Job summary
- Main area
- Histology
- Grade
- Band 6
- Contract
- Fixed term: 12 months (2 x Maternity Cover (1 Ending April 2026/1 Ending August 2026))
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 162-7106-AV
- Employer
- Barking Havering and Redbridge Univ Hospitals NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- QH Histopathology
- Town
- Romford
- Salary
- £42,939 - £50,697 Per Annum Inclusive
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 27/06/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Band 6 Specialist BMS - Histology (Maternity Cover)
Band 6
PEOPLE are at the HEART of everything we do
This video gives a flavour of what it is like to work at our Trust and why some of our staff love working here 💙
Job overview
We have a fixed term maternity cover Band 6 Specialist Biomedical Scientist post vacant within the Histology department based at Queen’s Hospital, Romford. The department receives 40,000 patient episodes(requests) per annum amounting to 70,000 plus specimens from a full range of care group specialties. For this post you must be HCPC registered, have completed the IBMS Specialist Portfolio in Cellular Pathology (equivalence- 8 years recent experience working as a BMS in Histology) or an MSc in Cellular Pathology. You must be currently working in a routine histology laboratory with experience of work in this field as a necessity. You should be friendly, professional, and pro-active, self-motivating, innovative and be able to demonstrate excellent communication (verbal and written), organisation and manual dexterity skills. You need to demonstrate a patient focused approach to work and detail how you are committed to continual improvement of self, the service, and your team. The department operates Monday to Friday but is in discussion around seven day working in the summer of 2025.
This post is based at Queens Hospital, but all staff must be prepared to work at King George Hospital if required. Interviews will only be face to face.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will perform the scientific investigations required in the Department of Histology under the direction of the senior Biomedical Scientists. Delegated duties may include supervision of trainees, an involvement in training , quality and or health and safety.
The purpose of the role is to support the diagnostic service provided by the department to the trust.
Working for our organisation
We’re an organisation that is getting better and better and our improvements are driven by a determination to deliver care we’re proud of and our patients are happy with. We’re no longer in special measures; we’ve opened two new theatres at our Elective Surgical Hub in King George Hospital (KGH); and Matthew Trainer, our Chief Executive, was named the top CEO by the Health Service Journal in 2024.
We operate from two main sites – KGH in Goodmayes and Queen’s Hospital in Romford. We have two busy emergency departments with more than 330,000 people visiting them last year. We’re campaigning to secure the £35m we need to transform the A&E at Queen’s and get rid of corridor care.
Our patients are benefitting from our Women’s Health Hub in Ilford; an Ageing Well Centre in Hornchurch; and Community Diagnostic Centres (CDC) at Barking Community Hospital and at St George’s Health and Wellbeing Hub in Hornchurch.
These CDCs are open 12 hours a day, 7 days a week and are providing an extra 94,000 scans a year.
The majority of our 8,000 staff – who come from 146 different countries - live in the three diverse London boroughs we serve and are from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups. Many can work flexibly and more than 400 of them are on our Ofsted accredited apprenticeship programmes. We’re proud to be a London Living Wage employer.
We’re looking forward to introducing an electronic patient record that will be transformative for our staff and beneficial for our patients.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification.
The person specification listed below is not the full specification requirements for the role. Please ensure you review the full specification on the job description prior to submitting your application.Applicants are advised to read all the information on the advert and the supporting information before completing and submitting an application. As you complete your application please ensure you clearly demonstrate how you meet the criteria in the person specification for this post by adequately completing the supporting information section of the application form.
All new staff appointed at the Trust are subject to a probationary period.
Applications should be made online, however, queries regarding the application process or assistance with completion of the form (for applicants with a disability) can be made to Amanda Vickers, Recruitment Advisor, on 01708 435000 ext. 5926. Further details regarding the post may be obtained by contacting the manager as per the contact details above.
Person specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). IBMS approved BSc (Hons) Degree.
- IBMS Certificate of Competence. Specialist Diploma in Cellular Pathology (or demonstrable equivalent).
Experience/Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Recent evidence and knowledge of in depth Histological practice and theory.
Desirable criteria
- Evidence of ICC and molecular experience.
- Evidence of digital pathology.
- Evidence of supporting training.
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Mr Graham Thwaites
- Job title
- Head BMS
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Additional information
Graham Thwaites, email [email protected]
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