Medical Laboratory Assistant

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust; Carlisle; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A local healthcare provider in Carlisle is seeking a Medical Laboratory Assistant to support biomedical scientists with clinical specimen processing and laboratory duties. The ideal candidate should possess NVQ 3 in clinical laboratory support and have good communication skills. The position involves managing patient registrations and supporting general housekeeping in the pathology department, ensuring high-quality care and adherence to established procedures.

Benefits

27-day holiday scheme rising to 33 after 10 years

NHS Discounts

Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work

Free counselling and information service

Qualifications

• Experience working in a laboratory environment is essential.
• Understanding of procedures and practices is required.
• Knowledge of medical terminology is important.

Responsibilities

• Support biomedical scientists in a range of laboratory duties.
• Process clinical specimens for testing.
• Manage specimen reception duties and telephone enquiries.

Skills

Good communication and interpersonal skills

Able to use initiative appropriately

Team Work

Able to prioritize work to meet deadlines

Education

NVQ 3 in clinical Laboratory support or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Go back North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Medical Laboratory Assistant

The closing date is 23 January 2026

Band 3 Medical Lab Assistant Histopathology

Band 3 applicants will be considered if they meet the Essential Qualifications in the Person Specification and if they demonstrate experience of working in a diagnostic histology department.

Candidates who cannot demonstrate experience of working in a histology department will be appointed to the band 3 position on annexe 21 until they have completed all departmental training logs and competency assessments then the successful candidate will automatically progress to the band 3 (Higher) position.

Based at the Cumberland Infirmary, Pathology Department.

Applications are invited for this post within Cell Sciences. The histology department is part of Cell Sciences and is well equipped and is ISO 15189 accredited. We use Telepath LIMS with ICE electronic requesting and reporting, and Q-Pulse quality management system.

You should be able to demonstrate good planning, organisational and interpersonal skills as well as evidence of competence in problem solving and prioritising workloads. Excellent communication skills are essential for this post.

Main duties of the job

Support biomedical scientists in a range of laboratory duties including the processing of clinical specimens for testing, registration of patients onto the pathology computer system, specimen reception duties, telephone enquiries and general housekeeping duties.

About us

At NCIC, we have an ambition to deliver outstanding healthcare services to the population of North Cumbria. The Trust is committed to creating a centre of excellence in providing rural and remote healthcare and provides a wide range of community and acute services throughout our county.

Our 5 key principles demonstrate our belief in the delivery of ‘safe, high quality care every time’:

• Being a clinically led organisation
• Quality and safety at the heart of our Trust
• A positive patient experience every time
• A great place to work
• Managing our money well

As an organisation we are serious about supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our local community and are very much focused on being an inclusive and compassionate place to work.

Across the North East and North Cumbria we are working together to deliver our ambition to be the greenest region in England by 2030. All staff are expected to support sustainability.

Job responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification for further information regarding the role and the essential and desirable criteria required to be met by applicants.

Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL). Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment. Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

If you are applying under the Disability Confident Scheme or Armed Forces Covenant and you meet all the essential criteria for a post, you will be guaranteed an interview.

Relocation assistance may be available for successful applicants moving to the region for certain posts. Please see our Policy for eligible vacancies.

Disclosure and Barring Service:

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.

The cost of the DBS must be met by the successful candidate(s) through salary deduction. DBS charges are as follows if applicable to the post:

• Standard Check: £21.50 + Administration cost of £5.90 = £27.40. Deducted from salary over a 4 month period or a one-off payment.
• Enhanced Check: £49.50 + administration cost of £5.90 = £55.40. Deducted from salary over a 4 month period or a one-off payment.

NCIC can offer successful future employees the following benefits:

• 27-day holiday scheme rising to 33 after 10 years
• NHS Discounts*
• Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work*
• Vivup is a free, confidential counselling and information service to assist with personal or work-related problems

*Subject to eligibility

Please ensure that you document evidence of meeting all the essential criteria in the supporting information.

If sufficient response is received this post could be closed earlier than the specified closing date, please apply as soon as possible to ensure that your application is considered.

Candidates who have been successfully shortlisted for interview will be asked via an email notification to log on to their Trac account to select an interview time. This will usually be within 2 weeks of the closing date.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• NVQ 3 in clinical Laboratory support or equivalent. (Examples of equivalence, 2 A levels, Completion of laboratory based competence training manual, IBMA Certificate of Achievement Part 1)

Knowledge and Experience

1. Working in a laboratory environment understanding procedures and practices requiring a base level of theoretical knowledge
2. Equality issues
3. Medical terminology.
4. Microsoft Office

Skills and Aptitudes

1. Able to use initiative appropriately
2. Team Work
3. Good communication and interpersonal skills.
4. Able to prioritise work to meet deadlines in a busy environment
5. Ability to follow laid down procedures and guidelines
6. Use of IT systems

Other requirements

• Flexible approach to working patterns
• Willing to undertake training and development

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

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust