Medical Laboratory Assistant (Specimen Reception) NHS: AfC: Band 2

Job overview

This post is based at Southport Hospital Pathology Department

22.5 hours per week, Monday, Tuesday and Saturday

We are looking for an enthusiastic, organised, methodical and highly motivated individual.

previous lab experience is not essential as full training will be given

Main duties of the job

The responsibilities of this job are to perform basic clerical and reception duties within the laboratory, receive and log specimens into the department and record tests requested on the laboratory computer system. Working independently although under the technical supervision of a qualified Biomedical Scientist, to undertake pre-analytical preparation of specimens received and to act as the first point of reference for enquiries into the department. This will involve working closely with Consultant and junior medical staff, General Practitioners, Laboratory and other hospital/professional staff both in this organisation and outside agencies and assisting patients with general enquiries both on the telephone and face to face.

You will be expected to participate in the bank holiday, evening and weekend rotas as required.

Previous applicants need not apply

Interviews are scheduled for Wednesday 8th September 2021

Working for our organisation

St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is the BEST acute Trusts in England for the THIRD year running!

The Trust is currently the only acute Trust in Cheshire and Merseyside, and is one of few in the entire country, to achieve the title of OUTSTANDING, rated by the Care Quality Commission.

We provide a full range of acute adult services to our local population of circa 350,000 and provide tertiary services across a much wider area in the North West, North Wales and Isle of Man. We are also a Major Trauma Unit and the Mersey Regional Burns Unit.

Our ’5 Star Patient Care’ strategy is at the heart of all that we do; supporting our vision to provide world class services for all our patients by getting it right for every patient, every time.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Note: duties may vary slightly from site to site so may or may not be applicable on all sites.
• Receive and barcode all samples and request forms as appropriate
• Enter Patient and Sample details into Laboratory Information System. Data entry of all patient identifiable information, clinical details and request details for all disciplines with the exception of Blood Transfusion into the Pathology (Telepath) system (accuracy is vitally important).
• Sort and deliver bar-coded samples/requests to appropriate department in a timely manner
• Receive requests into Telepath via the order communications systems
• Process samples through pre-analytical stages such as centrifugation, aliquoting into additional tubes, removal of clots and loading onto the analytical track to be analysed.
• Numbering, Telepath entry and loading of Blood Cultures onto the analyser in Microbiology
• Take and communicate as required all telephone enquires
• Prioritise urgent samples for fast tracking
• Process add-on Requests
• To use the Patient Administration System and other systems to check patient details.
• To carry out LIMS housekeeping – manual patient merges in Haematology, Biochemistry and Microbiology once patient information has been checked in the above systems and to notify Blood Transfusion of any mismatches.
• Pneumatic Air Tube- Pathology Reception is responsible for receiving fault calls regarding the air tube that must be dealt with immediately as per policy.
• Purge air tube system and clear simple faults as required
• Report ongoing faults to Facilities Maintenance
• Respond to telephone enquiries from service users, patients, relatives and departmental colleagues with correct use of telephone and the giving out authorised results from Telepath as required.
• Use of fax, photocopier, according to the manufacturer’s instructions, as required.
• Understand and follow storage and stock rotation requirements of relevant stock in various store rooms.
• Distribution of GP orders (including blood forms) to surgeries in a timely manner.
• To ensure that all reports are sorted and distributed to the relevant bodies through internal and external posting systems in a timely and efficient manner.
• Accurate filing and retrieval of reports. Scanning of request forms.
• To work closely with all departments within the Pathology Directorate to ensure that a timely accurate service is delivered.
• To provide cross cover for colleagues as and when required.
• Night rota staff will work in Microbiology including processing Blood Cultures to the point of loading and starting the analyser.
• Any other duties deemed necessary to ensure the smooth running of the department commensurate with the grade.