Medical Laboratory Assistant - Specimen Reception

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a motivated Medical Laboratory Assistant (Band 3) to join the Central Specimen Reception at LCL. The role involves 24/7 shift work across all LCL sites and requires prior laboratory and specimen reception experience.

You will work as part of a multidisciplinary team ensuring accurate specimen handling and data input. The successful candidate will maintain high standards, participate in training, adhere to safety protocols, and

Qualifications

• Experience in a laboratory and specimen reception is essential.
• Band 3 with good education and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• The primary receipt and preparation of potentially hazardous patient specimens.
• Input of patient demographics onto Laboratory Information System (LIMS).
• Liaise with Trust staff on technical, patient and specimen problems.
• Identify urgent and priority requests and process them promptly.
• Provide advice to healthcare staff regarding specimen types and turnaround times.
• Maintain 100% record in Mandatory Training and read/acknowledge documents in the Quality Management System.

Skills

Specimen reception

Lab procedures

Communication skills

Teamwork

Tools

LIMS

Automation equipment

Job description

Medical Laboratory Assistant - Specimen Reception

Company:

Company: Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

A Vacancy at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

We are looking to recruit a motivated and reliable Multi-discipline Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) Band 3, with good standard of education and communication skills, to work as part of a team in the LCL Central Specimen Reception.

The MLA will participate in 24/7 shift work across all LCL sites. Previous laboratory and Specimen Reception experience is essential.

Liverpool Clinical Laboratories (LCL) is the largest provider of pathology services in the Northwest.. Our vision is to pioneer new technologies and ways of working that better inform decisions about a person’s health, by providing greater accessibility to clinical diagnostic services. We’re looking for people who see opportunities, share your skills and explore the potential and recognise that behind every sample is a real person.

If you’re someone who inspires those around you and is a true ‘team player’, we want to hear from you. We offer excellent training and development opportunities for all disciplines.

Applicants are encouraged to check their eligibility to work in the UK and the availability of visa sponsorship for this role before applying.

Maintain a high standard of multidisciplinary work when carrying out laboratory procedures.

Receive, sort and distribute samples to relevant laboratories departments using manual, semi-automated and automated techniques and equipment

Input of patient demographics onto Laboratory Information System, including blood sciences, virology, immunology and microbiology samples.

Liaise with other laboratory departments to problem solve and process samples in a timely manner

Maintain 100% record in Mandatory Training and read and acknowledge all documents through the Quality Management System.

Coordinate and provide training for new MLA staff. Ensure that all relevant departmental training logs are completed.

The post holder will also maintain analytical equipment in optimal operational condition.

Adhere to all H&S, COSHH, and Laboratory protocols.

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital & Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 Nov 2024 from the coming together of LUHFT and Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust. The Group was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our patients.

UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond.

For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.

Aintree University Hospitalis the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside and hosts a number of regional services including an award-winning stroke facility.Broadgreen Hospitalis home to elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation.Liverpool Women’s Hospitalspecialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK’s largest single site maternity hospital each year. TheRoyal Liverpool University Hospitalis the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single bedrooms and focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.

For roles at Liverpool Women’s, visit theircareers page

Please see JD & Person Specification for full details.

Key responsibilities

• The primary receipt and preparation of potentially hazardous patient specimens
• Assess the suitability and appropriateness of samples received, liaising with all grades of staff as necessary.
• Use of LIMS to enter patient and sample demographics accurately and efficiently
• To undertake the reception, accurate identification, labelling and demographic input of patient requests in line with departmental procedures and turnaround times.
• Identify urgent and priority requests and processing them in a timely manner
• Ensure that incorrect patient details or similar errors are dealt with appropriately and logged through the LIMS system
• Liaise with Trust staff on technical, patient and specimen problems
• Extract information from LIMS for telephone enquiries by staff from other departments, surgeries or hospitals and identify when these need to be passed on to senior members of staff
• Provide advice to healthcare staff regarding specimen types, and turnaround times of tests.
• Loading and operating of specialist automated detection system e.g. bacterial/alert 3D blood culture analyser.
• Loading and operating of pre-analytical equipment in line with SOPs

This advert closes on Thursday 26 Nov 2026

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust