Senior Medical Laboratory Assistant

NHS; North East; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

A public health organization is seeking a Senior Medical Laboratory Assistant in North East England. Key responsibilities include processing 1500-2000 samples daily, ensuring quality care, and various clerical tasks. Candidates should have NVQ Level 3 in CLS and exceptional communication skills. This is a full-time permanent position with a salary range of £24,937 to £26,598 per year, requiring shift work. The role is critical for the Department of Blood Sciences and supports patient care across multiple Trust sites.

Qualifications

• NVQ 3 CLS or equivalent is essential.
• IBMS Certificate of Achievement Part 1 required or demonstrable competency.
• Excellent communication skills are necessary for general duties.

Responsibilities

• Prioritise urgent samples to avoid delays.
• Book patient samples onto the Laboratory Computer System.
• Centrifuge samples and load them onto laboratory analysers.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Attention to detail

Computer literate

Keyboard skills

Education

NVQ 3 CLS or equivalent

IBMS Certificate of Achievement Part 1

Tools

Microsoft Office applications

Job description

Job Summary

We are seeking an individual with excellent literacy and numeracy skills to work as a Senior Medical Laboratory Assistant in our very busy Department of Blood Sciences which processes 1500-2000 samples per site each day.

Main Duties of the Job

• Prioritising urgent and AE samples to avoid delays and ensure best patient care.
• Receipt of samples from within the Hospital via a vacuum tube system or in person and from GP surgeries via courier services.
• Booking a large volume of patient samples onto the Laboratory Computer System and ensuring the correct test requests are inputted. There are thousands of different test codes and you must have excellent attention to detail to select the correct codes.
• Centrifuging samples and correctly loading the samples onto the relevant laboratory analysers.
• Organising referral and packaging and sending of samples to other Trust sites and to other Trusts nationwide.
• Answering reception and telephone queries and liaising with other Trust staff and the general public.
• Receiving deliveries, ensuring they go to the correct department within Pathology and unpacking and organising the stock as requested.
• Scanning request forms and ensuring printed reports are sent to the correct requesting departments, GPs or clinics in a timely manner.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate good keyboard skills, be computer literate and have experience of working in a reception or clerical environment. Previous laboratory experience would be an advantage.
• Be well organised, have excellent attention to detail, be a good communicator, team player, conscientious and flexible.
• Ask questions and take on board information given.
• Work on a 24/7 shift rota including dayshifts, late shifts, nightshifts, weekend dayshifts and nightshifts, bank holiday dayshifts and nightshifts including Christmas Day. Dayshifts and late shifts are 7.5 or 8 hours. Nightshifts and some weekends and bank holidays are 12 hours. On weekends, bank holidays and nightshifts you will often be the sole Pathology Reception worker on site.
• You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre‑employment checks.

About Us

We provide hospital services from two acute sites – Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester‑Le‑Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community‑based settings and care in patients' homes.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under‑represented.

Person Specification

Qualifications – Essential

• NVQ 3 CLS or equivalent
• IBMS Certificate of Achievement Part 1 or demonstrable assessed competency

Qualifications – Desirable

• CPD
• NVQ 3 Health (Pathology stream) or equivalent
• Science and/or Maths GCSE or above

Special Skills and Knowledge – Essential

• Follow protocols and instructions accurately
• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written
• Computer literate
• Excellent attention to detail
• Ability to concentrate for long periods

Special Skills and Knowledge – Desirable

• Microsoft Office applications

Special Requirements – Essential

• Able to travel across Trust sites to meet the requirements of the post
• Able to handle blood and body samples
• Able to work flexibly
• Able to participate in shift working, weekend working, bank holidays

Experience – Essential

• Previous laboratory experience
• Employment with public interaction

Experience – Desirable

• Supervisory experience
• Training experience

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 to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer Details

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

University Hospital Of North Durham

North Road

Durham

DH1 5TW

https://www.cddft.nhs.uk/

Pay and Benefits

Salary: £24,937 to £26,598 a year pro rata.

Band: 3

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full‑time

Date posted: 19 December 2025