Healthcare Science Assistant

Transformation Unit; Lancaster; Hybrid; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Part time

Job summary

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Healthcare Science Assistant (Band 2) in Blood Sciences Specimen Reception at Royal Lancaster Infirmary, Lancaster. The role is part-time (15 hours per week) with shifts Thursday and Friday 13:00–21:00, supporting sample processing and data entry in a busy pathology service.

The post involves handling samples, maintaining equipment, and working within a 24/7 laboratory framework to support clinical wards and GP services in North

Qualifications

• GCSEs including English are required.
• A levels or equivalent qualification.
• NVQ 2 in Clinical Laboratory Support or equivalent recognition.

Responsibilities

• Work as part of a team, booking and preparing patient samples for analysis.
• Enter data onto the laboratory computer system.
• Dispose of clinical and non-clinical waste as per policy.
• Clean and decontaminate working areas and equipment.
• Maintain stocks of consumables and ensure proper storage.

Skills

Laboratory Skills

Teamwork

IT skills

Confidentiality

Pathology experience

Education

GCSEs including English

A levels or equivalent

NVQ 2 in Clinical Laboratory Support

Job description

Main area Pathology Grade Band 2 Contract Permanent Hours 15 hours per week (Part time - 15 hours per week, Thursday 13:00 - 21:00 and Friday 13:00 - 21:00) Job ref 438-PB4712

Employer Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Royal Lancaster Infirmary Town Lancaster Salary £25,272 Per Annum, Pro Rata Salary period Yearly Closing 23/10/2026 23:59

Healthcare Science Assistant

Band 2

Job overview

A vacancy has arisen for a Healthcare Science Assistants in Blood Sciences Specimen Reception at Royal Lancaster Infirmary, Lancashire and South Cumbria Pathology Service.

You will be joining a busy team providing an essential Blood Sciences service for patients in the North Lancashire and South Cumbria area.

The vacancy is Thursday 13:00 - 21:00 and Friday 13:00 - 21:00

Main duties of the job

Work as part of a team supporting and supervised by a Health and Care Professions Council registered Biomedical Scientists. Booking and preparing patient samples and requests for analysis.

• The workflow is unpredictable such that there are significant peaks and troughs throughout the day in the number of samples arriving for processing.
• This requires a high level of tolerance to repetitive work. The need to maintain high levels of accuracy and attention to detail throughout prolonged periods of concentration are required.
• In sample processing, HSA's must work to deadlines to assist in achieving defined analysis turnaround times to provide an effective clinical service to wards departments and GP surgeries and a fast response service to the emergency departments.

Working for our organisation

We have a friendly, professional and patient care driven team in Specimen Reception. Your role will be to work alongside other HSA's in a fast paced environment. You will receive on the job training. The laboratory service at Royal Lancaster Infirmary is delivered 24/7.

We operate from three main hospitals - Furness General Hospital (FGH) in Barrow, the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI), and Westmorland General Hospital (WGH) in Kendal, as well as a number of community health care premises including Millom Hospital and GP Practice, Queen Victoria Hospital in Morecambe, and Ulverston Community Health Centre.

FGH and the RLI have a range of General Hospital services, with full Emergency Departments, Critical/Coronary Care units and various Consultant-led services.

WGH provides a range of General Hospital services, together with an Urgent Treatment Centre, that can help with a range of non- life threatening conditions such as broken bones and minor illnesses.

All three main hospitals provide a range of planned care including outpatients, diagnostics, therapies, day case and inpatient surgery. In addition, a range of local outreach services and diagnostics are provided from community facilities across Morecambe Bay.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Sample Preparation

1. Receive and sort pathology samples.
2. Distribute samples to departments.
3. Label samples and prepare them for analysis.
4. Record and inform service users and senior staff of requests received that do not comply with the Specimen Acceptance Criteria

1. Enter data onto the laboratory computer system.

Housekeeping and Maintenance Tasks

1. Dispose of clinical and non-clinical waste in accordance with Trust and departmental policies
2. Clean and decontaminate working areas and equipment in accordance with laboratory protocols and record such actions.
3. Maintain adequate stocks of consumables and ensure any stock is stored in a timely manner.

Communication

1. Communicate with a limited range of Trust staff in person, eg passing of information to colleagues within Pathology
2. Be expected to communicate in a pleasant and caring manner at all times whilst maintaining confidentiality.
3. Attend department meetings as required, to ensure an awareness of developments within the work area.
4. Maintain an effective communication network; verbal, written and electronic, keeping registered practitioners informed.
5. Assist in maintaining, recording and storing information, including patient records, in line with Trust policy.

Training and Development

1. Training is provided.
2. Be trained to have a working knowledge of all health and safety procedures
3. Participate in the appraisal process and, as part of the appraisal, in discussion with the line manager, develop an annual Personal Development Plan to identify training and development needs in line with personal and organisational objectives
4. Develop own skills and knowledge.
5. Attend mandatory training as directed.
6. Assist in the training of new staff when required.

Organisational Responsibilities

1. General clerical and administrative duties including scanning request forms, photocopying, filing and shredding confidential waste.

Professional Responsibilities

1. Maintain confidentiality at all times, ensuring information is only divulged to authorised sources and by appropriate means.
2. Exercise independent judgement and initiative by taking appropriate action to resolve any problems when they arise.
3. Ensure compliance with policies, procedures and clinical guidelines for self and others.

Person specification

Experience

• Laboratory Skills

Qualifications

• 3 GCSE's or equivalent including English
• A' levels or equivalent
• NVQ 2 in Clinical Laboratory Support

Skills, ability and knowledge

• Experience of working with others
• Basic IT skills
• General appreciation of the importance of Health & Safety issues
• Understands the need for confidentiality
• Previous Pathology Laboratory Experience

We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of race, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership, neurodiversity or veteran status are encouraged to apply for this post. Our Statement on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders is available Here

We recognise that the recruitment process may present barriers for some and you may need personal adjustments to enable you to participate in our recruitment process. Please make contact with the recruitment team at the earliest opportunity to ensure that measures can be put in place to enable your application for this post.

Working Smarter pledge

We are reminded everyday of how important life is, so as part of our Working Smarter pledge we offer a variety of flexible working options and wellbeing support to enable our people to find and maintain the right work-life balance.

Disclosure and Barring Service checks

If the role you’ve applied for requires a Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) check we will administer this on your behalf and the cost will be recovered from your salary, either as a one-off payment, or over 3 months. The level of check required depends on the role that you have been offered. Currently the charges are - Basic DBS check £26.40 Standard DBS check £26.40 and Enhanced DBS check £54.40. You should be aware that if you are successful in obtaining a position that requires a DBS check but later withdraw your application, you may be required to reimburse the cost of the DBS check. DBS checks remain free of charge for volunteer positions. The DBS Code of Practice can be accessed here .

In line with guidance from United Kingdom Health Security Agency, all staff and volunteers are required to comply with Trust Infection Prevention and Control processes in relation to safe working. This includes mask wearing and adherence to social distancing at all Trust sites.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!