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Job summary

Main area
Microbiology-Bacteriology
Grade
Band 2
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
151-SL0404
Employer
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Frimley Park Hospital
Town
Camberley
Salary
£24,873 Per Annum Including HCAS
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
29/12/2024 23:59

Employer heading

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust logo

Medical Laboratory Assistant

Band 2

Job overview

Are you looking for a Full-time Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) position with a desire to work as part of the largest NHS led Pathology Services in the UK? You will be based at Frimley Park Hospital.

 

We are looking for an energetic, enthusiastic and well-motivated individual with good scientific background to complement our existing MLA team.

 

Essential qualities expected are efficiency, being well organised, having good communication skills and attention to detail. Good keyboard skills are desirable. In addition, you should be a reliable individual who is able to demonstrate good practical skills and work as part of a team.

 

You must be keen to embrace new ways of working and develop your knowledge and skills and able to participate in the shift system. Support and encouragement will be given for career development.

 

You will be expected to work according to our working time compliant shift system and on rare occasions may be required to work at the Wexham Park Hospital site to maintain quality, training and service requirements.

Main duties of the job

The postholder will assist in the preparation of analytical work for the Bacteriology Department across a range of department work areas under the supervision of a Registered Biomedical Scientist. The postholder is required to follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) at all times for any tasks carried out. There is a requirement to communicate with pathology staff, hospital staff, porters, drivers and couriers.

The postholder will provide support to the BMS staff through sorting, numbering and entering onto Laboratory Information Management System. The postholder will be required to operate the department waste disposal systems including use of autoclaves in a safe manner.

The diagnostic work of the department includes processing, for example, blood, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, faeces, sputum, tissues and diverse secretions. Processed samples are then interpreted for the presence of pathogens, these could be bacterial, fungal or parasitic.

Working for our organisation

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is committed to being an inclusive and disability confident employer and has been awarded the Gold for the Armed Forces Employment Recognition Scheme. We provide first class development opportunities for all staff and have a wide range of professional, management and leadership, and clinical skills training available. 

Here at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, we know how important it is to have a healthy work life balance; this benefits not only individuals but the patients we care for too.

We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service and its users.

Frimley Health Trust benefits on Vimeo

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

  • To assist in monitoring stock control of consumables held in stores and to ensure the cleaning and defrosting of equipment, such as fridges, freezers and incubators 
  • Works in cooperation with BMS staff to ensure workload is processed in a timely and efficient manner
  • Displays and maintains an appropriate level of IT skills. Is able to input patient and request data, maintain and amend patient records, interrogate the laboratory and hospital databases and perform basic word processing and spreadsheet work
  • To keep the autoclave suites tidy and well organised
  • To works as part of a team to ensure that departmental performance targets are met by continually assessing priority of work
  • To provide training support and assistance to newly staff as appropriate (including the demonstration of procedures to less experienced staff)
  • To assist in the departmental work as instructed, following SOPs under the supervision of the laboratory managers, team leaders and / or Biomedical Scientist staff
  • To ensures sample detail matches request form detail and assigns unique laboratory number to sample and form, requiring complete accuracy and attention to detail

Refer to JD and PS for further details

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Good basic education
  • Willing to undergo relevant training
Desirable criteria
  • Interest in working to higher level of qualification

Skills and Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Able to understand and follow Standard Operating Procedures
  • Understands need to work to deadlines and is able to do so
  • Possess basic IT skills
  • Willingness to respond to direction
  • Ability to work as part of a team
Desirable criteria
  • Understanding of need for service quality
  • Experience of working in a relevant routine laboratory
  • Confidence within the parameters of the role

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Able to perform technically challenging procedures where applicable
  • Ability to develop knowledge and understanding of microbiology techniques sufficient to undertake specimen processing and reception
Desirable criteria
  • Some experience of diagnostic microbiology

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyMenopause Friendly EmployerCare quality commission - GoodArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardWe offer Wagestream - A financial wellbeing benefit which lets you access your pay as you earn it.Disability confident employerWe Work Flexibly

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. We would advise that you complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Marcial Navarro
Job title
Site Lead Biomedical Scientist
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
03006136958
Additional information

or contact:

Catriona Steele

Site Lead Biomedical Scientist

[email protected]

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