Job summary
NovoPath are part of the Cellular Pathology Department within Newcastle Hospitals and we provide a number of high-quality diagnostic research services from our NHS lab in The Biosphere and our team of biomedical scientists has wide expertise. NovoPath are proud to advertise a rare and exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and motivated individual to join our team as a Healthcare Science Associate Practitioner (HCSAP) for a 12 month period.
Our specialist services enable clients to access diagnostic techniques for biomarker identification of diseases such as cancer. Through our combined HTA-registered biobank with the North East Innovation Lab we have access to a range of over three million prospectively collected and archived tissue and liquid samples for our clients.
Our state-of-the-art equipment, including our multispectral digital imaging scanners, enable us to keep pace with innovative and effective techniques to help our clients improve their research.
- Interview Date Wednesday, 07 February 2024
- 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.
Main duties of the job
The post involves the receiptand preparation of tissue samples for microscopic analysis including microtomy, embedding, staining, equipment maintenance and preparation for genetic analysis. Experience in any of these areas and skills in microtomy will be advantageous.
About us
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest, largest and most successful teaching NHS foundation trusts in the country, with around 16,000 staff and an annual income of £1 billion.
We have a long history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, and innovation in medical research regionally, nationally and internationally.
We're also proud to be the second largest provider of specialised services in the country. This means we support people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders.
Our staff oversee around 2 million patients 'contacts' each year, delivering high standards of healthcare.
Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust.
We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people's race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- A Healthcare Science Associate Practitioner is part of a clinical support team 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 Healthcare Science Associate will use practical skills to carry out a tasks associated with the pre-analytical preparation of specimens within the Histopathology Department. The tasks undertaken are more advanced than those of an HSA.
- Specimen reception: To deal with the reception, sorting and labelling of patient specimens, identifying inadequate and mis-labelled specimens and ensuring urgent samples are prioritised.
- Recording specimen dissection descriptions, data entry including macroscopic descriptions onto APEX, preparing specimens for analysis, including booking in patient and specimen details, storing, retrieving and disposing of specimens. Assessing x-rays to determine end part of decalcification.
- Carefully prepare samples for diagnostic testing or storage. This may involve delicate procedures to manually handle category A samples, describe samples and place into a labelled cassette matching necessary paperwork and documentation
- As directed, undertake basic testing under supervision of BMS staff, record and enter results onto laboratory computer systems e.g. macroscopic descriptions of category A specimens
- Assist in the training of new members of staff in the standard operational procedures required of them
- As directed by BMS in technical charge of section, assist in the induction, basic training and competency assessment (as appropriate) of new or less experienced staff by demonstrating duties and providing advice and guidance
- Loading/unloading tissue processors and initiating processing programmes.
- To carry out, under supervision, laboratory procedures:
- Embedding. Morphological alignment of surgical biopsies within molten wax
- Microtomy. Cutting 4 micron sections of tissue
- Special stains; Undertake staining procedures to identify specific tissue structures or organisms
- Antigen retrieval procedures (heat mediated and enzyme digestion)
- Processing of biopsies into epoxy resin for electron microscopy
- Identifying and labelling electron micrographs
- Undertaking manual immunocytochemistry procedures
- Pipette body fluids, which require manipulation of transfer pipettes and manual dexterity.
- Use laboratory equipment:
- Faxitron X ray equipment
- Cassette labelling machines
- Cytospins and centrifuges
- Slide staining machines
- Immunocytochemistry autostainers (programming daily runs, loading/unloading of slides, preparation of reagents general maintenance)
- To work in compliance with local health and safety rules to ensure a safe working environment for you, colleagues and visitors.
- To adhere to department and Trust Health and Safety policies (including COSHH, Risk assessments and Standard Operating Procedures) and to report any non-compliances to a senior member of staff.
- Oversee HSAs working in the section
- Train new members of staff (HSAs)
- Answer telephone enquiries, retrieving results in accordance with SOPs
Our services
Research and diagnostic histological methods
- Microtomy and cryotomy
- Tissue processing and embedding
- Special stains for connective markers, fungi, bacteria iron and intracellular organelles
- Decalcification with onsite X-ray facilities
- In-situ hybridisation (ISH), RNA scope
- Immunohistochemistry (IHC)
- Single and multiplexing image analysis
- Tissue microarray (TMA)
- Digital pathology
Molecular pathology
- Dissection and microdissection
- Sterile sectioning and curls for downstream genomic analysis
Biobanking
- Access to clinical samples
- Paraffin and frozen sample storage (-20C/-80C)
Our expertise
- All underpinned by qualified Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) NHS staff working across UKAS accredited laboratories
- Access to multidisciplinary consultant expertise.
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.
Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate.The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first months pay.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- A Healthcare Science Associate Practitioner is part of a clinical support team 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 Healthcare Science Associate will use practical skills to carry out a tasks associated with the pre-analytical preparation of specimens within the Histopathology Department. The tasks undertaken are more advanced than those of an HSA.
- Specimen reception: To deal with the reception, sorting and labelling of patient specimens, identifying inadequate and mis-labelled specimens and ensuring urgent samples are prioritised.
- Recording specimen dissection descriptions, data entry including macroscopic descriptions onto APEX, preparing specimens for analysis, including booking in patient and specimen details, storing, retrieving and disposing of specimens. Assessing x-rays to determine end part of decalcification.
- Carefully prepare samples for diagnostic testing or storage. This may involve delicate procedures to manually handle category A samples, describe samples and place into a labelled cassette matching necessary paperwork and documentation
- As directed, undertake basic testing under supervision of BMS staff, record and enter results onto laboratory computer systems e.g. macroscopic descriptions of category A specimens
- Assist in the training of new members of staff in the standard operational procedures required of them
- As directed by BMS in technical charge of section, assist in the induction, basic training and competency assessment (as appropriate) of new or less experienced staff by demonstrating duties and providing advice and guidance
- Loading/unloading tissue processors and initiating processing programmes.
- To carry out, under supervision, laboratory procedures:
- Embedding. Morphological alignment of surgical biopsies within molten wax
- Microtomy. Cutting 4 micron sections of tissue
- Special stains; Undertake staining procedures to identify specific tissue structures or organisms
- Antigen retrieval procedures (heat mediated and enzyme digestion)
- Processing of biopsies into epoxy resin for electron microscopy
- Identifying and labelling electron micrographs
- Undertaking manual immunocytochemistry procedures
- Pipette body fluids, which require manipulation of transfer pipettes and manual dexterity.
- Use laboratory equipment:
- Faxitron X ray equipment
- Cassette labelling machines
- Cytospins and centrifuges
- Slide staining machines
- Immunocytochemistry autostainers (programming daily runs, loading/unloading of slides, preparation of reagents general maintenance)
- To work in compliance with local health and safety rules to ensure a safe working environment for you, colleagues and visitors.
- To adhere to department and Trust Health and Safety policies (including COSHH, Risk assessments and Standard Operating Procedures) and to report any non-compliances to a senior member of staff.
- Oversee HSAs working in the section
- Train new members of staff (HSAs)
- Answer telephone enquiries, retrieving results in accordance with SOPs
Our services
Research and diagnostic histological methods
- Microtomy and cryotomy
- Tissue processing and embedding
- Special stains for connective markers, fungi, bacteria iron and intracellular organelles
- Decalcification with onsite X-ray facilities
- In-situ hybridisation (ISH), RNA scope
- Immunohistochemistry (IHC)
- Single and multiplexing image analysis
- Tissue microarray (TMA)
- Digital pathology
Molecular pathology
- Dissection and microdissection
- Sterile sectioning and curls for downstream genomic analysis
Biobanking
- Access to clinical samples
- Paraffin and frozen sample storage (-20C/-80C)
Our expertise
- All underpinned by qualified Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) NHS staff working across UKAS accredited laboratories
- Access to multidisciplinary consultant expertise.
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.
Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate.The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first months pay.
Person Specification
Qualifications & Education
Essential
- oNVQ 4 in Healthcare Science or equivalent
- oGCSE in 4 subjects 2 of which must be Maths and English or equivalent
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- oPrevious experience as an HSA in a Cellular Pathology Laboratory or an equivalent level of knowledge and skills acquired through laboratory based practice
- oKnowledge and understanding of the role of Cellular Pathology in the diagnosis and treatment of disease
- oTechnical terminology. Basic medical, anatomical and disease terminology
Desirable
- oUnderstanding of Health and Safety
- oBasic understanding of human biology
- oUse of laboratory equipment e.g. pH meter
- oManual handling
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- oSelf-organisation and the ability to prioritise
- oProven communication and leadership skills
- oAble to concentrate for long periods
- oKeyboard skills (minimum 25 words per minute)
Person Specification
Qualifications & Education
Essential
- oNVQ 4 in Healthcare Science or equivalent
- oGCSE in 4 subjects 2 of which must be Maths and English or equivalent
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- oPrevious experience as an HSA in a Cellular Pathology Laboratory or an equivalent level of knowledge and skills acquired through laboratory based practice
- oKnowledge and understanding of the role of Cellular Pathology in the diagnosis and treatment of disease
- oTechnical terminology. Basic medical, anatomical and disease terminology
Desirable
- oUnderstanding of Health and Safety
- oBasic understanding of human biology
- oUse of laboratory equipment e.g. pH meter
- oManual handling
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- oSelf-organisation and the ability to prioritise
- oProven communication and leadership skills
- oAble to concentrate for long periods
- oKeyboard skills (minimum 25 words per minute)
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
