Plasma Healthcare Assistant

NHS Blood and Transplant; Reading; On-site; GBP 15,000 - 18,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid learning and development

Extensive induction and training

Rotas published 6 weeks ahead

No night shifts

Meal allowances / overtime where aplic

Generous annual leave

Job summary

NHS Blood and Transplant is seeking a Plasma Healthcare Assistant to support plasma collection and deliver excellent donor care in our centres. You will guide donors, perform pre-donation checks, and participate in donor journeys to ensure a safe and positive experience.

Shifts include weekdays and alternate weekends; role involves venepuncture, adverse-event handling, and adherence to Good Manufacturing Practice. Hybrid learning and development are offered.

Qualifications

• Experience of dealing with the public and putting the customer first
• Experience of dealing with sensitive or confidential matters and an understanding of how this applies to the role
• Experience of delivering a quality customer service
• Ability to follow written instructions, to develop a good underpinning knowledge relating to practical skills, for which you will receive training and ongoing assessment
• Willing to undertake further skill development for self and for supporting the training and induction of new team members, where required

Responsibilities

• In this crucial role, you will collect plasma while delivering the very best experience for donors and colleagues
• As Plasma Healthcare Assistant, you will guide donors through the donor journey, from welcoming them to our service to carrying out pre-donation checks
• Your duties also include venepuncture, managing adverse effects and ensuring plasma meets GMP requirements
• You’ll take part in peer observation and training to support continual development as a service
• You’ll drive safe working practices and help induct new team members
• You will work with the public and handle sensitive information, delivering high-quality customer service

Job description

Plasma Healthcare Assistant

Please note, following changes to UK Immigration Policy from 31st December 2026, this role will no longer be eligible for Visa Sponsorship. We are therefore unable to consider candidates requiring sponsorship as it will not be possible to complete the process before this date. Please do not apply unless you have another means of establishing a right to work.

Job Summary

At NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), our Plasma Collections team do something incredible every single day and we are looking for a Healthcare Assistants to join our Plasma Collections Centres. You will play a vital part in making sure our donors feel safe, special, and well cared for, and to create an experience that they will want to return to time and time again.

Plasma is part of your blood. It’s rich in antibodies, which can be concentrated into immunoglobulin medicines. These medicines save or improve the lives of around 17,000 people in England each year. They’re used to either boost immune system or calm down the immune system when it’s attacking someone’s own body.

This post is for between 45 and 75 hours per fortnight (22.5 to 37.5 hours per week on average), to be agreed at the offer stage. Shifts may be on any day during the week and the rota will be given weeks in advance.

Shifts often follow these patterns:

• Monday & Tuesday: 11.40 – 19.40
• Wednesday: 08.40 – 16.40
• Thursday & Friday: 07.40 – 15.40
• Alternate Saturdays and Sundays: 07.40 – 15.40

Main duties of the job

In this crucial role, you will collect plasma while delivering the very best experience for donors and colleagues. Plasma is a vital blood product and a core part of our service through your work, you’ll be helping thousands of patients across England.

As Plasma Healthcare Assistant, you will guide donors through the donor journey, from welcoming them to our service to carrying out pre-donation checks and confirming the donor’s understanding of our process. Your duties also include venepuncture (putting a needle in an arm), managing adverse effects and making sure that the plasma collected meets our ‘Good Manufacturing Practice’ requirements.

Aside from the customer journey elements of the role, you’ll take part in peer observation and training to support our continual development as a service. You’ll also drive safe working practices across the board and help induct new team members.

You will have some experience in dealing with the public, handling sensitive information and delivering a high‑quality customer service.

As well as being highly methodical, you should have excellent communication, team working and collaboration skills. You’ll also be required to take on technical training and work varied shifts including weekends and evenings.

Being able to work under pressure and accurately follow instructions are both essential.

About You

Experience and Knowledge

• Experience of dealing with the public and putting the customer first
• Experience of dealing with sensitive or confidential matters and an understanding of how this applies to the role
• Experience of delivering a quality customer service

Qualifications and Training

• Ability to follow written instructions, to develop a good underpinning knowledge relating to practical skills, for which you will receive training and ongoing assessment
• Willing to undertake further skill development for self and for supporting the training and induction of new team members, where required

About Us

It takes all types of people to deliver the kind of service that saves and improves lives. At NHS Blood and Transplant, you’ll join a team of more than 6,000 people who are making a genuine difference to communities, families, friends, relatives and more across the UK. We play a unique and special role in the NHS by helping people do something extraordinary - donate blood, blood products, organs, tissues, or stem cells to save someone in need.

Our three core values are what set us apart. They guide and inspire everything we do. By being caring, expertly meeting the needs of our patients and our people, and accepting nothing less than the best quality, we can do extraordinary work – and help our people to do something extraordinary in their career, too. Three small words, one big difference - Caring, Expert and Quality. Together we'll save and improve more lives than ever.

You will join us on our journey to create an inclusive workplace and aim to reflect the diverse communities we work with, and we positively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

What we offer:

• Extensive Induction and Training Programme
• Rotas published 6 weeks ahead of time.
• No night shifts.
• Payments for unsociable hours, overtime and meal allowances where applicable.
• Hybrid working arrangements – because NHSBT works nationally, we’re able to offer hybrid working options that give you more flexibility to balance work with life.
• Flexible working options – we promote flexible working where the role allows. We’re happy to discuss what flexibility might look like for you.
• Generous annual leave - 27 days annual leave (pro rata for part-time) plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 29 days after 5 years’ service and to 33 days after 10 years.
• Inclusive pension scheme - the NHS Pension Scheme is a defined benefit scheme (not dependent on investment returns). Further details and outline of benefits can be found at: http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/information-about-nhs-pensions
• Supportive learning culture - we’ve fostered a culture of continuous learning where colleagues are well-led, engaged, and encouraged to grow. We support you in reaching your full potential, both in your current role and future career. Our Thrive program embodies our commitment to learning and development, offering a wide range of activities to support your personal and professional growth. It’s open to everyone at NHSBT, ensuring you have the resources to succeed and shine in your role.
• Health and wellbeing support – we offer confidential services including occupational health, employee assistance programme, and wellbeing resources. Our support is available to all colleagues and we endeavour to provide tailored workplace adjustments where possible.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applications from disabled candidates. We will talk with you to explore any adjustments that may help you during the recruitment process.

Read about our application process

Learn more about our culture at NHSBT

Next steps

This vacancy will close at 23:59pm on Tuesday 10 November, however this vacancy may close sooner than the advertised deadline if we receive a high volume of application.

The assessment process for this role will include a single interview. Interviews are anticipated to be held on Tuesday 24 November, subject to confirmation.

For informal enquiries please contact Christina Leaver, Plasma Support Specialist at [e-mail].