Laboratory Support Worker (Cellular Pathology)

Job overview

We are looking for an enthusiastic, team-focussed person to fill a full time post as a laboratory support worker in Cellular Pathology at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital.

The post is permanent. and the hours are 37.5 per week, 9-5pm.

The department handles over 34,000 histology samples per annum, with a high proportion of complex cases including Breast, Head and Neck,
Hepatobiliary and Urology.

Main duties of the job

Filing and archiving tasks, maintaining accurate archives of clinical material for future diagnostic testing, MDT discussion etc.

Housekeeping within the department, maintaining a tidy environment for patient safety.

Maintaining specimen records using paper and electronic systems

Maintains records and documentation as part of the quality management system

Working for our organisation

On 1st April 2026, a new, joined-up pathology service officially launched across Lancashire and South Cumbria, helping to strengthen and modernise diagnostic services for local patients.

This brings together staff and expertise from Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust into a single, coordinated network.

This role will be based at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital and you help to provide the pathology service that supports care for 1.5 million people across Lancashire & Cumbria.

Working with us gives you the knowledge and sense of pride that every activity you do genuinely does make a difference to support our patients and staff, ensuring we keep thriving & delivering outstanding healthcare right across our area.

Whilst this post is based at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital, this may change in the future if services are reorganised.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1.Block scraping and filing in numerical order.

2.Filing, archiving and retrieving of laboratory slides and blocks

3.Maintain laboratory equipment according to department procedures (e.g. tissue processor, staining machine.)

4.Prepare and package material for dispatch to external providers

5.Prepare solutions and reagents (e.g. staining solutions, buffers)

6.Housekeeping duties such as: discard specimens, wash buckets, bagging up specimens.

Person specification

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of applying working practices in line with health and safety legislation.
• Experience of contributing to service development and quality improvement within a workplace or organisation

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in a cellular pathology laboratory

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• 2 A level passes including a science subject
• Numerate and literate with a good general and basic education

Desirable criteria

• IBMS support staff CoA part 1

Knowledge and Skills

Essential criteria

• Aware of key safety legislation.
• Computer literate with good keyboard skills
• Good manual skills able to manipulate fine instruments

Desirable criteria

• Good working knowledge of Microsoft word and excel