Tissue Bank Practitioner

Job summary

NHS Blood and Transplant is an integral part of the NHS. It saves thousands of lives by collecting over 2.5 million donations of blood and blood products every year. It also delivers a range of Tissue Grafts required to save and improve patients lives. As Tissue Bank Practitioner you will have key responsibility in independently ensuring the efficient functioning of all aspects of tissue receipt, processing and dispatch. As you support the work of the Eye Bank, youll be tasked with receiving and appropriately storing a range of tissue products, including corneas and sclera, guaranteeing that all Health and Safety Policies and National Guidelines are adhered to at all times. Youll join us with extensive experience in laboratories, allowing you to efficiently and accurately keep records and plan the day-to-day activities and workload of supporting staff. Your excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, will be crucial as you provide specialised training for Tissue Bank Assistant staff and supervise the work of a small team. You will be required to participate in routine Saturday/Sunday working and an on-call rota for evenings for which you will receive additional payments.

Main duties of the job

You will be required to support and assist in the work of the Eye Bank, independently performing a wide range of tasks and processes. You will ensure the efficient functioning of all aspects of tissue receipt, processing and dispatch to the required quality standards using laboratory equipment. You will assist in developing the service in anticipation of future clinical needs. You will be required to update production record written and/or electronic to take receipt of, and account for incoming tissue and materials. You will be required to provide specialised training for Tissue Bank Assistant staff in a defined area and supervise their work You will be required to process a range of tissue products, including corneas, sclera, along with the assessment and tissue manipulation of corneas such as DSAEK Pre-cutting and DMEK Peeling. You will be required to perform independent quality control check on batch records prior to release of Tissue. You will be able to lift and carry items up to a weight of 15kgs, with and without the use of mechanical aids You will be required to participate in a 24 hour on-call rota and routine Weekend working

About us

At NHS Blood and Transplant, were incredibly proud of the many talented people who come together every day to make our organisation the very best it can be. We have clearly defined values that are centred around offering exceptional care to our donors and their families. We take care of each other too and we focus on building our expertise so we can change lives, provide quality support and offer fulfilling careers. Its an opportunity to contribute to a unique team as part of a service that saves lives 365 days a year. We offer brilliant benefits including 27 days of holiday (plus bank holidays), a comprehensive induction and training programme, and competitive pension scheme. We are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace and aim to reflect the diverse communities we work with and positively encourage applications from all sectors of the community. Three small words, one big difference - Caring, Expert and Quality. Together we'll save and improve more lives than ever