Healthcare Science Assistant

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider in Newcastle upon Tyne is seeking a full-time Healthcare Science Assistant in Cellular Pathology. This role involves supporting laboratory operations, processing samples, and collaborating with medical staff. Ideal candidates will have laboratory experience and strong data entry skills. Flexibility in working arrangements is encouraged to meet service needs.

Qualifications

• Experience of working in a laboratory environment is essential.
• Practical skills in laboratory duties including data input and specimen handling.

Responsibilities

• Receive and process patient samples, supporting Biomedical Scientists.
• Input data into Laboratory Information Systems and maintain machines.
• Restock laboratory consumables and manage waste disposal.

Skills

Laboratory skills

Data entry accuracy

Team collaboration

Education

Experience working in a laboratory

Tools

Laboratory Information Systems (APEX)

Job description

Applications are invited from enthusiastic individuals to expand our team of full time Healthcare Science Assistant in Cellular Pathology at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne. The Department provides Histology, Cytology and Mortuary services. It is purpose-built within a prime City-centre location, offering an attractive career opportunity. A Healthcare Science Assistant (HCSA) is part of a clinical support team in a hospital laboratory whose purpose is to provide timely and accurate high quality scientific information that will assist service users from the hospital and community, in the establishment of a clinical diagnosis and monitoring of patient treatment. The HCSA will use practical skills to carry out a variety of laboratory duties including reception and data entry of requests received, filing of slides/sample blocks and some basic pathological tests under the supervision and guidance of a Biomedical Scientist. Applicants should meet the essential requirements with experience of working in a laboratory. The laboratory core working hours are from 7am and 6pm, some flexibility in shift patterns may be required to support service needs. Participation in a Saturday rota will also be required.

• Interview Date Saturday 22 November 2025
• 37 Hours 30 Minutes/Week
• You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy, This post will provide a range of duties to support the cellular pathology team across the reception, dissection, slide production, archive, cytology, neuropathology and immunohistochemistry sections of the department.
• Receipt and processing of patient samples, which include anatomically identifiable body tissues and fluids
• Assisting Biomedical Scientists and Pathologist during specimen dissection
• Slides from patient samples for issue, Sorting, transport and filing of blocks and slides from patient sample
• Inputting data into Laboratory Information Systems (APEX), machine maintenance
• Restocking of laboratory consumables and reagents
• Discard of laboratory waste
• Other general laboratory duties supporting Biomedical Scientists and Medical Staff in preparing patient samples for diagnosis
• As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
• Our staff oversee over 6,500 patient contacts every day, delivering high standards of healthcare from the following sites:
  o Freeman Hospital
  o Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)
  o Health Innovation Neighbourhood (on the former Newcastle General Hospital and Centre for Ageing and Vitality site)
  o Newcastle Dental Hospital
  o Newcastle Fertility Centre
  o Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria
  o Northern Genetics Service
  o Cramlington Manor Walks
  These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting-edge care (supported by state-of-the-art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS. We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.