Cytology Administrative Apprentice

Working towards level 2 Customer Service Practitioner
- The post holder will be responsible to work as part of the Cytology team delivering a high quality secretarial and specimen sorting service to the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust. To assist the Trust in its delivery of patient care with particular reference to meeting Cancer Plant Targets and National Guidelines for the Cytology Screening Programme.
- To assist with the receipting and filing of cytological samples received into the department. Working effectively as a team member, the post holder will contribute to providing a professional clinical cytology laboratory service.
- The post holder will work in all sections of the department providing an administration and secretarial service as well as assisting with specimen reception, computerised data entry, scanning and slide filing.
- To assist with quality control and quality assurance procedures associated with the processing and filing processes deployed within the department.

Reception
- Receiving and signing for samples and other items into the laboratory.
- Sorting, and numbering cytological specimens. This includes identifying and removing rogue samples from other departments..
- To enter sample and patient details onto the departmental computer system.
- Filing slides.
- To identify and report to senior staff any malfunction of equipment or process.

Administration/ secretarial
- To follow office standard operating procedures.
- Daily inputting of HPV cytology requests.
- To receive, sort, distribute and prioritise incoming mail.
- To undertake scanning of correspondence request forms etc.
- To assist with an accurate and up to date filing system.

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust is one of the largest NHS trusts in the West Midlands providing primary, acute and community services and we are incredibly proud of the diversity of both our staff and the communities we serve. We are building a workforce that can help us to fulfil our values, improve the quality of care for patients, and solve the health care problems of tomorrow. We’re passionate about the value that diversity of thinking and lived experience brings in enabling us to become a learning organisation and leader in delivering compassionate care for our patients.

We are delighted that we have been rated as “Good” by CQC. We have achieved numerous awards; The Nursing Times Best Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Best UK Employer of the Year for Nursing Staff in 2020.

The Trust is a supportive working environment committed to creating flexible working arrangements that suit your needs and as such will consider all requests from applicants who wish to work flexibly.

Reception
- Receiving and signing for samples and other items into the laboratory.
- Sorting, and numbering cytological specimens. This includes identifying and removing rogue samples from other departments..
- To enter sample and patient details onto the departmental computer system.
- Filing slides.
- To identify and report to senior staff any malfunction of equipment or process.

Administration/ secretarial
- To follow office standard operating procedures.
- Daily inputting of HPV cytology requests.
- To receive, sort, distribute and prioritise incoming mail.
- To undertake scanning of correspondence request forms etc.
- To assist with an accurate and up to date filing system.

General
- To deal professionally and courteously with visitors, patients and staff to the department.
- To maintain a high degree of professional conduct in manner and appearance.
- To maintain confidentiality and security as required by the Data Protection Act and with due regard to patient details.
- To carry out your responsibilities in line with Trust policies and procedures including Health & Safety Policies and to be familiar with the policies and procedures governing the working environment.
- To identify possible inefficiencies and propose changes to working practices in all sections.
- To undertake any ‘ad-hoc’ duties as delegated by Consultant Pathologists or by the Office Manager appropriate to the grade of this post.
- To participate in continuing professional development and participate in in-house training and continuing education sessions.
- The post holder will be expected to attend relevant courses and educational events in order to maintain and advance their knowledge and expertise under the direction of the laboratory Training Officer.
- To participate in the Trust’s annual staff appraisal/ personal development review.
- To keep abreast of relevant developments in Cytology and to keep up to date with NHSCSP documents, health and safety requirements and scientific literature.
- During times of staff shortages to assist in other areas of Pathology, at a level appropriate to the grade, as and when reasonably requested by the post holder’s line manager or departmental head.
- To work in a flexible manner to meet the needs of the service and prioritise tasks to effic