About this role
Job summary
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an enthusiastic and highly skilled Blood Sciences and Immunology Quality Lead to join our progressive and innovative laboratory team.
This is an exciting opportunity to play a key leadership role within one of the UK's leading NHS laboratory services, supporting the delivery of high-quality, safe and effective diagnostic services across Blood Sciences and Immunology. Working closely with laboratory managers, clinical leads and multidisciplinary teams, you will lead the development, implementation and continuous improvement of our Quality Management System, ensuring compliance with regulatory, accreditation and governance requirements.
As the Blood Sciences and Immunology Quality Lead, you will be instrumental in driving quality improvement initiatives, supporting UKAS accreditation activities, overseeing audits, investigations and corrective actions, and promoting a culture of continual improvement throughout the service. You will have the opportunity to influence strategic quality priorities while working within a department recognised for its commitment to excellence in patient care, innovation and research.
This role offers an excellent opportunity for an experienced Healthcare Scientist looking to further develop their leadership skills and make a significant impact on service quality, patient safety and laboratory performance.
Main duties of the job
- Practice as the Quality Lead for Blood Sciences and Immunology, promoting Quality within all areas of the Department.
- Demonstrate expertise in quality and risk management.
- Be the key member of the department, who promotes, implements, audits and maintains the quality management system.
- Apply modern methods of quality management and process control to ensure an effective service in terms of clinical governance and risk management.
- Ensure the continued compliance to ISO 15189 as accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).
- Lead team to ensure the continuous improvement and development of laboratory services.
- Maintain and promote professional image of CUH Trust.
About us
Our Trust
Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people - patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing 'outstanding' care to our patients and rated 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH's values - Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent - are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.
CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people's age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
This vacancy will close at midnight on 1st November 2026
Interviews are due to be held on 13th November 2026
All appointments with a start date on or after 1 October 2026 will be subject to a 12-week probationary period. This provides a structured and supportive period to help you settle into your role, with regular reviews and feedback.
As there is a 12-week probationary period, successful candidates are expected to have the Right to Work for a period of at least 6 months from the proposed start date. Immigration and Right to Work status will be discussed with successful candidates at conditional offer. CUH will not offer sponsorship to candidates that have applied for a fee waiver.
Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full-time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full-time permanent contract unless you have:- applied for a Graduate visa- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment
Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- oHonours degree in relevant discipline
- oRegistration with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as Clinical or Biomedical Scientist.
- oMSc, IBMS Higher Specialist Diploma or FIBMS in Biochemistry, Haematology or Immunology or equivalent experience.
Desirable
- oEvidence of Continuing professional development (CPD).
- oHolds or working towards a qualification that supports quality management responsibilities associated with post.
Experience
Essential
- oPractical experience of Quality Management Systems
- oUse of Microsoft Office products.
- oLaboratory information management systems.
- oDeveloping policy and procedure.
- oAudit.
- oExperience of performing and evaluating risk assessments.
- oRoot cause analysis
- oExperience of Pathology IT systems.
- oProven success in communicating highly complex information and results to staff and other healthcare professionals.
Desirable
- oAwareness of current & developing NHS & healthcare issues.
- oPrevious relevant experience of working in the NHS.
- oExperience of managing people.
- oProven success in communicating highly complex information and results to staff and other healthcare professionals.
- oHighly specialist experience across a range of procedures and practices underpinned by theory and practice from working in a diagnostic laboratory.
Knowledge
Essential
- oKnowledge of routine and specialised analytical methods, quality assurance and problem solving.
- oKnowledge of quality management and accreditation systems.
- oQuality management systems (I-passport/IQM).
- oISO 15189 accreditation standards for medical laboratories.
- oRisk management.
- oClinical governance.
Desirable
- oHighly specialist knowledge and practical applications in the laboratory.
- oKnowledge of managerial Policies and Procedures, within CUH and how they relate to laboratory staff and service of the department.
- oEuropean Computer Driving Licence or equivalent
- oHealth and safety.
Skills
Essential
- oInterpretation and analytical skills.
- oExcellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
- oProven influencing and negotiating skills at all levels.
- oDemonstrable interpersonal skills - can work as part of a team or independently.
- oAble to prioritise own workload and that of others to meet needs of the service.
- oHigh degree of manual dexterity to perform complex laboratory techniques.
- oDemonstrable mentoring skills.
Desirable
- oAbility to concentrate for prolonged periods of time.
- oWell-developed analytical (technical) skills with ability to perform complex laboratory techniques.
Additional Requirements
Essential
- oThe ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.
Desirable
- oAbility to be flexible and respond to the needs of the service.
- oAbility to work with minimal supervision.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Addenbrookes Hospital-Division B
Hills Road
Cambridge
CB2 0QQ
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.cuh.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)