Point of Care Testing Assistant- Pharmacy Support Worker

Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust; Wrenthorpe; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider in England is seeking a motivated individual to join their team as a POCT Assistant. This full-time role involves assisting in the operation and maintenance of Point of Care Testing devices across various clinical areas. Candidates should have excellent communication skills and the ability to prioritize tasks, with previous experience in a hospital setting being desirable. Benefits include NHS pension and extensive support services.

Benefits

NHS pension plan

Generous holiday allowance

Employee health and wellbeing services

Onsite nurseries

Childcare vouchers

Qualifications

• Ability to work under pressure and maintain high-quality service.
• Clean driving license for travel to off-site locations.
• Willingness to participate in training for equipment and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Provide a high-quality, timely POCT service across Trust sites.
• Participate in training to maintain knowledge of equipment.
• Operate a wide range of POCT equipment according to guidelines.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Ability to prioritize work

Organizational skills

Flexibility

Education

Previous experience in hospital pathology laboratory or Point of Care Testing

Job description

Overview

Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust is offering an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated individual to join the Point of Care Testing (POCT) team as a POCT Assistant. This is a full-time position, though part-time hours (minimum 30 hours/week may be considered).

Based within the Pathology department, the role involves working across wards, clinics, and other clinical areas, supporting clinical staff with the use of over 250 POCT devices for diagnostic testing. Duties include assisting Biomedical Scientists, day to day operation and maintenance of devices, training and quality assurance, and ensuring a high-quality service and patient care.

Applications are invited from enthusiastic, motivated, organised, flexible, and friendly individuals with excellent communication skills. They must be able to prioritise work and work well under pressure. Previous experience of working in a hospital pathology laboratory or in Point of Care Testing is desirable but not essential.

A full clean driving license is required for travel to off-site POCT locations using Trust vehicles. Please refer to the person specification for full details of the requirements for this post.

Main duties

• To work as part of a team providing a high quality, timely POCT service across all Trust sites including offsite locations
• To participate in training required to maintain an up-to-date knowledge of all equipment and techniques used in POCT
• To operate a wide range of Point of Care Testing equipment using analytical skills, following manufacturers guidelines, SOPs and Trust policies
• To carry out routine and urgent maintenance of POCT equipment; identify and report problems associated with the equipment to the manager.
• To monitor POCT equipment from laboratory based IT systems and recognise errors and malfunctions and take appropriate action in a timely manner.
• To respond to telephone and email enquiries and provide technical support for POCT service users
• To perform Quality Control and External Quality Assurance (EQA) on POCT equipment following departmental and quality assurance providers instructions
• To deliver face to face and group training for all grades of medical and nursing staff on all POCT equipment and keep accurate records of competency assessments
• To follow stock control procedures for POCT reagents and consumables
• To carry out Point of Care Testing audits
• To work independently to plan and organise clerical workload
• To use the Pathology Quality Management system and follow document control procedures
• To be competent in the use of Trust, laboratory and POCT IT systems as required for the role.

We are an acute trust caring for over one million people in Wakefield and Kirklees. Our 10,000 staff members work in patients homes, the community, and our three hospitals in Pontefract, Dewsbury, and Pinderfields (Wakefield).

Committed to continuous improvement, we prioritise our people and values so we can deliver excellent patient experience. Our team is friendly, passionate and always seeking better ways to work through research and innovation. We support work-life balance and foster a diverse, inclusive environment where everyone belongs. Our staff networks offer safe spaces for honest conversations and to share ideas, thoughts and concerns so we can increase awareness and appreciation of equality, diversity, and inclusion.

As a member of the team, you will have access to the NHS pension plan, a generous holiday allowance, employee health and wellbeing services and extensive benefits and support. These include onsite nurseries, childcare vouchers, car lease and home electronics schemes, working carers support, carer-friendly policies, and more.

If you value caring, high standards, improvement, and respect, join the MY team to make a difference every day.