursuance of service needs and to benefit the patient.
• Provide complex and sensitive information, in the form of test results, to clinicians, nursing staff and appropriate others, overcoming any barriers to understanding and ensuring that due regard has been given to the significance and urgency of such results.
• Communicate highly complex information to colleagues, including less experienced staff, in order to ensure an understanding of all techniques employed and the highly complex equipment used in the analysis of Pathological samples.
• Apply problem solving skills to situations which may arise from time to time which may otherwise impact adversely on the service, e.g. equipment or assay failure, mislabelled or lost samples, queries from clinicians.
• Develop and maintain highly developed physical skills sufficient to support the accurate and precise use of scientific equipment and processes, including for example, microscopy, microtomy and the manipulation and preparation of Pathological samples.
• Provide a specialist scientific and technical service, undertaking complex diagnostic tests and interpreting data to aid the diagnosis of disease and/or monitoring of disease treatment.
• Implement policies and procedures, including all Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s), and comments upon these at time of annual review (or more frequently, as appropriate), in order to ensure that all policies and SOP’s are up to date and reflective of best current practice. ·