Associate Practitioner | Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust


Company:	Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Salary:	£28,392 - £31,157 Per annum pro rata
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	Milton Keynes, MK6 5LD
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	19 Aug 2026
Closing date:	18 Sept 2026

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Summary

Associate Practitioner

Department: Cellular Pathology Department

Band 4, £28,392 - £31,157 Per annum pro rata

Hours: Full time, 37.5 per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working

The Cellular Pathology department at #TeamMKUH have recently had a business case approved to expand our workforce due to our popular and growing services. As the demand for pathology services increases, we are investing in our workforce, welcoming talented Biomedical Scientists, Associate Practitioners, Assistant Technical Officers, administration staff and other registered healthcare professionals who bring fresh expertise and innovation to the department. This investment in service will support a move to a 6-day working week.

'We care We communicate We collaborate We contribute'

Please note: We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

Interview date: 14 September 2026

Cellular Pathology is a busy but friendly department processing more than 23,000 histology specimens and 1200 diagnostic cytology specimens per year and plays a vital role in the Trust’s diagnostics cancer service.

We are looking for a competent and versatile individual with a positive ‘can do’ attitude who is willing to learn new skills to join our team in the role of Associate Practitioner.

The successful candidate will have previous laboratory experience. They will participate in core duties within the laboratory including receiving and processing patient samples, data entry, equipment operation and maintenance, managing laboratory stock control and waste disposal, digital scanning of slides and referrals to specialist centres, microtomy and embedding and IHC support, amongst other tasks. Training will be given to achieve competency.

The successful candidate will have GCSEs in Science, Maths, and English, and an NVQ level 3 or equivalent level qualification or qualifications with a laboratory relevance / equivalent experience in a relevant discipline. In addition to this, you must also have good verbal and written communication skills, have basic IT skills and enjoy working individually and in a team. The role involves some lifting and handling tasks.

Milton Keynes University Hospital, in proud partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital committed to advancing patient care through cutting-edge research and education. With a “Good” rating from the CQC and significant investment underway, this is an exciting time to join our team and grow your career.

As a medium sized general hospital, we provide a full range of general medical and surgical services, including a busy Emergency Department, Maternity, and Paediatrics. As the population of our city and surrounding areas continues to grow rapidly, we are expanding and enhancing our facilities to meet rising demand and improve access to care for all our communities.

We are also proud to offer a growing portfolio of specialist services. In January 2025 we opened our state-of-the-art Radiotherapy Centre, bringing advanced cancer treatment closer to home. Our services also include neonatology, specialist surgical care, and a wide range of diagnostics, supported by the new Community Diagnostic Centre at Whitehouse Health Centre. We have just opened the Oak Wards - a new ward block featuring two 24-bed wards.

Further investment is underway, including the recently approved Women and Children’s Centre, set to open by 2030.

Visit our website to explore the latest news and opportunities at MKUH -News - Milton Keynes University Hospital-

For further information about Milton Keynes please visit -Visit Milton Keynes

NHS Staff Survey: 73.4% of our staff feel they receive the respect they deserve from colleagues—a meaningful improvement from last year. At MKUH, mutual respect isn’t just a value—it’s a daily reality.

Demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Liaise closely with departmental technical, administrative, and clinical staff to ensure that all technical work is performed to required standards.

To liaise with other healthcare professionals in a professional and competent manner providing approved departmental information as appropriate.

Be able to work both independently and as part of a departmental team.

To attend departmental and other meetings as required.

To attend external training and educational courses when required

Always maintain a professional approach to work behaving courteously and with professional maturity.

Please refer to attached Job description for further information.

We believe success lies in the diversity of our employees and are committed to promoting equality, encouraging diversity, and embracing inclusion. We welcome applications from everyone interested in working for us.

MKUH is committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and as such we offer a range of flexible working practices.  

We reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once enough applications have been received.

MKUH uses identification scanning technology to confirm the authenticity of documents; all prospective employees of MKUH will have their original documents verified using this technology.

By applying for this role, you accept if successful, that information from your application will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system.  Your personal data may be transferred from the Trust to another NHS organisation where your employment transfers within the NHS.   This is in accordance with the streamlining programme which aims at saving you time and improving efficiencies within the NHS when your employment transfers.

Upon commencing employment with the Trust, all employees (except Medical & Dental Staff on national terms and conditions) are subject to a probationary period lasting a period of six months with an option to extend for a further six months to a total of 12 months.

This advert closes on Tuesday 1 Sep 2026

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