Senior Retrieval Assistant

Job summary

At NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) we work with more than just blood and solid organs. Our donors also donate multiple types of tissue and its within our Tissue and Eye Services team that you could play your role in significantly transforming hundreds of lives each year. As a Senior Retrieval Assistant, you would be responsible for supporting the work of the Retrieval team, performing a range of routine tasks which relate to the donation, transport, and follow-up of deceased and live tissue donors. You will be involved in retrieving multiple types of tissues including skin, eye, bone, heart and tendons from newly deceased donors, so its essential that you are comfortable with this aspect of the job. We understand that this is a unique role, and we dont expect you to be fully trained initially. Hence, we offer a comprehensive training program, detailed below. However, you do need to have either a Higher National Diploma or NVQ Level 3 in healthcare or Science or relevant science field. If you are interested in this unique and rewarding career where you will have a direct and positive impact on the tissue recipients and donor families lives, this is the role for you! In order to obtain a fascinating insight into the role, applicants are advised to watch The Human Tissue Squad this can be found online here https://vimeo.com/132804485.

Main duties of the job

You will work flexibly across the range of activities as rostered and will additionally assist in developing the service in anticipation of future clinical needs. Your responsibilities will include:

• Assist the Retrieval Team in the tissue donation process, performing tissue retrievals from deceased donors in various settings such as hospitals, Hospices and funeral homes.
• Retrieve tissues (eye, bones, tendons, skin, heart) from deceased donors, assisting in their reconstruction under the supervision of a senior team member.
• Support and assist with the maintenance of the Surgical Tissue Donation programmes.
• Be a proactive member of the Tissue and Eye Services team.
• Integral to the provision of a 7 days a week tissue retrieval service.
• Ensure efficient working and productivity maintaining accurate records.
• This role requires the ability to drive a manual vehicle.
• You will be required to travel extensively, including overnight stays, spend time away from base when required (with appropriate prior notice).
• The retrieval teams operate from 08:00 to 21:00, 7 days a week, with a 7.5-hour working day. Shifts typically run from 08:00-16:00, 10:00-18:00, or 13:00-21:00 on a rotational basis, including weekends. Flexibility in working patterns is essential, as retrievers work 5 out of 7 days.

About us

It takes all types of people to deliver the kind of service that saves and improves lives. At NHS Blood and Transplant, youll join a team of more than 6,000 people who are making a genuine difference to communities, families, friends, relatives and more across the UK. We play a unique and special role in the NHS by helping people do something extraordinary- donate blood, blood products, organs, tissues, or stem cells to save someone in need. Our three core values are what set us apart. They guide and inspire everything we do. By being caring, expertly meeting the needs of our patients and our people, and accepting nothing less than the best quality, we can do extraordinary work and help our people to do something extraordinary in their career, too. Three small words, one big difference - Caring, Expert and Quality. Together we'll save and improve more lives than ever. You will join us on our journey to create an inclusive workplace and aim to reflect the diverse communities we work with, and we positively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.