Medical Laboratory Assistant, Specimen Reception

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; Chertsey; On-site; GBP 26,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization is seeking a dedicated individual for an administrative role in Chertsey. The responsibilities include managing samples and request forms, ensuring compliance with safety procedures, and maintaining high standards of work. Essential qualifications include GCSEs in Maths and English or NVQ Level 2. The role offers a permanent, full-time contract with competitive salary and opportunities for professional development.

Qualifications

• Comfortable working as part of a team in an administrative job role.
• Willing to undergo training to ensure relevant level of knowledge & skills for the role.

Responsibilities

• Receive and check samples and request forms from service users.
• Number samples and forms with a unique identifier.
• Enter patient details onto the Enterprise laboratory information management system (LIMS).
• Liaise with users regarding errors in patient and specimen identification.
• Maintain high standards of work and check specimen details.

Skills

Teamwork

Organizational skills

Computer skills

Education

GCSEs including Maths & English or NVQ to Level 2

Job description

Job Summary

• Collect incoming deliveries from pathology reception.
• Unpack, check and label gynaecological specimens.
• Perform specimen data entry tasks using the Enterprise Laboratory information management system (LIMS).
• Work to clearly defined hourly productivity targets applicable to the job role.
• Assist in the HPV sorting room by checking and sorting request forms according to their recalls, pulling out histories, matching request forms and slides plus scanning documents into the DART database.
• Perform other tasks such as locating request forms for investigations and doing data entry for rejects team.

Main Duties

• To receive and check samples and request forms reaching the laboratory from our service users.
• To number samples and forms with a unique identifier and place specimen containers in processing racks.
• To separate samples received in error for different departments when necessary.
• Entering patient details onto the Enterprise laboratory information management system (LIMS) and looking up and printing previous patient history on CSMS system.
• To liaise with users regarding errors in patient and specimen identification, returning of samples to the sender when appropriate, and recording errors.
• Maintenance of a high standard of work, checking specimen and request details, any non-conformity brought to the attention of a senior member of staff.
• To comply with the Berkshire and Surrey Pathology Services (BSPS) health and safety procedures and laboratory codes of practice at all times and adhere to Trust and departmental policies and procedures.
• To follow laboratory procedures as detailed in departmental standard operating procedures (SOP).
• Assist in the training of new starters.
• Assist in the HPV sorting room by checking and sorting request forms according to their recalls, pulling out histories, matching request forms and slides plus scanning documents into the DART database.
• Perform other tasks such as locating request forms for investigations and doing data entry for rejects team.
• To carry out duties within the Cytology Department as and when required by the Laboratory Manager.

About Us

Ashford and St. Peters Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust serves a population of more than 410,000 people living in North-West Surrey, parts of Hounslow and beyond. Over 3,700 highly trained doctors, nurses, midwives, therapists, healthcare scientists and other support staff make up our workforce, providing a wide range of services across our two hospital sites, Ashford, Ashford, Surrey and St Peter's, Chertsey, Surrey. We also run many specialist clinics in the community and local community hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Our vision is to be one of the best healthcare Trusts in the country. There has never been a better time to join us in the NHS at Ashford & St Peters Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust with our strong commitment to staff health and wellbeing. We are committed to providing continuous professional development, staff benefits and flexibility to shape our workforce around our patient care.

Please see the supporting links which you can find on the right-hand side of this job advert. There is guidance on how to make an application on NHS Jobs as well as more information about joining the ASPH Team. Although it isn't the Trust's normal practice, adverts may close early, so applicants are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible.

Details

• Date posted: 31 December 2025
• Pay scheme: Agenda for change
• Band: Band 2
• Salary: £25,768 a year per annum inc. HCAS (pro rata - 37.5 hrs per week)
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time
• Reference number: 323-ACS2936-ED
• Job locations: St. Peter's Hospital, Guildford Road, Chertsey, KT16 0PZ

Job Responsibilities

• To receive and check samples and request forms reaching the laboratory from our service users.
• To number samples and forms with a unique identifier and place specimen containers in processing racks.
• To separate samples received in error for different departments when necessary.
• Entering patient details onto the Enterprise laboratory information management system (LIMS) and looking up and printing previous patient history on CSMS system.
• To liaise with users regarding errors in patient and specimen identification, returning of samples to the sender when appropriate, and recording errors.
• Maintenance of a high standard of work, checking specimen and request details, any non-conformity brought to the attention of a senior member of staff.
• To comply with the Berkshire and Surrey Pathology Services (BSPS) health and safety procedures and laboratory codes of practice at all times and adhere to Trust and departmental policies and procedures.
• To follow laboratory procedures as detailed in departmental standard operating procedures (SOP).
• Assist in the training of new starters.
• Assist in the HPV sorting room by checking and sorting request forms according to their recalls, pulling out histories, matching request forms and slides plus scanning documents into the DART database.
• Perform other tasks such as locating request forms for investigations and doing data entry for rejects team.
• To carry out duties within the Cytology Department as and when required by the Laboratory Manager.

Person Specification

Ability

Essential

• GCSEs to include Maths & English or NVQ to Level 2.

Desirable

• Willing to undergo training to ensure relevant level of knowledge & skills for the role.

Experience

• Comfortable working as part of a team in an administrative job role.

Desirable Experience

• Multi-tasking & prioritising skills.
• Ability to work to targets & be well organised / flexible.
• Good computer skills, coordination & dexterity.
• Team player, good communicator & motivated.
• Ability to maintain good working relationships with all members of staff.

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 Details

• Employer name: Ashford & St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Address: St. Peter's Hospital, Guildford Road, Chertsey, KT16 0PZ
• Employer website: https://www.ashfordstpeters.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)