Medical Laboratory Assistant - Histopathology | East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust; Colchester; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Part time

Job summary

A healthcare trust in England is seeking a part-time Medical Laboratory Assistant in Colchester Hospital's Histopathology Department. This role involves sample reception, logging, and processing alongside training and teamwork in a busy lab environment. The position requires an enthusiastic individual with a reliable and innovative approach. Benefits include training, flexible working, and generous leave. This role is pivotal in providing diagnostic support for hospital patients.

Benefits

Generous pension scheme

27 days annual leave (pro rata)

Access to NHS discounts

Qualifications

• Ability to perform routine healthcare science activities under supervision.
• Understanding of histology and cytology testing.
• Ability to work in a busy laboratory.

Responsibilities

• Perform sample reception for Histopathology.
• Log samples and tests onto the laboratory computer system.
• Work effectively within a team.

Skills

Enthusiastic and motivated

Reliable

Innovative

Flexible

Teamwork

Job description

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated individual who is professional, reliable, innovative and flexible to join our friendly and hardworking team in our Histopathology Department at Colchester Hospital as a Medical Laboratory Assistant.

This post is part time – 21 hours per week which can be worked flexibly around service need. The core hours of the lab are 09:00‑17:30 Monday‑Friday.

Responsibilities

The role will involve sample reception for Histopathology: checking that correct patient samples are received, that samples are correct for testing, logging the samples and tests onto the laboratory computer system, loading the samples for processing and removing them once tested. Full training will be provided.

You will be required to work in a team environment, in a busy laboratory providing results to help in the treatment and diagnosis of our hospital and community patients.

We are looking for a Healthcare professional who can understand the changing services of pathology and represent the new service going forward.

Please note this position is not eligible for a Health and Social Care Visa and does not meet the requirements for sponsorship for a Skilled Worker visa.

Key Duties

• Performs a range of routine and non‑routine healthcare science activities under supervision, e.g. performs standard histological and cytological testing.
• Maintains clinical records in relation to activities carried out.
• Demonstrates own duties to new or less experienced employees.
• Works flexibly in reflection of service needs, which may include an extended working day and Saturday working.
• Handles the work of the service which brings staff into constant contact with human body fluids, tissues and hazardous chemicals, including blood, pus, urine, faeces and respiratory secretions.
• Maintains and promotes professional image of the pathology department.

We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across East Suffolk and North Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients’ own homes.

We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff.

We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options.

Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offers a variety of services.

Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients.

We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what’s widely regarded as the world’s best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients.

If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you.

Find out about living and working here – www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A

This advert closes on Wednesday 10 Dec 2025.