Expert Practitioner - Cytology | Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
| Posting date: | 02 December 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | £55,690 - £62,682 Per annum |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 01 January 2026 |
| Location: | Liverpool, L7 8YE |
| Company: | Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 7299315/287-LCL-54-25 |
Summary
Liverpool Clinical Laboratories wish to appoint a substantive full time Expert Practitioner Scientist/Laboratory Manager in Cytopathology Reporting (Non-Gynaecology).
The cytopathology service is the largest in the region providing specialist services to the University Hospitals of Liverpool Group. This includes patient facing H&N rapid diagnosis clinics, several adequacy clinics across HPB and thyroid, and the service is currently working on a Lung ROSE clinic proposal across multiple sites. The team supports multiple Specialist MDTs, second opinion and referral cases and research and clinical trials.
The service receives 5,000 cases per year across the full breadth of non-gynaecology cytopathology.
Further information and informal departmental visits can be obtained by contacting:
· Dr Vijay Sharma, Clinical Director, Cellular Pathology Vijay.sharma@liverpoolft.nhs.uk
· Mr James Wingfield, Directorate Manager, Cellular Pathology
James.Wingfield@liverpoolft.nhs.uk
The post holder will lead the Cytopathology laboratory team, take the lead role in service development together with the Directorate Manager and Cytopathology clinical team, and be actively involved in benign cytology sample reporting.
The main responsibilities for the post holder include:
· Independent interpretation and reporting of benign cytopathology specimens.
· Management of the non-gynaecological cytology services
· In consultation with the clinical lead for non-gynaecological cytology and with extensive use of personal judgement based on advanced experience and knowledge, ensure that correct decisions are made by all technical staff on all aspects of specimen processing.
· Ensure the highest scientific standards are maintained and to contribute to
· Ensure that correct decisions are made by all technical staff on all aspects of specimen processing.
· Training of junior medical and scientific staff
This post should be attractive to Healthcare Scientists holding a Diploma of Expert Practice with considerable experience in non-gynaecological cytopathology. Candidates seeking to complete the IBMS Advanced Specialist Diploma in non-gynaecological cytopathology qualification will be highly considered.
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital & Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 Nov 2024 from the coming together of LUHFT and Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust. The Group was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our patients.
UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond.
For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.
Aintree University Hospitalis the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside and hosts a number of regional services including an award-winning stroke facility.Broadgreen Hospitalis home to elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation.Liverpool Women’s Hospitalspecialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK’s largest single site maternity hospital each year. TheRoyal Liverpool University Hospitalis the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single bedrooms and focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.
For roles at Liverpool Women’s, visit theircareers page.
The Expert Practitioner Healthcare Scientist works autonomously screening and independently reporting benign/negative samples, consistent with the competency defined by the Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath). The post holder will work as part of the Cellular Pathology clinical and leadership teams (medical staff and Healthcare Scientists) to provide a comprehensive and cost-effective specialist Cytopathology service to all service users.
The post holder must hold and maintain professional registration with the Health and Care
Professions Council (HCPC) as a Biomedical Scientist or Clinical Scientist and must hold an IBMS Expert Practitioner Diploma in non-gynaecological cytopathology reporting.
The post holder will exercise autonomy and judgement within professional and managerial
boundaries and will be required to verify and validate the scientific and clinical interpretation of results and appropriate subsequent patient investigations.
The main responsibilities for the post holder include:
· Independent reporting of benign patient specimens as detailed in the IBMS and Royal College of Pathologists Competency Based Framework for Scientist Reporting. The post holder will be responsible for the macroscopic description and tissue sampling of these specimens together with timely writing and authorisation of their cytology reports using highly developed clinical, microscopic and interpretive skills.
· Undertake a wide range of complex scientific procedures which result in the interpretation of biological samples that contribute to the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of diseases and the investigation of other pathological processes.
· Communicate using a wide range of complex scientific and medical terminology to clinical colleagues including consultants, radiologists and Multidisciplinary Team Meeting coordinators ensuring full comprehension and appropriate action.
· Play a lead role in the education, training and development of laboratory staff in the macroscopic description, preparation and sampling of specimens.
· Supervise and train Biomedical Scientists and other laboratory technical support staff whilst working within the laboratory environment.
· Play an active role in the service’s training and education programme
· Lead the co-ordination and management of research and development for cytopathology and other stakeholders where required Scope of Practice
· Maintenance of ISO15189:2022 medical laboratory accreditation through ensuring adequate quality assurance and control procedures are in place and adhered to across the service
Please review the attached Job Description and Person Specification for a more comprehensive overview of the roles and responsibilities for this post.
This advert closes on Tuesday 16 Dec 2025