Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Medical Laboratory Assistant

The closing date is 18 August 2025

Job summary

An opportunity has emerged within the Department of Clinical Microbiology for a Medical Laboratory Assistant to join the team. While experience in an NHS clinical laboratory is desirable and advantageous, previous experience in a laboratory setting is not mandatory, as comprehensive on-the-job training will be provided.

Your role will involve assisting Biomedical Scientists in delivering a diagnostic service to clinicians and other users, aiding in the diagnosis and treatment of infections. The role will involve working on different bench areas of the Microbiology Department to allow competency to be achieved.

Requirements:- Hold a C grade or above in GCSE English and Maths (or equivalent)- Possess a good understanding of Medical Terminology- Be available to work within the 5-day week, with occasional out-of-hours service.

Main duties of the job

Your role will be to perform a range of supporting tasks, liaising with the Biomedical Scientists, to ensure diagnostic support and treatment for the patient.

The Department processes around 470,000 specimens a year and is based in a modern laboratory that opened in 2006.

The Department routinely works 9am until 9pm, utilising , core and late shifts. The successful applicant will be contracted to work 5 out of 7 and participate in the out of hours service at weekends and bank holidays on a rotational basis. The payment scheme is in line with Agenda for Change terms and conditions.

About us

We are an award-winning NHS Foundation Trust working alongside health and social care colleagues across the county to provide acute and community healthcare services to more than 420,000 people across Mansfield, Ashfield, Newark and Sherwood, and parts of Derbyshire and Lincolnshire.

We put the patient at the heart of everything that we do and it is our aim to make sure that every patient is treated as we would want a member of our own family to be treated. At the same time, we expect our staff to be caring, kind and courteous to each other and to look out for each other. We believe that we are truly a clinically-led organisation.

We are proud that our Trust colleagues have voted us the best acute Trust to work for in the East Midlands for seven years running in the National NHS Staff Survey, while the Care Quality Commission has rated our Trust as 'outstanding' for care and our King's Mill Hospital as the only 'outstanding' NHS-run hospital in the East Midlands.

Details

Date posted

05 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,937 to £26,598 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

214-CSTO-7354551

Job locations

King's Mill Hospital

Mansfield Road

Sutton-In-Ashfield

NG17 4JL


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification attached to this advert for full details of roles and responsibilities of this position.

Not all of our roles are eligible for sponsorship to find out which roles are eligible for sponsorship please refer to the shortage occupation list found here:

Skilled Worker visa: eligible healthcare and education jobs - GOV.UK

Home Office guidance has changed as of the 9th April, anyone that requires switching visa type may not be eligible for sponsorship even if the role is on the shortage occupation list.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification attached to this advert for full details of roles and responsibilities of this position.

Not all of our roles are eligible for sponsorship to find out which roles are eligible for sponsorship please refer to the shortage occupation list found here:

Skilled Worker visa: eligible healthcare and education jobs - GOV.UK

Home Office guidance has changed as of the 9th April, anyone that requires switching visa type may not be eligible for sponsorship even if the role is on the shortage occupation list.

Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

  • Knowledge of quality assurance Good understanding of Health and Safety at work

Desirable

  • Knowledge of medical/scientific terminology.
  • Knowledge of laboratory test codes.

Skills

Essential

  • Articulate with good communication skills (verbal and written)
  • Good I.T. skills
  • Able to produce accurate and timely work
  • Able to work as part of a team
  • Ability to work under pressure and prioritise work to meet deadlines
  • Able to cope with frequent interruptions and changing priorities

Desirable

  • Ability to perform intricate procedures e.g. pipetting

Qualifications

Essential

  • GCSE English and Maths Grade C or above or equivalent

Desirable

  • Science based GCSE, NVQ level 2 or 3 in Clinical Laboratory Support or equivalent

Further Training

Essential

  • Laboratory based training
  • Multi tasking.

Experience

Essential

  • Experience in a related field or work experience in a Biomedical Laboratory or similar.

Desirable

  • Experience of working in a Microbiology Laboratory

Contractual

Essential

  • 37.5 hours per week
  • 5 days out of 7
  • Flexibility to meet service requirements
Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

  • Knowledge of quality assurance Good understanding of Health and Safety at work

Desirable

  • Knowledge of medical/scientific terminology.
  • Knowledge of laboratory test codes.

Skills

Essential

  • Articulate with good communication skills (verbal and written)
  • Good I.T. skills
  • Able to produce accurate and timely work
  • Able to work as part of a team
  • Ability to work under pressure and prioritise work to meet deadlines
  • Able to cope with frequent interruptions and changing priorities

Desirable

  • Ability to perform intricate procedures e.g. pipetting

Qualifications

Essential

  • GCSE English and Maths Grade C or above or equivalent

Desirable

  • Science based GCSE, NVQ level 2 or 3 in Clinical Laboratory Support or equivalent

Further Training

Essential

  • Laboratory based training
  • Multi tasking.

Experience

Essential

  • Experience in a related field or work experience in a Biomedical Laboratory or similar.

Desirable

  • Experience of working in a Microbiology Laboratory

Contractual

Essential

  • 37.5 hours per week
  • 5 days out of 7
  • Flexibility to meet service requirements

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 (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

King's Mill Hospital

Mansfield Road

Sutton-In-Ashfield

NG17 4JL


Employer's website

https://www.sfh-tr.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

King's Mill Hospital

Mansfield Road

Sutton-In-Ashfield

NG17 4JL


Employer's website

https://www.sfh-tr.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Higher Specialist Biomedical Scientist

Simon Clipstone

simon.clipstone@nhs.net

01623622515

Details

Date posted

05 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,937 to £26,598 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

214-CSTO-7354551

Job locations

King's Mill Hospital

Mansfield Road

Sutton-In-Ashfield

NG17 4JL


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)