Medical Laboratory Assistant

Job overview

An opportunity has arisen for a Medical Laboratory Assistant to join the Gastrointestinal (GI) Laboratory within Reference Chemistry at the Hub in Blackfriars. The successful candidate will be part of a specialist team delivering key gastrointestinal diagnostic services, including faecal calprotectin and FITQ testing, supporting patient care through the investigation of inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer pathways. This role provides an excellent opportunity to gain experience in a busy and highly specialised laboratory environment.

The successful candidate will be an integral member of the team, providing a high-quality support service to Biomedical Scientists and Clinical Scientists. Duties will include sample receipting, sorting and processing of specimens, form scanning, filing, and other routine laboratory tasks essential to the smooth running of the department. The post-holder will also be responsible for maintaining confidential patient records and always adhering to laboratory quality standards and health and safety policies.

This role provides excellent exposure to a complex and fast-paced clinical environment, making it well suited to individuals seeking either a lateral move to broaden their experience or a developmental step to enhance their skills within Pathology services. You will work closely with a multidisciplinary team and will be expected to communicate effectively with staff across all levels within the business.

The post-holder must be able to work accurately under pressure, manage and prioritise their workload, and demonstrate the ability to work both independently and as part of a team. There will also be opportunities to contribute to service improvement by identifying and suggesting changes to working practices that enhance efficiency and productivity.

In return, this post offers valuable experience within a specialist area of laboratory medicine, opportunities for professional development, and the chance to contribute directly to a service that supports patient care.

Main duties of the job

As a Medical Laboratory Assistant, the post holder is responsible for receiving and sorting patient specimens, logging patient data onto the laboratory computer system, tracking specimens, operating under supervision analytical equipment, preparing reagents, stock management, respond to customer service queries giving validated laboratory results or providing an update on the progress of a sample and patient samples following prescribed protocols, giving validated laboratory results by telephone. The post holder will undertake scientific techniques such as pipetting and will use analytical equipment such as centrifuges and semi-automated platforms.

The post holder will primarily work in the Gastrointestinal laboratory within Reference Biochemistry; however, there maybe a requirement to work closely with other MLAs in the other sections of Reference Services departments.

The post holder will be a key staff member in the laboratory team assisting the Biomedical Scientists with day-to-day management of patient samples and reagents as well as involvement in quality audits and other quality management based activities.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

At Synnovis, we are currently shaping the future of pathology services by creating a world-leading Hub and Spoke pathology network with our NHS partners. A large part of this modernisation will involve moving 70% of our services to a purpose built, state of the art Hub laboratory in the heart of London. For now, the job you are applying for will be based at the Hub in Blackfriars. The permanent base for this role is expected to be the Gastrointestinal (GI) Laboratory at the Synnovis Hub in Blackfriars, Southwark (SE1). While this will be the primary location, successful candidates may be required to provide support at other Synnovis sites across the network in line with service and business needs.

As part of the ongoing transformation of our laboratory services, a significant proportion of our specialist testing activities are now based at the Hub laboratory in Blackfriars, with essential rapid-turnaround services continuing to operate from hospital-based laboratories across our network. Please do ask your recruiting manager if you wish to find out more.

Who are we

Synnovis is a pathology partnership between SYNLAB UK and Ireland, and the NHS, including sites, Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, to deliver and transform pathology services across South-East London. The partnership provides services to 1.7 million people living in South-East London, as well as to hundreds of thousands of patients from outside the region who use local healthcare services.

The partnership provides diagnostics, testing and digital pathology for hospital trusts, GP services and other healthcare providers.

Purpose of the Job

This role supports the delivery of biomedical investigations as part of the laboratory and/or Central Specimen Reception team in Synnovis. Reporting to the Senior Specialist BMS or designated role in Central Specimen Reception, you will hold a variety of responsibilities to ensure the successful delivery of pathology services, in line with our corporate objectives.

What you will do

You will hold a variety of accountabilities in the laboratory environment. These may include, but are not limited to:

• Handle and manage samples, in line with standard operating procedures (SOPs) and assessed competencies.
• Perform tasks and operate laboratory equipment within all safety standards and according to local SOPs relevant to your area.
• Prepare solutions, reagents etc, utilising a variety of laboratory equipment to carry out investigations.
• Ensure all laboratory consumables and equipment are maintained in line with SOPs and health and safety guidelines.
• Complete data entry that is accurate, reliable, delivered on time and in accordance with Information Governance (IG) procedures.
• Provide administrative support to all areas of the laboratory, as appropriate and dependent on experience and training.

Key responsibilities

• Perform cleaning activities in the laboratory and prepare laboratory equipment for use.
• Perform daily checks on laboratory areas as directed and complete all required paperwork
• Perform environmental monitoring and waste management activities in a safe way, as required.
• Support and train colleagues in your area as required.
• Support with specimen reception and referrals processing, as required.
• Use departmental resources efficiently and apply good stock management of reagents, consumables and stationery. Receipt and unpack new deliveries and advise/order when approaching minimum stock levels.
• Report and record all incidents and adverse events under the direction of the senior members of staff.
• Participate in quality management activities including inspections and audits, as required.
• Use Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) to accurately record sensitive patient information, requiring frequent, long periods of concentration, whilst maintaining patient confidentiality and following IG guidelines.
• Organise day-to-day tasks, identifying and prioritising urgent work to ensure that deadlines are met, and that work is delivered to the highest standards possible.
• Escalate to senior member of staff, as necessary.
• Safely handle, use and dispose of biological specimens including infectious material or hazardous chemicals according to laboratory and health and safety protocols.
• Understand hazards and risks of working in a laboratory and use adequate precautions and personal protective equipment at all times.
• Answer the telephone, deal with calls politely and professionally, escalating requests when necessary to appropriate senior staff or other departments.
• Adhere to the laboratory SOPs and work with the team to review working practice to maintain a high quality and safe service.
• Perform specimen reception duties including checking details, receiving and logging patient requests on to the LIMS.
• Process referral specimens, receive samples dispatched from other laboratories and prepare samples for despatch to other laboratories or hospitals.
• Prepare specimens and perform manual, semi-automated and fully-automated laboratory investigations within training parameters and where appropriate under supervision.
• Undertake preventative maintenance and basic troubleshooting on laboratory instruments and equipment prior to them being used for patient investigations.
• Process samples under supervision for clinical trials and research and development
• projects as and when required.
• File samples following appropriate protocols and keep records as required.
• Prepare, store and use reagents required for laboratory investigations.
• Maintain knowledge and skills as identified by line manager. Undertake periodic laboratory training and competence assessment.

The hub is an eight-storey building, and we are working across 10 floors including the ground and lower ground floors. Synnovis’ corporate function operates from the hub on the 8th floor, above the laboratories underneath. This is a total net internal area of almost 10,000 m squared across the 10 floors.

Based in Blackfriars, it’s less than a 5-minute walk from Southwark Tube or Blackfriars station and nestled closely to a vast array of entertainment and fabulous places to dine, relax and meet people.