Associate Practitioner Histology

Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY:

The post holder will perform under limited supervision the routine activities within the department and provide assistance to senior staff. The role entails providing both support to qualified BMS as well as performing complex testing not requiring state registration by the HCPC. The post holder will also be expected to assist with the training of Medical Laboratory Assistants and other trainees. To offer supervised assistance in providing appropriate advice to clinicians and other users of the laboratory service in respect of laboratory investigations and results.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Specimen reception: To deal with the reception, sorting and labelling of patient specimens, identifying inadequate and mis-labelled specimens and ensuring urgent samples are prioritised.

Recording specimen dissection descriptions, data entry, preparing specimens for analysis, including booking in patient and specimen details, storing, retrieving and disposing of specimens.

Carefully prepare samples for diagnostic testing or storage. This may involve delicate procedures to manually handle category A samples, describe samples and place into a labelled cassette matching necessary paperwork and documentation.

As directed, undertake basic testing under supervision of BMS staff.

Assist in the training of new members of staff in the standard operational procedures required of them

As directed by BMS in technical charge of section, assist in the induction, basic training and competency assessment (as appropriate) of new or less experienced staff by demonstrating duties and providing advice and guidance

Loading/unloading tissue processors and initiating processing programmes.

To carry out, under supervision, laboratory procedures:

o Embedding. Morphological alignment of surgical biopsies within molten wax

o Microtomy.

o Special stains; Undertake staining procedures to identify specific tissue structures or organisms

o Antigen retrieval procedures

o Undertaking manual immunocytochemistry procedures

Use laboratory equipment:

o Slide staining machine,

o Immunocytochemistry autostainer (programming daily runs, loading/unloading of slides, preparation of reagents general maintenance)

To work in compliance with local health and safety rules to ensure a safe working environment for you, colleagues and visitors.

To adhere to department and Trust Health and Safety policies (including COSHH, Risk assessments and Standard Operating Procedures) and to report any non-compliances to a senior member of staff.

Oversee MLAs working in the section

Train new members of staff (MLAs)

Answer telephone enquiries, retrieving results in accordance with SOPs

To manage and prioritise assigned tasks within timescales determined by a senior member of staff

Prioritises urgent work.

They will be required to solve day-to-day problems such as mislabelled or lost samples.

The post holder will be required to work under the supervision of qualified staff and follow departmental standard operating procedures and policies.

To ensure that adequate consumable stocks and reagents are maintained in immediate working areas and to report low levels to a senior member of staff

To assist with the operation of expensive laboratory equipment (see knowledge, training and education).

To undertake maintenance and decontamination of equipment

To report any faults and non-compliances to a senior member of staff.

Communication and Relationships:

To provide a first point of contact for enquiries for users of the service and to direct as appropriate to a senior member of staff in accordance with department protocols.

Take and convey accurately, messages relating to patients samples from Medical, Nursing and Administrative staff within the Trust and from external organisations.

The post holder will be required to communicate with all grades of staff within the department on matters relating to the Histological preparation of patient samples.

Input patient demographics and tests requested into the Laboratory computer system to enable Histology reports to be produced.

The post holder will be expected to communicate to Biomedical Scientists regarding operational issues in their section

Follows policies prepared by others, comments on and makes suggestions for improvements.

Implements policies within their area of work.

Person Specification

EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

Essential

• Computer literate: able to handle data input, prepare spread sheets, worksheets.
• Experience of working in a laboratory environment
• Attention to detail, highly organised, logical, methodical
• Experience of working as a team
• Previous experience as an MLA in a Histology Laboratory or an equivalent level of knowledge and skills acquired through laboratory based practice

Desirable

• Experience of working as a Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA)

SKILLS AND ABILITY

Essential

• Good verbal, numeracy and written skills.
• The ability to communicate effectively with other colleagues and other users of the service.
• Dexterity and practical skills
• Ability to plan and prioritise workload according to urgency of reporting and to meet stated turn round times.
• Competent in following written standard operating procedures
• Ability to manage busy work streams and large number of samples at peak hours.
• Team player and can also work on own initiative.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality at all times

Qualifications

Essential

• Foundation degree in healthcare science or equivalent

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

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Histology (Pathology) Blackpool Victoria Hospital

Whinney Heys Road

Blackpool

FY3 8NR

Employer's website

https://www.bfwh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)