The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Healthcare Science Assistant

The closing date is 03 August 2025

Job summary

We are looking for motivated and enthusiastic individuals to work within the laboratories of the Blood Sciences Department, which is part of the Integrated Laboratory Medicine Directorate. Blood Sciences provides diagnostic support for the Trust, regional GP's and national hospitals, on a 24/7 basis.

Interview Date: 22nd August 2025
20 Hours/ Week or 16 Hours/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.

NO AGENCIES PLEASE

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work as part of a team and carry out varied tasks including specimen reception, labelling, registration, and pre-analytical sample preparation, processing and data manipulation using the department networked computer system. They will perform basic laboratory tests, operate equipment and record some laboratory results.
The post is based in our busy Reception area to support with the processing of our GP workload.
The post holder will be expected to participate in 'out of hours' working, including some weekend and bank holiday shifts when sufficiently experienced.
To assist in the preparation of specimens for analysis, including the separation of blood, serum and plasma, and the cataloguing and storage of specimens.
Entering requests into the laboratory computer system.
To carry out, under supervision, some simple laboratory diagnostic tests and the operation of laboratory equipment.
To assist in the department Quality Assurance programmes
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.
Answering telephone enquiries and retrieving results in accordance with the standard operational procedure.

About us

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.

Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under 'Documents to download' or 'Supporting documents'.

For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Date posted

29 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 2

Salary

£24,465 a year pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

317-2025-31-07-DR

Job locations

Freeman Hospital

317 Trustwide

NE7 7DN

Job description

Job responsibilities

A Healthcare Science Assistant 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 HCSA will use practical skills to carry out a variety of laboratory duties including reception and data entry of requests received and some basic pathological tests under the supervision and guidance of a Biomedical Scientist.

Job description

Job responsibilities

A Healthcare Science Assistant 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 HCSA will use practical skills to carry out a variety of laboratory duties including reception and data entry of requests received and some basic pathological tests under the supervision and guidance of a Biomedical Scientist.

Person Specification

Qualifications & Education

Essential

Educated to a minimum level of three GCSE at grade 4 or above, to include English and Maths or equivalent qualifications.

Desirable

Information Technology or Typing qualification
Specific qualification in Healthcare Science

Knowledge & Experience

Desirable

Previous NHS laboratory experience
Experience of working shifts
Experience in a customer service role

Skills & Abilities

Essential

Good communication skills
Keyboard skills
Self-organisation and the ability to prioritise

Person Specification

Qualifications & Education

Essential

Educated to a minimum level of three GCSE at grade 4 or above, to include English and Maths or equivalent qualifications.

Desirable

Information Technology or Typing qualification
Specific qualification in Healthcare Science

Knowledge & Experience

Desirable

Previous NHS laboratory experience
Experience of working shifts
Experience in a customer service role

Skills & Abilities

Essential

Good communication skills
Keyboard skills
Self-organisation and the ability to prioritise

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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