Medical Laboratory Assistant

Job Summary

We are seeking an individual with excellent literacy and numeracy skills to work as a Medical Laboratory Assistant in our very busy Department of Blood Sciences which processes 1500-2000 samples per site each day.

The Medical Laboratory Assistant role involves working as a member of staff providing support to Specimen Reception, Biochemistry, Immunology, Haematology and Blood Transfusion. You will be working alongside a team of Biomedical Scientists and Associate Practitioners.

Main duties of the job

Main Tasks Include

1. Prioritising urgent and AE samples to avoid delays and ensure best patient care.
2. Receipt of samples from within the Hospital via a vacuum tube system or in person and from GP surgeries via courier services.
3. Booking a large volume of patient samples on to the Laboratory Computer System and ensuring the correct test requests are inputted. There are thousands of different test codes and you must have excellent attention to detail to select the correct codes.
4. Centrifuging samples and correctly loading the samples on to the relevant laboratory analysers.
5. Organising referral and packaging and sending of samples to other Trust sites and to other Trusts nationwide.
6. Answering reception and telephone queries and liaising with other Trust staff and the general public.
7. Receiving deliveries, ensuring they go to the correct department within Pathology and unpacking and organising the stock as requested.
8. Scanning request forms and ensuring printed reports are sent to the correct requesting departments, GPs or clinics in a timely manner.

Please refer to the Job Description and Personal Specification for full details.

About Us
If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager.
You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre-employment checks.

We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented.

From April 1 2024 we are unable to offer sponsorship for healthcare roles that do not meet the minimum salary. If you are in the UK on a VISA please ensure you have no restrictions that would prevent you from taking this post.

Job Description

Job responsibilities
You should be able to demonstrate good keyboard skills and be computer literate and have experience of working in a reception or clerical environment. Previous laboratory experience would be an advantage. If you are well organised, have excellent attention to detail, are a good communicator, team player, conscientious and flexible this job may suit you. You must be able to ask questions and take on board information given.

You must be able to work on a 24/7 shift rota which includes dayshifts, late shifts, nightshifts, weekend dayshifts and nightshifts, Bank Holiday dayshifts and nightshifts including Christmas Day. This is a requirement of the post. Dayshifts and late shifts are 7.5 or 8 hours. Nightshifts and some weekends and Bank Holidays are 12 hours. On weekends, bank holidays and nightshifts you will often be the sole Pathology Reception worker on site (there will be Biomedical Scientists on site also).

Responsibilities

1. Demonstrate good keyboard skills and be computer literate.
2. Experience of working in a reception or clerical environment.
3. Previous laboratory experience is an advantage.
4. Well organised with excellent attention to detail.
5. Good communicator, team player, conscientious and flexible.
6. Able to ask questions and take on board information given.
7. Willing to work on a 24/7 shift rota.

Person Specification
Experience Essential

• Clerical work
• Reception work

Desirable

• Previous hospital laboratory experience
• Employment with public Interaction

Qualifications Essential

• Basic Numeracy and literacy

Desirable

• NVQ 2 CLS or equivalent
• Science and/or math's GCSE or above
• IBMS Certificate of Achievement Part 1

Special Skills & Knowledge Essential

• Follow protocols and instructions accurately
• High level of attention to detail
• Ability to concentrate for long periods
• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written
• Computer literate

Desirable

• Microsoft Office applications

Special Requirements Essential

• Able to handle blood and body samples
• Able to lift and move multiple boxes/cartons of up to 20kg
• Able to work flexibly
• Able to participate in shift working, weekend working and bank holidays

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.

Employer details
Employer name
County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
Address
University Hospital Of North Durham
North Road
Durham
DH1 5TW
Employer's website
https://www.cddft.nhs.uk/