Quality Control Laboratory Assistant (Higher Level) - Stevenage

Here at East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust,

Our mission is: Providing high-quality, compassionate care for our communities

Our vision to 2030 is: To be trusted to provide consistently outstanding care and exemplary service

Job overview

We are recruiting for a Quality Control Laboratory Assistant (higher Level) who shares our vision to be trusted to provide consistently outstanding care and exemplary service to our patients.

The Quality Control Department at Lister hospital is a specialist unit providing pharmaceutical and scientific services to NHS Trusts, private healthcare providers and commercial organisations.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, reliable, and conscientious individual who has a keen eye for detail and a strong work ethic.

Please note that this is a non-clinical role, and you will not be in contact with patients or any patient specimens, but you will work in laboratory environment.

Training for this role will be provided and on-going support from senior staff will be available.

At the heart of everything we do are our core values: Include, Respect, and Improve. We encourage you to embrace these values throughout the recruitment process and in your role with us.

Main duties of the job

You will deal with customers and health professionals on a first line contact/response basis.

The role includes various duties such as answering phone calls, receipt and logging of samples, processing of documentation, samples and products and their dispatch to customers.

You will also undertake physical, chemical, and microbiological testing and microbiology media preparation.

To undertake, supervise and coordinate all support duties assigned by senior staff in chemistry and microbiology laboratories as well as in the sample reception strictly in accordance with the approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and in line with the requirements of Good Manufacturing and Good Laboratory Practice.

To actively participate in all training activities related to the post and keep own training records up to date.

To communicate effectively with colleagues, other Trust staff and clients in both spoken and written language.

To be aware of the patient needs and customer care aspects and carry out all tasks in line with Trust values.

Working for our organisation

At East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, we are proud of the range of general & specialist services we provide & our 6,000 or so dedicated staff ensure our patients get the best care. Our ability to be flexible & innovative in the way in which we work and deliver our services to our catchment has never been more important than it is now.

We run the following hospitals:

• The Lister Hospital, Stevenage
• New Queen Elizabeth II (New QEII), Welwyn Garden City
• Hertford County, Hertford
• Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC), Northwood

We have ambitious plans to become an outstanding, patient-led Trust where dedicated staff provide high-quality, compassionate care to our patients. We continue to undergo significant transformation; our staff & patients are at the heart of delivering this ambitious agenda.

We understand that finding and starting a new job is an important life decision. If you need reasonable adjustments for a disability, or a life event, such as menopause - so that we can consider your application fairly & to get the best out of you during the selection process, please let us know.

We are committed to a positive work life balance for our employees. Employees are entitled to seek to work flexible working patterns & we are committed to listen and consider all requests. Such requests, of course, have to be made & considered formally, & will need to be balanced against service needs, but our starting point will always be to find ways to support making them happen.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification applicant pack for further detailed information regarding this role.

Person specification

Qualifications / Training

• Relevant NVQ 3 or equivalent in science based subject or equivalent experience.

Previous Experience

• Previous relevant experience

Skills

• Laboratory skills and willingness to undertake training
• Good IT skills
• Ability to work accurately and concentrate on repetitive tasks being undertaken for long periods of time.
• Ability to use own initiative and work without supervision and be task oriented and well organized.

Knowledge

• Use of Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and Data bases
• Understanding of confidentiality issues
• Understanding of Health & Safety at Work and COSHH Regulations
• An appreciation of quality of service issues

Other requirements

• Ability to travel easily between trust sites
• To wear PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment) including a laboratory coat, goggles and gloves for prolonged periods of time.
• To be able to carry and manipulate moderately heavy equipment and occasionally work at heights. (Occasional work in confined spaces may also be required).
• Must be able to work standing continuously or sitting continuously for prolonged periods of time.
• To be flexible and willing to work out of hours when required , this may include traveling and transporting equipment to customer sites
• Regularly required to work in an environment where there will be the possibility of exposure to laboratory chemicals, microbiological contamination, unpleasant odours
• Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion
• Role model our Trust values every day

Our values

We want our staff to believe in, demonstrate and live our values in everything we do.

Include

We value the diversity and experience of our community colleagues and partners, creating relationships and climates that provide an opportunity to share, collaborate and grow together.

Respect

We create a safe environment where we are curious of the lived experience of others, seek out best practice and are open to listening and hearing new ideas.

Improve

We are committed to consistently delivering excellent services and continuously looking to improve through a creative workforce that feels empowered to act in service of our shared purpose.

Committed to our Community

In particular we encourage applications from candidates with disabilities, and candidates from Black, Asian and Minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds who are currently under-represented in various parts of our workforce .

We understand the importance of balancing work and home life. We are committed to support flexible working for our staff wherever possible and all our employees are given the opportunity to discuss potential for flexible working.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and achieved our status in 2019.

We will remove barriers that prospective candidates might face at any stage of our recruitment process. If you have a disability and would like the advert in an alternative format, or would like to talk about how we can adjust the interview process to best support you, please contact us by emailing [email protected]

We are also proud to support our UK armed forces by supporting Reservists, Cadet Instructors, Veterans and military spouses/partners into employment and offering supportive policies that value their contribution to the community and to our Trust.

Our approach is inclusive, recognizing diverse challenges and creating a supportive environment where carers feel valued.

When you apply...

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date in certain circumstances. Please ensure that you make your application as soon as possible.

All correspondence relating to vacancies will be via the e-mail address you have provided on your application form. Some servers automatically send e-mails to your junk mail so please check as well as your inbox.

As a publicly funded employer, we need to ensure we utilise our funds responsibly, this may mean we are unable to support sponsorship required to gain the right to work for particular positions. We strongly advise you to contact the line manager or a member of the Resourcing Team before applying to confirm if we will be able to support with sponsorship for that post.

King's Trust Support

Please contact Enquiries.H&[email protected] for support.

Secondments/Fixed term

Where a vacancy is advertised as a temporary position, the duration will be specified in the advert. If the vacancy becomes permanent towards the end of the specified duration, the successful applicant may not be required to re-apply and can be slotted into the role on a permanent basis if appropriate.

If you are an internal applicant applying for a temporary working arrangement, please see the attached notes on secondments.