Medical Laboratory Assistant
Job overview
Are you looking for a permanent part-time (25 hours per week) Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) position with a desire to work as part of the largest NHS led Pathology Services in the UK? Successful candidate will be based at Frimley Park Hospital – Microbiology (Bacteriology) Department.
We are looking for an energetic, enthusiastic and well-motivated individual with good scientific background to complement our late shift MLA team. (Late shift working hours 5pm – 10pm Mon to Friday).
Essential qualities expected are efficiency, being well organised, having good communication skills and attention to detail. Good keyboard skills are desirable. In addition, you should be a reliable individual who is able to demonstrate good practical skills and work as part of a team.You must be keen to embrace new ways of working and develop your knowledge and skills and able to participate in the shift system. Support and encouragement will be given for career development.
You will be expected to work according to our working time compliant shift system as specified above and on rare occasions may be required to work at the Wexham Park Hospital site to maintain quality, training and service requirements.
Main duties of the job
The postholder will assist in the preparation of analytical work for the Bacteriology Department across a range of department work areas under the supervision of a Registered Biomedical Scientist. The postholder is required to follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) at all times for any tasks carried out.There is a requirement to communicate with pathology staff, hospital staff, porters, drivers and couriers.
The postholder will provide support to the BMS staff through sorting, numbering and entering onto Laboratory Information Management System. The postholder will be required to operate the department waste disposal systems including use of autoclaves in a safe manner.
The diagnostic work of the department includes processing, for example, blood, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, faeces, sputum, tissues and diverse secretions. Processed samples are then interpreted for the presence of pathogens, these could be bacterial, fungal or parasitic.
Working for our organisation
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is committed to being an inclusive and disability confident employer and has been awarded the Gold for the Armed Forces Employment Recognition Scheme. We provide first class development opportunities for all staff and have a wide range of professional, management and leadership, and clinical skills training available.
Here at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, we know how important it is to have a healthy work life balance; this benefits not only individuals but the patients we care for too.
We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service and its users.
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Detailed job description and main responsibilities- To keep the laboratory manager informed of all matters regarding laboratory procedures and help with the smooth running of the department
- Works in cooperation with BMS staff to ensure workload is processed in a timely and efficient manner
- To assist in monitoring stock control of consumables held in store To ensure the cleaning and defrosting of equipment, such as fridges, freezers and incubators
- To answer telephone calls and deal with messages and enquiries
- To work to achieve competencies across the repertoire of the department as appropriate to grade.
- To receive a wide range of clinical samples into the department from hospital staff, clinic staff and transport services
- To ensure the safety of staff, visitors and the department by checking that Risk Assessment, COSHH and Local Rules are followed and to inform the laboratory manager of any potential risks
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Good basic education
- Willing to undergo relevant training
- Interest in working to higher level of qualification
Experience
Essential criteria- Able to perform technically challenging procedures where applicable
- Ability to develop knowledge and understanding of microbiology techniques sufficient to undertake specimen processing and reception
- Some experience of diagnostic microbiology
Skills and Knowledge
Essential criteria- Able to understand and follow Standard Operating Procedures
- Ability to follow laboratory H&S practice
- Ability to communicate clearly
- Able to follow written instructions
- Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations
- Understanding of need for service quality
- Experience of working in a relevant routine laboratory
- Ability to prioritise tasks and organise daily work
- Experience of team working
- Observant of detail, ability to make basic judgement decisions
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust (FHFT) has an outstanding reputation and a proud record of achievement. As a well performing, well led and ambitious Foundation Trust, we have exciting times ahead of us. We have an ongoing commitment to improving the health and care services for the 900,000 people we serve across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and south Buckinghamshire.
We are proud of the ambitions laid out in our strategy, Our Future FHFT, including our vision to be a leader in health & wellbeing, delivering excellence for our communities.
We continue to invest in our services and facilities, including a £10 million upgrade to the hospital maternity unit as well as £49m major new Emergency Assessment Centre on our Wexham Park site. The opening of a brand new £100m state of the art hospital which replaced the existing hospital facility at Heatherwood and are planning to invest further in diagnostics and inpatient capacity at Frimley Park.
We have also made significant investment in our quality improvement and digital programmes to support our vision and we will ensure that we achieve our aim of providing the highest quality healthcare to our patients. Our new EPR – Epic – went live in June and we are already beginning to reap the benefits of this ambitious investment.
Our three core values, and the behaviours that support them, guide everything we do and set out what we expect of our staff in the way they treat patients, visitors, service users and each other, Committed to Excellence, Working Together and Facing the Future.