Medical Lab Assistant

Integrated Care System; North East; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A Healthcare Provider in North East England is seeking a Medical Laboratory Assistant to support the microbiology team. Responsibilities include processing samples, maintaining data accuracy, and providing excellent customer service. Candidates should have good communication skills and attention to detail, along with relevant qualifications. Shift work is required, including nights and weekends.

Qualifications

• Able to handle blood and body samples.
• Able to lift and move multiple boxes and cartons of up to 16kg.
• Experience with public interaction is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Process microbiological samples using manual and automated systems.
• Ensure timely registration of patient samples and test information.
• Provide excellent customer service via reception and telephone queries.

Skills

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Clerical work experience

Computer literacy

Numeracy and literacy skills

Education

Basic numeracy and literacy

NVQ CLS or equivalent

Science and/or math's GCSE or above

IBMS Certificate of Achievement Part 1

Tools

Microsoft Office applications

Job description

Go back County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Medical Lab Assistant

The closing date is 13 August 2025

We are delighted to offer an exciting opportunity forMedical Laboratory Assistants (MLA). We are looking for enthusiastic,well-motivated, innovative individuals to join our team in providing a qualitymicrobiology service to our service users, within our busy Microbiologydepartment. We are seeking hardworking individuals with excellent attention todetail.

The Medical Laboratory Assistant role involvesworking as a member the microbiology team providing support to a team ofBiomedical Scientists and Associate Practitioners helping them prepare patientsamples to be tested in a timely manner and providing our patients with anexcellent service.

Main duties of the job

The main tasks include:

Prioritising urgent samples to avoid delays and ensure bestpatient care.

Receipt of samples from hospitals in the Trust, GPs andother service users.

Registration of high volumes of patient, sample and testinformation into the lab computer system and ensuring all patient informationis input into our system accurately and that the correct tests are selected.There are 1000s of different test codes and you must have excellent attentionto detail to select the correct codes.

Preparing and correctly loading the samples on to laboratoryanalysers and organising samples to be processed in a timely manner.

Answering reception and telephone queries and liaising withother Trust staff and the general public - requiring excellent customer serviceand communication skills.

Receipting deliveries into the department, unpacking andorganising the stock as requested (this job role will require multiple boxes orcartons of up to 16kg each to be moved).

Safely using the autoclave within the department tosterilise waste and safely discard through the correct waste streams.

Please refer to the Job Description and PersonalSpecification 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

Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents

Over reliance onAI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances ofsuccess

For the most up-to-date information on visa requirements and eligibility, please check online to determine whether you can apply.

From April 9th 2025 - Healthcare assistants - You must have a minimum of two yearsof experience working within the NHS as a HCA for the Trust to considersponsorship (we will only consider sponsorship if you meet this criteria andhave a current visa expiring within 3 months)

Job responsibilities

Following full training the post holder will be an integralpart of the microbiology department, responsible for processing a variety ofmicrobiological samples using both manual and automated systems in routinebacteriology & molecular areas of the department. This will also includedealing with telephone calls from service users.

This is a supervised role and will include carrying outlaboratory, clerical, logistics and technical duties.

Post holders should be able to demonstrate good keyboardskills, be computer literate and have experience of working in a reception orclerical environment.

The role requires some manual handling work so you must beable to lift boxes up to 16kg.

Excellent communication skills are essential and you must beable to ask questions and take on board information given. An ability to planand prioritise your own workload is essential.

Post holders must be able to work on a 24/7 shift rota whichincludes day shifts, late shifts, night shifts, weekend shifts (day &night), bank holiday shifts (day & night) including Christmas. This is arequirement of the post. Day shifts and late shifts are 7.5 hours. Nightshifts, weekends and bank holidays shifts are 12 hours in length.

Due to the high amount of samples we receive this role willinclude high volumes of data input so the ability to work in an accurate,methodical way is essential.

If you are well organised, have excellentattention to detail, are a good communicator, a team player, are conscientiousand flexible this job may suit you.

Person Specification

Qualifications

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

Special Requirements

• Able to handle blood and body samples.
• Able to lift and move multiple boxes and cartons of up to 16kg.
• Able to work flexibly.
• Able to participate in shift working including nights, weekends and bank holidays.

Special Skills & Knowledge

• Follows protocols and instructions accurately.
• High level of attention to detail.
• Ability to concentrate for long periods.
• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written.
• Microsoft office applications

Experience

• Clerical work
• Previous hospital laboratory experience
• Employment with public interaction

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 name

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust