Medical Laboratory Assistant

Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust; Guildford; On-site; GBP 26,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in Guildford is seeking a Medical Laboratory Assistant to join the Specimen Reception Team. The role involves managing specimen reception, data entry, and providing customer service. Applicants should have good communication skills and a good secondary education in English and Maths. Full training will be provided. Salary is £25,768 per annum pro-rata.

Qualifications

• Good secondary education in English, Maths, and Science.
• No previous lab experience necessary as full training will be provided.
• Understanding of basic Health and Safety regulations.

Responsibilities

• Manage receipt, checking, and sorting of specimens.
• Enter patient and test information onto the laboratory computer system.
• Assist with the receipt and handling of pathology consumables.

Skills

Good communication skills

Attention to detail

Manual dexterity

Excellent IT skills

Ability to work under pressure

Education

GCSEs in English and Mathematics at grade C/Level 5 and above

Basic knowledge of Biology & Chemistry

Job description

Applications are invited from a dynamic, motivated, reliable and enthusiastic person to join the Specimen Reception Team at the Royal Surrey Foundation Trust in Guildford as a Medical Laboratory Assistant.

An MLA is the first point of contact; therefore good communication skills, a friendly and approachable personality and the ability to demonstrate excellent customer relations are essential. You should have good attention to detail, manual dexterity, excellent IT skills, the ability to work well under pressure and a good secondary education in English, Maths and Science.

This role is not a training role, therefore no previous lab experience is necessary and full training will be provided.

Main duties of the job

• Duties include receipt, checking and sorting of specimens, labelling and preparation for analysis
• Entering patient and test information onto the laboratory computer system and handling telephone enquiries
• Assisting with the receipt, unpacking, sorting and distribution of pathology consumables as well as general office duties such as photocopying and filing
• Working as part of the Specimen Reception team to provide an efficient and effective service to all users of the Pathology department, ensuring the rapid and timely turnaround of Pathology samples by receiving, labelling and entering onto the Pathology computer system

To maintain good communication with the Team Leader in order to minimise errors and maximise efficiency through agreed priorities and to achieve the aim of completing all work within the working day.

To maintain a close working relationship with senior laboratory staff.

To assist in the electronic production and distribution of Pathology reports by post or email.

To deal with telephone enquiries to give Pathology results for Haematology, Biochemistry and Microbiology, where appropriate, and to re-direct calls to the various laboratories.

Verbal contact with external laboratories on those tests not performed in house.

To inform relevant requesting Consultants, Doctors or nursing staff over the phone and face to face when incorrect sample or information is received.

To provide information to all users on the appropriate specimen collection procedure.

To provide information to patients over the telephone and face to face such as 24 hour urine collection. To also refer patients requesting results to the appropriate clinician.

To welcome visitors to the laboratory in a professional and courteous manner.

To take responsibility for the reception hatch, dealing with all the specimens handed in and general enquiries from members of the public, other Trust staff and patients in a professional and courteous manner.

The specimen reception service operates 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 5pm Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays. We are looking for applicants who can work anytime within these hours; the actual hours worked will be dependent on service and operational requirements.

The Pathology service at the Royal Surrey is part of Berkshire & Surrey Pathology Services, a joint venture between Ashford and St Peters NHS Foundation Trust, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust and Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust providing a wide range of analytical, diagnostic, interpretive and consultative services to hospitals, clinics and GPs.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and Mathematics at grade C/Level 5 and above
• Basic knowledge of Biology & Chemistry
• RSA I
• Medical Terminology

Knowledge

• Understanding of basic Health and Safety regulations

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.

Specimen Reception and Pathology Admin Manager

£25,768 a year (per annum) pro-rata - includes high cost area supplements (HCAS)