Medical Laboratory Assistant

The Blood Sciences Specimen Reception department at The Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust is seeking a motivated and practical individual to join our team.

This is a permanent position working primarily at Pinderfields Hospital, in the blood sciences laboratory. The vacancy is a full time (37.5 hours per week). The department operates 24 hours a day and the successful candidate will be required to work a variety of shifts including day, late, overnight, weekend and bank holiday shifts.

The blood sciences laboratory processes patient samples from the emergency department, hospital wards and outpatient departments at Pinderfields Hospital plus patient samples from GP surgeries in the surrounding area. Specimen Reception is where the patient samples enter the laboratory. They are then prioritized and processed before analysis by the departments of Biochemistry, Blood Transfusion and Haematology.

The role requires the use of several IT systems alongside the use of a GLP pre-analytical track system. Strong verbal and written communication skills are essential, and a level of computer literacy will be useful, as a large proportion of the duty will include inputting patient information onto the Laboratory computer system. An ability to follow instructions, work under pressure and demonstrate good manual dexterity will be an advantage.

Main duties of the job

The duties of this role include:

• Receive pathology specimens from hospital staff and patients in a courteous and helpful manner.
• Sort patient samples and distribute to relevant departments.
• Identify samples requiring urgent analysis.
• Ensure samples and the appropriate request forms are correctly labelled and that the correct container has been used.
• Label request forms and specimens with laboratory numbers as required.
• Use of laboratory information system to input patient data and order analytical tests.
• Successfully undertake the necessary training to fulfil the requirements of the required competency documents.
• Liaise with other laboratory and hospital staff to pass on information and solve problems that have arisen.
• Follow departmental standard operating procedures.

About us

We provide care and support to over a million people in Wakefield and Kirklees in their homes, community settings and across our three hospital sites at Pontefract, Dewsbury and Pinderfields (Wakefield).

Always striving for excellence, we are at the forefront of innovation and research, and we invest in teaching and the development of our workforce.

We live by our values of caring, improving, being respectful and maintaining high standards. We listen and learn because we aim to make Mid Yorkshire the best place to work and receive care.

We value diversity and welcome talent and enthusiasm irrespective of age, disability, neurodivergence, sex, gender identity and gender expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or other personal circumstances including providing unpaid carers support to someone with a health and care need. As ethnic minority groups, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and people with a disability/neurodivergence are currently under-represented across the organisation, we encourage applications from members of these groups. We have policies and procedures to ensure all applicants are treated fairly and consistently.

We are proud of our staff networks - who offer valuable guidance and feedback from those with lived experience.

We have a clear vision and you could be part of this! If you share our values and you want to make a difference to the lives of our patients and their families and carers, we would love to hear from you.

Job responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

• Provide a high quality and timely service.
• Follow departmental procedures and health and safety rules at all times.
• Avoid waste and work in a cost-effective way at all times.
• Identify problems within the areas that they are working and report them to their manager.
• Maintain clear and concise communication with users of the service at all times.
• Take part in any training required to maintain an up-to-date knowledge of all equipment and techniques used in areas in which they work.
• Help to ensure that all work is carried out to the standards necessary for UKAS Accreditation.
• Carry out preliminary inspection and preparation of samples under supervision.
• Follow at all times the instructions set out in Standard Operating Procedures.
• Undertake routine laboratory cleaning duties as required.

Person Specification

Knowledge and Awareness

• A reasonable knowledge of Health and Safety laws.
• Must understand the nature of patient confidentiality.
• Experience working within an NHS Laboratory.

Qualifications

• Evidence of good secondary education.
• GCSE or equivalent in science and maths.
• Suitable Qualifications in Information Technology (e.g. CLAIT/ ECDL).
• Suitable Qualifications in Health and Safety.

Skills and Abilities

• Able to communicate clearly and precisely both verbally and in writing with patients and all levels of staff inside and outside Pathology.
• Able to work quickly and accurately.

Experience

• Previous experience of working with the public/service environment.
• Experience working within an NHS Laboratory.
• Experience of working in an NHS Hospital ward or Care Home environment.

Personal Attributes

• Able to work well within a small team.
• Able to work alone if required.
• Enthusiasm for work.
• Willingness to undertake appropriate training as required to facilitate service developments.