Medical Laboratory Assistant

Job description

Job responsibilities

Overall Job Purpose:

To assist in the daily running of the laboratory section to which you have been assigned within the Pathology Department. To assist in the performance of the routine diagnostic analytical work of the department as directed. To provide general support in other areas of the Laboratory.

The post holder will be required to work within any section of the department, including core and unsocial hours as required.

Main Duties:

Reception Duties

1. To book patient details and test requests on the pathology computer system.
2. To receive specimens for investigations and prepare specimens for laboratory testing according to defined protocols.
3. To ensure that specimen and request form details are correct and discuss ambiguous test requests with senior scientists or clinicians.
4. To answer enquiries from health care professionals at the hospital, in the community and patients, regarding the specimen type, processing state and expected time frames for laboratory investigations.
5. To give authorised results to relevant health care professionals.
6. To divert calls to the appropriate sections of the department.
7. To exercise courtesy when dealing with enquiries over the phone or face-to-face, providing information within defined protocols, recognising own professional boundaries.
8. To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible. Reception staff are the first point of contact for complaints by healthcare professionals and patients.
9. To manage departmental mail including receipt and dispatch of test results and patient specimens.
10. To print, sort and copy reports as required.
11. To package biological samples for testing at external centres in accordance with handling regulations for biohazard materials.
12. To avoid contamination with infectious materials, reporting any leakages to senior staff and strictly following the departmental Health and Safety Rules.
13. To order stock for reception area, when given the delegated responsibility. Stock and waste management and daily housekeeping
14. To prepare laboratory reagents, including hazardous chemicals, using protective equipment and precision pipetting where required.
15. To safely dispose of infective and high risk wastes by according to written procedures
16. To undertake routine cleaning and maintenance of laboratory equipment and benches.
17. To replace stocks of consumables and reagents when required and inform the Section Leader if back-up stocks are low.

Scientific and TechnicalUnder supervision of registered scientists:

1. To prepare samples for a wide range of tests.
2. To participate when required in laboratory bench work or automated analysis following standard operating procedures
3. To communicate any difficulties, accidents or incidents to a section leader promptly.
4. To enter test results on pathology computer system.
5. To assist in the evaluation of new equipment and advise the Pathology Lead or scientific staff on the need for new equipment and maintenance of existing equipment.
6. To observe the departmental quality control policies.
7. To assist when required in the preparation of documentation for accreditation.
8. To participate in all rosters as required.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• 5 GSCE passes at A-C grade including Maths and English
• NVQ level 3 or equivalent (NVQ Level 3 is equivalent to 2 A Levels) or more than 1 year work experience in a clinical laboratory

Experience

Essential

• Experience in an appropriate healthcare environment.
• Scientific interest or some experience.
• Some theoretical and practical knowledge of pathology
• Previous use of computers
• Awareness of Quality Management principles

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Good organisational skills.
• Basic numeracy skills
• Ability to understand and follow written and verbal instructions in English
• Basic Keyboard skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with other members of the laboratory in
• English -both verbally and in writing
• Ability to deal with and relay messages accurately and in a timely fashion

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Ability to work in a team
• Ability to handle confidential material.
• Ability to work on own initiative
• Flexible approach to actual hours of work
• Flexible approach to tasks not specifically mentioned in job description
• Awareness of Health and Safety Issues
• Punctual and reliable

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

The Doctors Laboratory

Address

Northwick Park Hospital

London

HA3 0AT

Employer's website

https://www.tdlpathology.com/ (Opens in a new tab)