Biomedical Support Worker

Working Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Please note - Entry banding for this role is Band 2, with progression to Band 3 following full in-house training and successful competency assessment.

Biomedical Support Workers (BSW) are a key staff group within the Pathology laboratory carrying out routine laboratory duties within the Cellular Pathology Department under the direction of Biomedical Scientist staff, providing mutual support at all times to ensure that work is completed.

Candidates will need to be enthusiastic, well-motivated and innovative, with good organisational and practical abilities. Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills and an ability to support individual and team working is essential.

The list below outlines the main duties involved; however this is subject to change and will vary within the given role. We ask all employees to be flexible in their role, to always ensure we are delivering Safe, Kind and Effective care.

• Assistance for Consultant Histopathologists and Biomedical Scientists in the preparation of and completion of specimen dissection.
• Disposal of tissue samples according to local procedures, taking due precaution with respect to hazards involved.

Preparation of paraffin tissue blocks for microtomy.

Microtomy of tissue blocks.

Routine maintenance of equipment such as tissue processors and staining machines.

Solution preparation.

Glass washing and cleaning down of equipment.

Receipt of deliveries to the lab and accurate recording of reagents and consumables.

Filing and/or retrieval of slides, blocks and reports for Consultants, multi-disciplinary team meetings and send away testing.

Digital scanning of slides to produce whole slide images for reporting.

Clerical duties relating to record keeping.

The Trust’s services are provided from three locations:

• The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 473 general and acute beds.
• Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 60 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility.
• Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.
  
  

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust employs 5,964 staff (headcount) to provide care and treatment to a population of over 400,000 people living in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire.

The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System. Due to its location on the border with North Wales, the Trust also works closely with the Be

tsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

The Trust treats patients from England and some parts of Wales. During 2024/2025, there were approximately 643,000 patient attendances (inpatient, A&E, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery

For further details / informal visits contact: Name: Abigail Armstrong Job title: Cellular Pathology Manager Email address: abigail.armstrong@nhs.net Telephone number: 01244 365646