Job summary
We are seeking an individual with excellent literacy and numeracy skills to work as a Senior Medical Laboratory Assistant in our very busy Department of Blood Sciences which processes 1500-2000 samples per site each day.
The Medical Laboratory Assistant role involves working as a member of staff providing support to Specimen Reception, Biochemistry, Immunology, Haematology and Blood Transfusion. You will be working alongside a team of Biomedical Scientists and Associate Practitioners.
Main duties of the job
Main tasks include:
Prioritising urgent and AE samples to avoid delays and ensure best patient care.
Receipt of samples from within the Hospital via a vacuum tube system or in person and from GP surgeries via courier services.
Booking a large volume of patient samples on to the Laboratory Computer System and ensuring the correct test requests are inputted. There are thousands of different test codes and you must have excellent attention to detail to select the correct codes.
Centrifuging samples and correctly loading the samples on to the relevant laboratory analysers.
Organising referral and packaging and sending of samples to other Trust sites and to other Trusts nationwide.
Answering reception and telephone queries and liaising with other Trust staff and the general public.
Receiving deliveries, ensuring they go to the correct department within Pathology and unpacking and organising the stock as requested.
Scanning request forms and ensuring printed reports are sent to the correct requesting departments, GPs or clinics in a timely manner.
Please refer to the Job Description and Personal Specification for full details.
Record incidents as required on the Trust Ulysses system or lab QMS
About us
If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager.
You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre-employment checks.
We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.
We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented.
Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents.
Over reliance on AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success.
For the most up-to-date information on visa requirements and eligibility, please check online to determine whether you can apply.
Details
- Date posted: 02 June 2026
- Pay scheme: Agenda for change
- Band: Band 3
- Salary: £25,760 to £27,476 a year per annum, pro rata
- Contract: Permanent
- Working pattern: Full-time
- Reference number: C9439-2627-651
- Job locations: University Hospital Of North Durham, North Road, DURHAM, DH1 5TW, United Kingdom
Job responsibilities
You should be able to demonstrate good keyboard skills and be computer literate and have experience of working in a reception or clerical environment. Previous Laboratory experience would be an advantage.
If you are well organised, have excellent attention to detail, are a good communicator, team player, conscientious and flexible this job may suit you. You must be able to ask questions and take on board information given.
You must be able to work on a 24/7 shift rota which includes early shifts, dayshifts, late shifts (majority), nightshifts, weekend dayshifts and nightshifts, Bank Holiday dayshifts and nightshifts including Christmas Day. This is a requirement of the post.
Dayshifts and late shifts are 7.5 or 8 hours. Nightshifts and some weekends and Bank Holidays are 12 hours. On weekends, bank holidays and nightshifts you will often be the sole Pathology Reception worker on site (there will be Biomedical Scientists on site also).
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Senior Medical Laboratory Assistant with County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust in Darlington, North East and Yorkshire, England. It is listed as a Band 3 Healthcare support worker role. The advertised salary is £25,760 to £27,476 a year. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 16 Jun 2026.
Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (02 Jun 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHS job search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.
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