The Oxford Genetics Laboratories has a vacancy for a part time (30 hours per week) Healthcare Science Assistant to join the Specimen Reception team based at the Churchill hospital. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate manual dexterity, good organisational skills, accuracy, consistency and attention to detail in their work.
This role would suit someone with zero or limited laboratory experience looking to start a career in Healthcare Science or someone looking for a change in career path. Previous laboratory experience is desirable but not essential, as full training will be provided and all work will be undertaken according to defined written protocols.
Your main responsibilities will include receiving samples into the laboratory, entering information into the database and carrying out practical processes in the lab, e.g. cell culture and DNA extraction, to prepare the sample for use by other technical and scientific teams. Additional duties include general housekeeping, administration tasks, maintaining equipment and arranging to send samples to other laboratories.
The laboratory is open from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday and the pattern of full time work is typically rotation between 8am-4pm, 9am-5pm and 10am-6pm.
Note that an application cap is in place and the advert may close earlier than stated. Please apply early to avoid disappointment. Any inteview dates shown are provisional and subject to change.
Healthcare Science Assistants provide technical and administrative support for the department, acting under the supervision of Clinical Scientists or Genetic Technologists, but take personal responsibility to organise their own work on a daily basis, much of which is ongoing, routine and protocol-driven.
They participate in defined regular duties, including monitoring of work areas for health and safety and cleanliness and general laboratory housekeeping tasks. They may undertake occasional other duties due to specific requests.
They process a wide range of pathological specimens referred for a broad range of inherited conditions according to standard operating procedures, and are competent in the use of patient databases.
They are expected to communicate technical and confidential information to colleagues within their department in electronic, written and verbal forms.
Healthcare Science Assistants participate in the teaching and training load of the department through demonstration of own performance of appropriate standard operating procedures to new members of staff or less experienced employees within the limits of their experience. They also attend appropriate training seminars, and actively participate in regular section and departmental meetings.
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. Find out more here www.ouh.nhs.uk
The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.
Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence. These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel .
Clinical Service
1. Assist in the delivery of the technical service of a section/subsection or designated area of work to nationally accepted standards (UKAS or equivalent) with appropriate supervision to include the following:
Follow standard operating procedures for the receipt, booking in and processing of samples
Review appropriate risk and COSHH assessments in areas relevant to own practise and abide by laboratory health and safety policies
Arrange dispatch of different types of samples. Deal with queries relating to the receipt and dispatch of samples, including products of conception (received for post-mortem examination), and other tissues.
Establish, maintain, sub-culture and harvest cell cultures, or undertake DNA extraction, from a variety of biological specimens received which may be high risk (eg HIV, Hep C) and/ or derived from recognisable human or fetal parts, by all methods currently employed in the laboratory and to work safely under exposure to toxic substances which are hazardous to health.
Identify samples that have failed to be processed efficiently by evaluation of quality criteria, and bring them to the attention of senior technologist or scientists for further discussion.
Liaise with senior technical or scientific colleagues over availability of equipment, sample prioritisation, or requirement for supplementary cell cultures or chromosome preparations, when planning work schedules in designated areas of work, in accordance with laboratory protocols and under the supervision of the Section Head and/or Laboratory Director.
Supply a high level of technical expertise in the investigative procedures involved and take a daily responsibility for his/her own work, subject to the supervision and direction of section head or other senior staff. Be adaptable to changing diagnostic workload pressures, by making independent day-to-day decisions about own workload. The post holder must communicate all problems with, and when necessary obtain help/advice from, appropriate senior staff
Attend, and actively participate in, team and laboratory meetings with opportunity to propose improvements in efficiency and changes to scientific and technical protocols and to contribute to the development and implementation of departmental policies within the limits of experience.
Laboratory Management
7. Undertake appropriate duties to fulfil quality control programs, including recording of appropriate data according to operating procedures, validation and verification of new reagents and protocols.
8. Safely handle and store chemicals of a volatile or hazardous nature including carcinogens and neurotoxic agents. Dispose of hazardous chemicals and biohazard waste.
9. Assist in the daily maintenance, monitoring and care of instrumentation within the laboratory (to include safety, performance and temperature of equipment e.g. biological safety cabinets, incubators, fridges and freezers).
Undertake general laboratory house-keeping tasks on a rotational basis, such as maintenance and organisation of the stock room and chemical shelves, washing-up, autoclaving, laundry
Staff
Participate in the teaching and training of new members of staff or less experienced employees in own work area by demonstrating own work activities and routine practice.
Research and Service Development
Assist clinical scientists in research and development projects which meet the overall objectives of the department.
Personal development
Attend relevant in house training at an appropriate level for the development and maintenance of skills, knowledge and expertise required for the post (eg training on specific equipment/instrumentation, presentations on relevant topics)
Informatics/Bioinformatics
Be proficient at entering and retrieving relevant information from Excel spreadsheets and databases, including the laboratory information management system (LIMS).
General
Abide by all Operational Policies applicable to the Department
Co-operate with management and safety representatives in matters connected with the Health and Safety at Work Act of Practice for safety in laboratories
Take responsibility for the accuracy of his/her own work, and undertake an appropriate proportion of the total workload of the Department. The post holder will collaborate with all other staff, to be an effective team member, and achieve optimal use of resources
Participate in internal quality control and internal and external quality assessment procedures
Work within the section/subsection to ensure achievement of and adherence to the standards required of an accredited laboratory, in close liaison with the Quality manager and under the direction of the section head and laboratory director.
Participate in the preparation of the department for accreditation.
Implement laboratory record keeping processes and assist with retrieval and presentation of data as required
Take responsibility with others for the maintenance of stocks of reagents and consumables to ensure the proper functioning of the laboratory and efficient use of resources. Ensure that all equipment is used appropriately and safely and that any faults are reported for immediate rectification
Take responsibility with others for the daily maintenance of complex instrumentation systems within the laboratory
Participate in regular performance review and personal development planning
Attend regular team, laboratory and departmental meetings and contribute to the development and implementation of departmental policies
Maintain confidentiality of information about patients, staff and other health service business in accordance with Data Protection Act of 1984.
Participate in out of hours duties, if required, in line with the Department Out of Hours Policy
Work such hours as required for the effective and timely performance of his/her duties, as specified in the terms of the contract of employment
Undertake any other duties commensurate with experience and job role as a result of changes to the service as agreed by the Consultant Head of Laboratory or Trust and reviewed as part of the annual staff appraisal
