Pathology Assistant - Blood Sciences

ESHT; Eastbourne; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

NHS pension

Staff restaurants

Onsite nurseries

Accommodation

Onsite parking

Job summary

East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust is recruiting Pathology Assistants to join ESHT Pathology Blood Sciences to support Biomedical Scientists on weekends. Training across Haematology, Blood Bank and Biochemistry will be provided. The role involves a rotating shift, including evenings and weekends, with a view to meeting service demands.

Based mainly at Eastbourne DGH, some duties may require travel to Conquest Hospital. Applicants should have GCSEs incl.

Qualifications

• Good general education to GCSE level including English and Maths.
• NVQ 3 level qualification in relevant subject or equivalent level of experience and knowledge.
• Completion of NVQ level 2 in Clinical Laboratory Support.
• Completion of formal one year Laboratory Training and Assessment Programme.

Responsibilities

• Data entry into the laboratory computer system.
• Identify patient details using e-searcher.
• Handle samples that may be hazardous.
• Unpack, sort and book in samples; pack specimens for referral labs; prepare reagents.
• Perform simple analytical procedures and other general tasks as required.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Teamwork

Attention to detail

Ability to work under pressure

Education

GCSEs including English & Maths

NVQ 3 in relevant subject

NVQ 2 in Clinical Laboratory Support

Lab training & assessment programme

Tools

Computer literacy

Job description

We do not charge fees for job applications, recruitment processes, sponsorship arrangements or employment offers. All current vacancies can be found below, with the published contact details being the only authorised routes for recruitment communications, applications and verification of job offers.

Main area Pathology Grade NHS AfC: Band 3 Contract Permanent Hours

• Full time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week (Flexible working including evenings, weekends and bank holidays, Requirement may change in the future to match service demand) Job ref 374-ED2088

Site Eastbourne District General Hospital Town Eastbourne Salary £25,760 - £27,476 per annum, pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 22/10/2026 23:59

We are proud to provide ‘Outstanding’ care and be a great place to work.

East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust provides safe, compassionate and high quality hospital and community care to the half a million people living in East Sussex and those who visit our local area.

We are one of the largest organisations in East Sussex with an annual income of £700 million and we are the only integrated provider of acute and community care in Sussex.

Our extensive health services are provided by over 8,000+ dedicated members of staff working from two acute hospitals in Hastings and Eastbourne, three community hospitals in Bexhill, Rye and Uckfield, over 100 community sites across East Sussex, and in people’s own homes.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated us as ‘Good’ overall, and ‘Outstanding’ for being Caring and Effective. The Conquest Hospital in Hastings and our Community Services were rated ‘Outstanding’ and Eastbourne DGH was rated ‘Good’ Our two acute hospitals have Emergency Departments and provide 24 hour a day care, offering a comprehensive range of surgical, medical, outpatient and maternity services, supported by a full range of diagnostic and therapy services.

Job overview

ESHT Pathology is looking to recruit Pathology Assistants to join our Blood Sciences department to join our existing team and provide more support for Biomedical Scientists at weekends. Applications are invited from enthusiastic individuals who have an interest in Healthcare Sciences and are keen and committed to learning new skills associated with this post. Relevant experience working in a clinical laboratory environment will be an advantage.

Successful candidates will be trained across Blood Sciences (Haematology, Blood Bank and Biochemistry). Pathology Assistants will work on a rota to include evenings and weekends. Shift patterns are variable and may change in the future to match service requirements.

Pathology is based over 2 sites. The majority of services are based at Eastbourne DGH, with some services running from Conquest Hospital in Hastings. Although based at Eastbourne District General Hospital, you may be required to travel cross site as part of this job.

Main duties of the job

Pathology Assistants in Blood Sciences carry out a wide range of duties supporting Biomedical Scientists in carrying out testing of patient samples.

The post holder will be responsible for data entry into the laboratory computer system, extensive use of e-searcher to correctly identify patient details and handling samples of a potentially hazardous nature. This will include unpacking, sorting and booking in samples, packing specimens to send away to referral laboratories, preparing reagents, performing simple analytical procedures and other general tasks of this nature.

Pathology Assistants will have completed a period of training to enable them to pass the laboratory competency based training programme. This programme will have assessed their abilities in areas such as data entry, dealing with unusual specimens falling outside normal laboratory criteria, ability to perform complex non-interpretative laboratory procedures etc.

Working for our organisation

A wide range of staff benefits are available to our staff including staff development, enrolment in the NHS pension scheme, auto-enrolment to our Temporary Workforce Service, access to onsite nurseries. staff restaurants and accommodation.

In addition to an internal Occupational Health department, all staff also have access to free psychological support through our confidential Employee Assistance Programme. Onsite parking is available from only £50 a year.

Statement on the Use of AI

We value the individuality that each candidate brings to the application process. While we understand that AI tools are widely available, we strongly discourage applicants from using AI-generated content when applying for jobs with us. We believe that your application should reflect your true skills, experiences, and motivations, which are best conveyed through your own words and unique perspective.

Using AI for your application may not accurately represent your knowledge, skills, and experience and may result in a disconnect between your qualifications and our assessment of your application.

We encourage applicants to take the time to thoughtfully complete their applications; by doing so, you allow us to better understand your true potential and ensure a fair and transparent evaluation of your application. Over reliance on AI-generated content may diminish your chance of success.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the job description attached.

If you have any questions about this position please do not hesitate to contact us.

Qualifications

• Good general education to GCSE level including English and Maths
• NVQ 3 level qualification in relevant subject or equivalent level of experience and knowledge
• Completion of NVQ level 2 in Clinical Laboratory Support
• Completion of formal one year Laboratory Training and Assessment Programme

Experience

• Knowledge of and commitment to healthcare
• Accepts responsibility whilst recognising limits
• Experience in pathology laboratory techniques

Skills

• Good communication and interpersonal skills both verbal and non-verbal
• Ability to perform delicate work to a high standard
• Good Computer Skills
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Capable of working with minimal supervision
• Capable of working under pressure and in difficult working environments
• Ability to concentrate
• Ability to prioritise work own work load
• Good knowledge of relevant laboratory techniques as required for staff in this post
• Good knowledge of relevant health & safety issues
• Ability to train inexperienced staff

Patients come first at East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust.

Our vision is to be:

• The healthcare provider of first choice for the people of East Sussex.

Our mission is to:

• Deliver better health outcomes and an excellent experience for everyone we provide with healthcare services.

Our strategic objectives are to:

• Improve quality and clinical outcomes by ensuring that safe patient care is our highest priority.
• Play a leading role in local partnerships to meet the needs of our local population and improve and enhance patients’ experiences.
• Use our resources efficiently and effectively for the benefit of our patients and their care to ensure our services are clinically, operationally and financially sustainable.

Our aims are that all services delivered by the Trust are:

• Safe
• Effective
• Caring
• Responsive and
• Well led