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County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Medical Laboratory Assistant

The closing date is 08 July 2025

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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.

The Medical Laboratory Assistant role involves working as a member of staff providing support to Specimen Reception, Biochemistry, Immunology, Haematology and Blood Transfusion. You will be working alongside a team of Biomedical Scientists and Associate Practitioners.

Main duties of the job

Main tasks include:

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 on to 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 on to 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.

Please refer to the Job Description and Personal Specification for full details.

About us

If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager

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

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 providing 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

Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents

Over reliance on AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success

For the most up-to-date information on visa requirements and eligibility, please check online to determine whether you can apply.

From April 9th 2025 - Healthcare assistants - You must have a minimum of two years of experience working within the NHS as a HCA for the Trust to consider sponsorship (we will only consider sponsorship if you meet this criteria and have a current visa expiring within 3 months)

Details

Date posted

24 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,625 to £25,674 a year per annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

C9439-2526-0351

Job locations

University Hospital Of North Durham

North Road

Durham

DH1 5TW


Job description

Job responsibilities

You should be able to demonstrate good keyboard skills and be computer literate and have experience of working in a reception or clerical environment. Previous Laboratory experience would be an advantage. If you are well organised, have excellent attention to detail, are a good communicator, team player, conscientious and flexible this job may suit you. You must be able to ask questions and take on board information given.

You must be able to work on a 24/7 shift rota which includes dayshifts, late shifts, nightshifts, weekend dayshifts and nightshifts, Bank Holiday dayshifts and nightshifts including Christmas Day. This is a requirement of the post. 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 (there will be Biomedical Scientists on site also).

Job description

Job responsibilities

You should be able to demonstrate good keyboard skills and be computer literate and have experience of working in a reception or clerical environment. Previous Laboratory experience would be an advantage. If you are well organised, have excellent attention to detail, are a good communicator, team player, conscientious and flexible this job may suit you. You must be able to ask questions and take on board information given.

You must be able to work on a 24/7 shift rota which includes dayshifts, late shifts, nightshifts, weekend dayshifts and nightshifts, Bank Holiday dayshifts and nightshifts including Christmas Day. This is a requirement of the post. 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 (there will be Biomedical Scientists on site also).

Person Specification

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, week end working, bank holidays.

Qualifications

Essential

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

Desirable

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

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, week end working, bank holidays.

Experience

Essential

  • Previous laboratory experience
  • Employment with public interaction

Desirable

  • Supervisory experience
  • Training experience

Special Skills & 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

Desirable

  • Microsoft Office applications
Person Specification

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, week end working, bank holidays.

Qualifications

Essential

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

Desirable

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

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, week end working, bank holidays.

Experience

Essential

  • Previous laboratory experience
  • Employment with public interaction

Desirable

  • Supervisory experience
  • Training experience

Special Skills & 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

Desirable

  • Microsoft Office applications

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

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Address

University Hospital Of North Durham

North Road

Durham

DH1 5TW


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Address

University Hospital Of North Durham

North Road

Durham

DH1 5TW


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Blood sciences departmental manager

Nicola McKeague

Nicola.mckeague@nhs.net

07393002996

Details

Date posted

24 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,625 to £25,674 a year per annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

C9439-2526-0351

Job locations

University Hospital Of North Durham

North Road

Durham

DH1 5TW


Supporting documents

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