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Job summary

Main area
Cytology
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Hours
  • Full time
  • Flexible working
37.5 hours per week
Job ref
234-25-E2366
Employer
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Cotman Centre
Town
Norwich
Salary
£49,387 - £56,515 Per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
27/04/2026 23:59
Interview date
05/05/2026

Employer heading

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust logo

Senior Biomedical Scientist – Cytology Quality

NHS AfC: Band 7

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) is a 1,200-bedded teaching hospital with state-of-the-art facilities for modern patient care: 1100 beds in the PFI and 100 in Cromer Community Hospital.

The NNUH is part of Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group which includes the James Paget Hospital, in Great Yarmouth and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King Lynn.

We carry out nearly one million outpatient appointments, day case procedures and inpatient admissions annually. The population we serve is predominantly the people of Norfolk and north Suffolk, although some patients are referred from further afield especially to access specialist services available at this Trust.

Our staff of c10,000 care for and support patients who are referred to us by around 100 local GP practices and from other acute hospitals. We run more than 60 specialist services as a tertiary centre, including more than a dozen specialist cancer and radiotherapy treatments, and we are one of the biggest cancer centres in the country.

We provide complex spinal surgery services, specialist Neonatal Intensive Care, neurosciences services and specialist cardiac services. Our Trust runs specialist dermatology, rheumatology, endocrinology, adult congenital heart disease services, treatment of complex liver and pancreatic diseases in adults, cystic fibrosis services and intestinal failure services. We are enhancing our urgent and emergency care specialist services for patients with significant injuries as a result of trauma and have an ambition to become a Major Trauma Centre. NNUH is currently the busiest Trauma Unit in the East of England caring for almost 850 trauma patients annually many with complex care needs. 

At NNUH it is our privilege to provide healthcare, and our vision is to ‘provide the best care for every patient’. If this inspires you and you share our values, we really want you to join our team. 

Our values support our vision and guide the behaviour of everything we do, these are:

People-focused

We look after the needs of our patients, carers and colleagues, to provide a safe and caring experience for all.

Respect

We act with care, compassion and kindness and value others’ diverse needs.

Integrity

We take an honest, open and ethical approach to everything we do.

Dedication

We work as one team and support each other to maintain the highest professional standards.

Excellence

We continuously learn and improve to achieve the best outcomes for our patients and our hospital. 

Wish you were here? So do we.


We want all our staff to achieve a balance between work and personal life and understand how important flexible working can be.  We welcome applications on a full or part time basis, various shift patterns and hybrid working, where roles allow.


At the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH), we know the benefits diversity can bring to our organisation such as creativity, innovation and compassion. All of which have a direct impact towards our staff and patient experience. We are committed to being a Hospital for All – being equitable and inclusive, and a place where all feel a sense of belonging. We therefore particularly encourage and welcome applications from candidates who are underrepresented in NNUH’s workforce. These include people from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities and long term conditions and people within the LGBT+ community.

Job overview

Senior Biomedical Scientist - East of England HPV Primary Screening Service

 

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Cytology department was chosen to be the provider of HPV primary testing for the East of England. This means that we are testing up to 450,000 cervical screening samples per year for HPV using the high throughput Roche Cobas systems.

The laboratory also currently processes around 3,000 diagnostic cytology samples per year.

It is a very busy department, and is sited in modern, well-equipped accommodation at the Cotman Centre, on Colney Lane.

Main duties of the job

As a member of the senior Cytopathology team you will be required to undertake a range of duties to assist in the provision of a comprehensive screening service and assist in the daily workload management of the department. It is essential in a fast paced high throughput department to be able to, work closely and supportively with your colleagues responding to the needs of the service on a daily basis.

You will play a key role in  the delivery of a high quality, safe and compassionate healthcare service.

All staff are expected to act as a role model to others in all aspects of their work and consistently demonstrate NNUH’s ‘PRIDE’ values of People focused, Respect, Dedication, Integrity and Excellence.

Depending on your experience and skills consideration may be given to those who do not yet meet all of the criteria on the person specification, with the department providing in role support and training.

Full time: 37.5 hours per week

Working for our organisation

Join us at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and be part of a workforce of over 10,000 staff!

The NNUH is one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK, providing first-class acute care for around one million people, living in Norfolk and surrounding areas. We are a teaching and research hospital, at the forefront of innovation, home to state-of-the-art facilities, such as the Quadram Institute. We are pleased to work closely with the University of East Anglia, providing teaching opportunities for our staff and placement opportunities for their students. We attract some of the best and leading professionals from across the country and are proud that our workforce represents 94 countries from across the world.

We are a friendly, collaborative hospital, working with local services and home to N&N Hospitals Charity.

We can offer you the full range of NHS benefits/discounts and in addition:

  • Flexible working hours
  • Fast Track Staff Physiotherapy Service
  • Multi Faith prayer room at NNUH Colney Lane site
  • Discounted gym memberships
  • Excellent pension scheme and annual leave entitlement
  • Wagestream - access up to 40% of your pay as you earn it
  • Free Park & Ride service direct to NNUH Colney Lane site
  • Free 24-hours confidential counselling support
  • On-site Nursery at NNUH Colney Lane
  • On-site cafes offering staff discounts at NNUH Colney Lane
  • Support in career development
  • Flexible staff bank
  • Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars, Cycle to Work scheme and home electronics

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

CLINICAL SCIENTIFIC, MANAGEMENT REPONSIBILITIES

          Examination of liquid based cervical cytology preparations to                  include primary screening, checking of referred cases rapid re-                screening, reporting of negative and inadequate samples. All                  other cases must be referred to Consultant Cytopathologists                    /Advanced BMS Practitioner with opinion on diagnosis and                     management

          Be responsible for highly complex specialist microscopical and analytical equipment on a daily basis and authorises fitness for clinical use

      Perform clerical procedures associated with cervical cytology including entering reports on the database.

      Examination and quality check of both conventional and liquid based non-gynaecological cytology preparation.

      Perform clerical procedures associated with non-gynaecological cytology including use of PAS and patient summary care record.

           Assist in recruitment and selection of Cytopathology staff, taking             part in interviewing as appropriate

Quality assurance

1.         To be fully conversant with Cytopathology services; relevant statutory requirements, the clinical governance, risk management and quality audit policies and procedures of the Trust and the system(s) of accreditation in use.

2.         To devise and maintain a total Quality Management System in Cytopathology.

3.         To generate & feedback quarterly screener, checker & pathologist reporting profiles

 

Please view the attached job description for full details of the role, and use your supporting statement to confirm how you meet the essential and desirable criteria on the job specification.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • MSc Biomedical Sciences or Higher Specialist Diploma of the IBMS or equivalent
  • Registration with Health Care Professions Council (HCPC).
  • NHSCSP Certificate of Cervical Screening or City & Guilds Diploma of Cervical Cytology NVQ level 3

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Has expert knowledge of gynaecological and non-gynaecological tests performed within cytopathology.

Attitude & Aptitude

Essential criteria
  • Effective role model, demonstrating NNUH’s PRIDE values of People focussed, Respect, Integrity, Dedication and Excellence
  • Demonstrates understanding and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Understands specialist equipment and very complex instrumentation.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyAge positiveInvestors in People: GoldImproving working livesStonewall Health ChampionsMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.We offer Wagestream - A financial wellbeing benefit which lets you access your pay as you earn it.Disability confident employerNHS Pastoral CareStep into healthArmed Forces Covenant

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

Application numbers

Please note due to high volume of applications for some posts, this post may close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role asap.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Sara Casson
Job title
Cytology Manager
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01603 286031
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