Job Title: Medical Laboratory Assistant
Department: Sample Reception
Location: The Ridgeway Hospital, Moormead Road, Wroughton, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN4 9DD
Contract /Hours: Permanent, Full-time (37.5 hours per week)
Salary range: Up to £27,928 per annum DOE
About us:
Sonic Healthcare is an internationally renowned healthcare provider with a demonstrable track record of medical services across the world. Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, Sonic is an ASX Top 50 company that has grown to become one of the world’s leading healthcare providers, specialising in pathology, radiology and primary care medical centres. We have operations in Australia, the USA, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Ireland and New Zealand.
Sonic Healthcare UK encompasses the two main entities in the UK, The Doctors Laboratory (TDL) and Health Services Laboratories (HSL). HSL is a partnership between The Doctors Laboratory (TDL), Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust and University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH). HSL was formed to provide pathology services to the NHS Trusts and has expanded further to provide services to other NHS Trusts. Over 3,500 staff work at Sonic Healthcare UK, primarily under the TDL or HSL banner.
Our purpose is to deliver medically-led diagnostics, innovation, value and long-term investment to healthcare. With our core laboratory based at The Halo Building in London WC1H 9AX, we also have an expanding site in Manchester as well as smaller hospital-based laboratories across the country. We maintain rigorously high standards of quality, whilst also delivering efficiencies to healthcare through careful workforce planning, pioneering technology and significant investment in infrastructure and IT.
About the role:
An opportunity has arisen for an Medical Laboratory Assistant for a Full-Time position in our Pathology Laboratory at The Ridgeway Hospital. Applications are invited to join our energetic, highly motivated, dynamic & passionate team. We are looking for someone with excellent technical & communication skills and able to work with other team members. The successful candidate is expected to have previous working experience in a Laboratory setting.
Overall Job Purpose:
To assist in the daily running of the laboratory section to which you have been assigned within the Department of Pathology. 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:
To include, but not be restricted to:
Reception Duties
- To book patient details and test requests on the pathology computer system.
- To receive specimens for investigations and prepare specimens for laboratory testing according to defined protocols.
- To ensure that specimen and request form details are correct and discuss ambiguous test requests with senior scientists or clinicians.
- 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.
- To give authorised results to relevant health care professionals.
- To divert calls to the appropriate sections of the department.
- To exercise courtesy when dealing with enquiries over the phone or face-to-face, providing information within defined protocols, recognising own professional boundaries.
- 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.
- To manage departmental mail including receipt and dispatch of test results and patient specimens.
- To print, sort and copy reports as required.
- To package biological samples for testing at external centres in accordance with handling regulations for biohazard materials.
- To avoid contamination with infectious materials, reporting any leakages to senior staff and strictly following the departmental Health and Safety Rules.
- To order stock for reception area, when given the delegated responsibility.
Stock and waste management and daily housekeeping
- To prepare laboratory reagents, including hazardous chemicals, using protective equipment and precision pipetting where required.
- To safely dispose of infective and high risk wastes by according to written procedures
- To undertake routine cleaning and maintenance of laboratory equipment and benches.
- To replace stocks of consumables and reagents when required and inform the Section Leader if back-up stocks are low.
Scientific and Technical
Under supervision of registered scientists:
- To prepare samples for a wide range of tests.
- To participate when required in laboratory bench work or automated analysis following standard operating procedures
- To communicate any difficulties, accidents or incidents to a section leader promptly.
- To enter test results on pathology computer system.
- To assist in the evaluation of new equipment and advise the Laboratory Manager or scientific staff on the need for new equipment and maintenance of existing equipment.
- To observe the departmental quality control policies.
- To assist when required in the preparation of documentation for accreditation.
- To participate in all rosters as required.
At TDL we offer a variety of excellent staff benefits including:
- Training and development opportunities – supporting professional development
- Annual salary review - salary and progression are aligned to our internal transparent pay structure (Progression Plus), supporting career development and structured annual salary reviews
- Discounted gym membership – we have a corporate gym membership scheme with Better Gyms
- Cash healthcare plan – cash back on a variety of healthcare costs including dentist and opticians
- Sick Pay Entitlement – one month’s full pay and one month’s half pay after probation
- Permanent Health Insurance and Death in Service Cover
- Life Assurance – providing salary continuation for long term illness (six months qualifying period)
- Employee Assistance Programme – supporting staff wellbeing
- Season Ticket Loan Scheme – interest free loan for the cost of annual travel ticket
- Perkbox – Access to additional staff perks and benefits such as high street discounts
- Company Pension Scheme – company and staff contributions which increase with service
- Competitive annual leave allowance – 29 days
- Flexible working hours – we support and offer flexibility around shift patterns and working schedule
Please read the job description and person specification carefully and ensure that your application reflects the knowledge, skills and experience required.
We respect and value the diversity of our staff and welcome applications from diverse communities.
PLEASE NOTE: WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CLOSE THIS VACANCY AT ANY TIME EVEN IF A CLOSING DATE IS SHOWN HERE OR IN ANY OTHER MEDIA
