Secretary - Cellular Pathology

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Swindon; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization is seeking a Secretary for the Cellular Pathology Department. The candidate will provide comprehensive secretarial services, including data entry into the laboratory system, producing medical reports from dictation, and maintaining high accuracy in administrative tasks. Qualifications include GCSE in English and NVQ Level 3 or equivalent knowledge. Experience in pathology and hospital administration is preferred. The position offers a salary range of £24,937 to £26,598 annually, pro rata.

Qualifications

• GCSE grade C or above in English or equivalent is required.
• NVQ Level 3 or equivalent qualification is essential.
• Experience with Microsoft Office, especially Word and Excel, is necessary.

Responsibilities

• Input specimen details into the IT system maintaining high accuracy.
• Produce typed Cellular Pathology reports from dictation and templates.
• Upload and format reports from external providers to the system.
• Type letters and correspondence for medical staff.
• Print reports for distribution.

Skills

Attention to detail

Accuracy in data entry

Typing and formatting skills

Knowledge of medical terminology

Education

GCSE grade C or above in English

NVQ Level 3 or equivalent

ECDL

RSA2 or equivalent in keyboard skills

Tools

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel)

Pathology IT system (Winpath)

Job description

Secretary - Cellular Pathology

The closing date is 30 January 2026

This role requires you to have current right to work in the UK which enables you to undertake the role without need of sponsorship. Accordingly, we regret that any application will not be considered if this requirement is not met. Given the current UK immigration requirements this role is not eligible for sponsorship, and it is not possible for the Trust to sponsor applicants for a visa for this role.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 3 Secretary to join our Cellular Pathology Department.

Working as part of the team, you will be expected to provide a high quality, comprehensive, and confidential secretarial service to the Department.

You will be expected to accurately input specimen details, descriptions and reports onto the Laboratory Information Management system. To take part in quality assurance within the role to maintain department standards, as set out by UKAS ISO15189.

Main duties of the job

Successful applicant will join the Cellular Pathology Secretarial team and carry out all aspects of administration within the department. For full details see the responsibilities listed below, and in the attached job description.

All tasks will be completed following departmental standard operating procedures. The post holder will undergo a period of training then will work unsupervised once deemed competent.

About us

Our STAR values - Service, Teamwork, Ambition and Respect - are a golden thread running through everything we do. These values serve as a guiding principle, driving us towards our vision of delivering great joined up services to our local community. Whether at home, in the community, or within the hospital, our goal is to empower individuals to lead independent and healthier lives.

Job responsibilities

1. Use the pathology IT system (Winpath) to input and retrieve information concerning patients and specimens, maintaining at all times a high degree of accuracy.
2. Produce accurately typed and formatted Cellular Pathology reports from handwritten or audio dictation, using template reports where available. These reports are confidential and may be of a sensitive nature e.g. cancer diagnosis, fertility assessment etc.
3. Accurately upload reports from external providers to Winpath. This may involve copy-typing hard copies, or copy-and-pasting electronic reports, with subsequent formatting to bring the reports in line with Cellular Pathology report templates.
4. Type letters and other correspondence for Cellular Pathology medical staff.
5. Print Cellular Pathology reports when necessary, for distribution via post or email.

Please see attached job description for further information.

Person Specification

Education, Qualifications and Training

• GCSE grade C or above in English, or equivalent
• NVQ Level 3 or equivalent
• European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL)
• RSA2 or equivalent in keyboard skills

Experience

• Previous experience of working within pathology
• Previous experience of working in a hospital
• A knowledge of pathology-specific medical terminology
• Experience in using Microsoft office packages, especially Word and Excel

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

£24,937 to £26,598 a year pro rata