Medical Laboratory Assistant - Blood Sciences

NHS; Hereford; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in England is looking for a Medical Laboratory Assistant to support laboratory operations including sample processing and communication with staff and patients. The role demands good numeracy, literacy, and communication skills, along with prior administrative experience. The position supports a 24/7 service and involves handling sensitive patient information. A dynamic environment in a rural setting offers great work-life balance.

Qualifications

• Ability to follow standard operating procedures.
• Ability to work with limited supervision.
• Good general computer literacy required.

Responsibilities

• Perform laboratory reception duties including checking sample quality.
• Answer telephone and personal enquiries.
• Participate in the effective running of the department.

Skills

Good numeracy and literacy skills

Ability to work under pressure

Good written and verbal communication skills

Good general computer literacy

Education

Minimum GCSE grade C in English and Mathematics

GCSE or equivalent in at least one science subject

Job description

Medical Laboratory Assistant - Blood Sciences

To perform laboratory reception duties including: checking sample quality, ensuring that appropriate samples are received for the tests requested, assigning laboratory numbers to samples and entering requests into the laboratory computer system. In addition the post includes answering telephone and personal enquiries, filing, sending out printed reports and issuing stocks to service users, obtaining blood from patients, daily maintenance tasks, some laboratory testing and attending clinics across Wye Valley NHS Trust.

The post holder will be need to be available to support the 24/7 service as required.

Main duties of the job

• Receiving, sorting, numbering and pre-analytical preparation of potentially infectious clinical specimens.
• Ensuring that the correct samples are received and the correct test codes are accurately assigned.
• To answer and make enquiries to/from wards, departments and GP surgeries. Communicate effectively and professionally with other laboratory staff, hospital staff and other service users,
• To maintain confidentiality at all times. This will involve dealing with confidential and sensitive patient information.
• To perform receptionist duties dealing with patients, visitors and other hospital staff.
• To perform simple analytical processes under the supervision of qualified staff, including near patient testing.
• Participate in the effective running of the department, including performing tasks required by the line manager and appropriate to grade, ensuring that the quality of work performed is of the highest standard and that work is performed in a timely manner.
• Ensure that all tasks are performed in accordance with current policies, all relevant regulatory requirements and with due regard to underpinning scientific principles. To ensure that laboratory quality procedures are followed.
• To assist in the safe disposal of used specimens and waste products.

About us

Wye Valley NHS Trust is a member of an NHS Foundation Group with South Warwickshire NHS FT , the George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

Located on the border with Wales in the shadow of the Black Mountains, we provide acute and community services across Herefordshire and into parts of Powys and run Hereford County Hospital and the community hospitals in Bromyard, Leominster and Ross-on-Wye.

We are a progressive and forward looking trust with ambitious plans to improve quality and integrate patient pathways through close collaborative working with our partners to deliver the quality of care we\'d want for our family and friends.

More than 3,500 people work for the Trust - they tell us it\'s a great place to work, blending the busyness of a DGH with the benefits of working in a beautiful rural and unspoilt county like Herefordshire.

We can offer a great work-life balance and have a fine tradition of working with staff to help them achieve their full potential.

Russell Hardy, Trust Chairman: "The strength of the Trust is its amazing staff; a great place to work, a great place to develop your career and a great place to reach your potential."

Our values -Care, Accountability, Respect and Excellence - are at the heart of all we do. We believe in providing the right care in the right place at the right time...all the time.

Job responsibilities

To view role requirements and role responsibilities in full, please view supporting documents linked to this vacancy.

Person Specification

Education & Qualifications

• Good numeracy and literacy skills as demonstrated by a minimum GCSE grade C in English and Mathematics or equivalent qualifications
• GCSE or equivalent in at least one science subject

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities

• Ability to work under pressure to a high degree of accuracy.
• Ability to follow standard operating procedures and to work to or exceed minimum performance standards
• Good written and verbal communication skills at all levels, including with patients, relatives and fellow healthcare professionals.
• Ability to work with limited supervision
• Good general computer literacy. Ability to input and extract information from I.T systems.

Experience

• Previous use of IT systems
• Previous administrative or customer service experience

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.