Medical Laboratory Assistant (Microbiology), Band 2

Job overview

The Microbiology Department at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital has a vacancy for a Medical Laboratory Assistant to work in all sections of the laboratory.

The successful candidate must have qualifications equivalent to Maths, English and Science at GCSE, and must be able to demonstrate a good degree of numeracy and attention-to-detail at interview.

The work involves clinical sample processing coupled with some computer data-entry. Full work-based training will be given.

We are looking for an enthusiastic person with good keyboard skills who would enjoy the challenge of working in a busy laboratory. Previous experience of working in a Microbiology laboratory environment would be an advantage but is not essential.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will be reliable, enthusiastic, motivated and forward thinking. They will demonstrate good interpersonal skills and must be a team player.  Candidates should ideally have experience of working in an NHS clinical laboratory.

Medical Laboratory Assistants support the registered Biomedical Scientists who perform tests on urine, swabs, faeces, sputa and other body fluids and tissues to aid the diagnosis and treatment of infectious disease. The work is varied and involves general clinical sample processing, together with some computer data-entry. We are looking for someone with good keyboard skills and an interest in laboratory work.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main Duties

Data Entry:

- Accurate and timely data entry of patient registration and details of all specimens received in the laboratory, using the laboratory computer system.

- Dealing in a polite manner with telephone enquiries and relaying laboratory results to users of the service.

- Taking phone calls from other collaborating laboratories with urgent results and passing on to the appropriate person.

- Working on the laboratory Reception Bench unpacking, sorting and labelling samples for microbiological analysis.

- Participate in Weekend and Bank Holidays rotas. During this time you may be working alone, but with other laboratory staff available for queries.

- Sorting and archiving processed reports in a timely manner.

Technical:

- Understanding and adherence to laboratory standard operating procedures (SOPs), including safety.

- Maintaining work standards required for ISO15189 accreditation.

- Ability to prioritise work, taking into account workload and urgency.

- Using knowledge to determine the relevant tests to be carried out on samples received in the section. Safe handling of high risk samples and dealing with leaking/damaged, mislabelled or mislaid samples.

- Separation of samples within Pathology specimen reception, unpacking and checking of specimens and request form details.

- Routine processing of samples which may contain pathogenic micro-organisms. This will include choice and inoculation of appropriate media for primary inoculation of specimens, pipetting where applicable, plus the selection of appropriate temperature and atmospheres for incubation as indicated by specimen type.

- Have a basic knowledge of routine laboratory equipment. Duties to include operation, monitoring, care and maintenance.

- Cleaning work areas.

- Involved in the effective use, stock control, maintenance of adequate stock levels of consumables and reagents and unpacking of deliveries. Be aware of costs of items and the need to minimise wastage.

- Preparation of reagents and other consumables for use in the laboratory.

- Participation in internal quality control.

- Collecting waste materials, including items in the Containment Level 3 facility, ready for safe discard.

- Packaging, recording and sending samples and cultures to other laboratories.

Specialised Techniques:

- Processing environmental and infection control samples, processing samples for viral and bacterial infections, using specialised PCR technology.

- Unpacking and labelling samples for SARS-CoV2 testing.

- Preparing clinical samples for the presence of SARS-CoV2 infection.

- Undertaking regular stock checks for reagents and consumables required for SARS-CoV2 testing.