Job summary
- Main area
- Pathology
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 5
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday to friday)
- Job ref
- 249-7558236
- Employer
- Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation trust
- Town
- Swindon
- Salary
- £31,049 - £37,796 per annum pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 31/10/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Pathology Quality Support Officer
NHS AfC: Band 5
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a unique organisation, serving as the sole integrated provider in the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire system. Our scope extends beyond boundaries as we oversee adult community services in Swindon and provide acute care from the Great Western Hospital.
Our 5,500 staff have 1.2m patient contacts a year, with 13,000 operations carried out in our Theatres, around 4,000 babies born, and our emergency attendances are now well over 100,000 per year. Those numbers only tell part of our story about what an exciting time it is to join Great Western Hospitals.
We are cultivating a culture that fosters our ambitions, prioritising equality, diversion, inclusion, wellbeing, and leadership. We aim to create an environment where every member of our team can truly thrive.
The Trust is a Disability Confident Employer; all applicants who have a disability can opt to be considered under the guaranteed interview scheme, which means that, providing they meet the minimum essential criteria for the post, they will be offered an interview. We are also proudly accredited as a Veteran Aware organisation and have signed The Armed Forces Covenant.
If we receive a high volume of applications, we may close adverts prior to the published closing date. Therefore, we advise you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.
Job overview
Are are looking for a Quality Support Office to join our friendly department. As a Quality Support Officer you will support the Pathology Quality Manager and Pathology Service in the maintenance and continual improvement of the Quality management System (QMS) aiding the delivery of a high quality, safe pathology service that complies with accreditation standards and all necessary regulatory and governance requirements.
Demonstrating an understanding of pathology workflows, the post holder will utilise their knowledge to perform quality tasks such as document control, audits, incident and risk management and the co-ordination and monitoring of staff training. The post holder will work under own initiative to manage and prioritise workload.
Main duties of the job
The post-holder will require the ability to prioritise workload, think clearly under stress and work effectively with both clinical and non-clinical specialists. There is also a requirement to deal effectively and politely with patients and/or their carers, demonstrating by personal example the Trust’s STAR qualities, and dealing with complaints in a fair, timely and sympathetic way.
The post holder is responsible for supporting and encouraging staff development and for ensuring that Trust-directed training activities for the department’s staff are correctly implemented. Actively encourage staff to participate in Continuing Professional Development activities.
In addition to the duties and responsibilities listed above, the post-holder may be required to perform other duties assigned by the supervisor/manager from time to time.
Working for our organisation
"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."
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The successful candidate will thrive on organisation, believe in doing things right and be keen to be part of a forward thinking service that values improvement, accountability and professional development. Duties include:
- To gain an understanding of how the clinical laboratories operate and proficient in tasks required to maintain an efficient workflow of patient samples within the department
- To understand the importance of the laboratory service and how it contributes to the provision of outstanding care for patients
- To engage with the departmental quality management system to ensure the laboratory standards of operation are consistent with UKAS15189 accreditation standards, MHRA, UKHSA, HTA and HSE requirements
- Work in accordance with departmental standard operating procedure documentation (SOPs)
- To support the Pathology Quality Manager and the Laboratory Management Team in ensuring Quality and Governance requirements are adhered to on a day-to-day basis such as control and maintenance of documentation ensuring regular review of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s, policies and quality documents), review of non-conformances and performance of audits.
- To provide input into reports and to attend departmental meetings when required and assist with documentation of meeting outputs
- To support the Quality Manager and Laboratory Management team in the preparation of UKAS/ MHRA/ HTA surveillance visits
- To participate in audits for both technical and QMS processes across the service and assist in monitoring progress of departmental audits and closure of related findings
- To assist in the management and investigation of incidents raised across the service
- To assist in the collection and analysis of data for quality and key performance indicators
- To assist the Quality Manager in planning, co-ordination and delivery of training in quality management to promote awareness of quality procedures, policies and continuous improvement across the service
- To provide guidance to Pathology staff regarding QMS and compliance requirements
- To maintain professional competency, skills and develop knowledge of quality management as required ensuring activities are recorded accurately and evidence available when necessary
Person specification
Education, Qualifications and Training
Essential criteria
- Degree level qualification and / or equivalent knowledge and experience
- Evidence of ongoing continuing professional development
Desirable criteria
- IBMS accredited degree
- Previous quality training evidenced
Experience
Essential criteria
- • Experience of modern laboratory techniques and good knowledge of current professional issues.
- • Experience of using Quality management systems and procedures such as carrying out audits, error logging through non-conformance reports and reviewing SOP’s/ Policies and risk assessments
- • Understanding of requirements for UKAS surveillance visit preparation and follow up
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of the ISO 15189:2022 standard
- Experience of UKAS or other regulatory surveillance visits
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Trudi Carey
- Job title
- Pathology Quality and Customer Engagement Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01793 605013
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