Alicia Ma
London
Summary
Team player with over 20 years experience within Cytology departments Dealing with both non gynae and gynaecology workflows as BMS and senior BMS roles. As quality officer, I was fully engaged in the need for good QMS and its implementation with participation from all staff. Detail-oriented professional with exceptional record-keeping and documentation skills, committed to improving service and departmental efficiency. Demonstrates strong time management abilities and excels in mentoring and teaching, fostering a collaborative team environment.
Although retired since August 2025, I am happy to help when it is needed.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work history
Biomedical scientist in Cytology
Synnovis, St Thomas’ Hospital
London, London
09.2013 - 07.2025
- Assisting in the day to day operation of a busy Cytology department.
- Duties include Andrology sample preparation, analyses and reporting within turnaround time. Including acceptance testing of consumables and preparation of PV samples for EQA purposes.
- Attendance at FNA clinics for H&N US, EBUS, Navigational bronchoscopy, breast and endocrine clinics, giving cellularity assessment input when required to aid sample adequacy.
- Assisting in selection of non gynae NEQAS slides every quarterly.
- Participating in all IQA and EQA schemes necessary.
- As deputy quality officer, assisting in SOP review and writing. Familiar with QPulse as platform for QMS at STH and its various modules. Undertaking any audits given to me (examination, horizontal and vertical) within Cytology and Histology, completing them in a timely manner, raising any non conformance found, identifying root causes and uploading them onto QPulse. Completing all consumables And maintenance and audit sheets, storing them appropriately. Error logging onto QPulse and in excel.
- Teaching new staff in procedures of FNA clinics, NG sample preparation, andrology preparation and analyses and aspects of quality system within Cytology.
- Attended NG workshop/ courses at Northwick Park Hospital including urine, serous fluid and bronchial respiratory samples.
- Undertaken all mandatory training online and other training courses for personal development.
Senior Biomedical Scientist in Cytology
NW Anglia foundation Trust at Peterborough City Ho
Peterborough, Peterborough
07.2004 - 03.2013
- Maintained a smooth running of Cytology department.
- As quality officer of department, ensured all quality issues are dealt with in a timely fashion. Generated audit calendar for department and all errors recorded, documented and actioned.
- Managing staffing needs, teaching and development. Conducted biennial appraisals.
- As procurement officer, managed all consumables ordering, receipt and storage.
- NG sample preparation, gynae screening slides.
- Attending monthly Cellular Pathology Governance meeting, presenting all error trending within department and KPI.
- Performed very well in all our CPA inspections with minimal non conformities.
Trainee BMS to BMS
Addenbrookes Hospital
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
04.2001 - 04.2005
- Started as trainee BMS in Cytology, became registered BMS after completely certified of gynae cytology.
- learning and became competent in the preparation of NG samples.
- Learning and screening gynae slides. Participated in quarterly NEQAS gynae scheme. Learned to screen some NG samples, including urine and serous fluid slides. Started to attend NG workshops/courses.
Education
Diploma of Higher Education - Biomedical sciences
University of Greenwich
City of london 09/2009 - 07/2011
Bachelor of Science - Biochemistry
Queen Mary College, University of London
London 09/1981 - 07/1984
Skills
- Methodical with great care to detail
- Good time managing skills
- Team player
- Good mentoring and teaching acumen
- Excellent record keeping and documentations Thriving for better and leaner ways to improve service and department
Affiliations
- Avid seamstress. Enjoy travelling, playing the piano and going to theatre.
References
1. Manel Perera, acting operations manager in Cytology, Synnovis, St Thomas’ Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7EH. Manel.perera@synnovis.co.uk
2. Rana Ebadi-Askari, SBMS, Quality officer in Cytology, Synnovis, St Thomas’ Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7EH. Rana.ebadi-askari@synnovis.co.uk
Timeline
Biomedical scientist in Cytology
Synnovis, St Thomas’ Hospital
09.2013 - 07.2025
Senior Biomedical Scientist in Cytology
NW Anglia foundation Trust at Peterborough City Ho
07.2004 - 03.2013
Trainee BMS to BMS
Addenbrookes Hospital
04.2001 - 04.2005
Diploma of Higher Education - Biomedical sciences
University of Greenwich
09/2009 - 07/2011
Bachelor of Science - Biochemistry
Queen Mary College, University of London
09/1981 - 07/1984