Job summary
The appointment is to the Pathology Directorate and post holders will be expected to work at any Trust site and in any department that is required. The post holder is required to follow standard operating procedures and follow health & safety guidelines to protect themselves and colleagues at all times.
Main duties of the job
The role involves the handling of blood and body fluids from receipt in the laboratory to their safe storage following analysis. Strict adherence to policy to maintain patient sample identity throughout sample handling is required, and all data must be accurately entered into the Laboratory information System. MLA's will operate analysers and carry out non-complex tests. They will assist Biomedical Scientists in the course of their duties assigned to Haematology/Transfusion or Biochemistry and will rotate through all sections in that discipline and Specimen Reception. Strict patient confidentiality must also be maintained.
About us
The Secretary of State has approved the partnership between St Helens & Knowsley and Southport & Ormskirk Hospitals.
From 1st July we have come together as a single organisation under the name Mersey & West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
The Trust delivers acute hospital care, intermediate care, community, and primary care services to a population of over 600,000 people with a combined workforce of around 9000 dedicated and skilled staff from 17 locations including Whiston, Southport & Formby, St Helens, Ormskirk and Newton hospitals.
The Trust provides regional services for burns, plastic surgery and spinal injuries to more than 4 million people across Mersey and West Lancashire, Cheshire, the Isle of Man and North Wales.
Our Vision is to deliver 5 Star Patient Care:
- CAREthat is evidence based, high quality and compassionate
- SAFETY that is of the highest standards
- COMMUNICATION that is open, inclusive and respectful
- SYSTEMS that are efficient, patient centred and reliable
- PATHWAYS that are best practice and embedded, but also respect the individual needs of patients
Our achievements include:
- Trust rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
- Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
- Awarded National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for our Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme
Please see our Wellbeing & Benefits booklet for more information on our staff benefits. Accessible version available upon request.
Job description
Job responsibilities
KEY DUTIES
- SPECIMEN RECEPTION
- Checking patient identification details and numbering of samples for analysis.
- Making reference on request form to any missing samples.
- Returning pods to wards.
- Delivering samples to the appropriate department.
- Receiving visitors to pathology and informing relevant member of staff.
- Receiving deliveries, notifying the correct department at arrival of each delivery.
- Assist in the cleaning and disinfecting of work areas and equipment.
- Disposal of waste.
- TECHNICAL
- To follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs).
- To undertake routine operative maintenance on laboratory instruments, change reagents and log actions.
- To prepare reagents required for laboratory investigations.
- To report any instance or event to BMS staff which may cause a service delivery failure.
- Perform analysis of specified diagnostic tests under indirect qualified supervision.
- Filing of completed samples and request forms for storage.
- Monitor and record fridge temperatures daily at Whiston Hospital and weekly at St Helens and Fairfield Return unused blood to stock and replace emergency O Neg stock in satellite fridges on both sites as required.
- During sample preparation visual examination of samples such as underfilled, haemolysed, lipaemic, must be recorded as directed by departmental SOPs.
- To load, sample and remove samples from main line analysers.
- To perform routine quality control on the analysers, reporting any out-of-range results to qualified staff.
- To assist in clinical audits, trials and research projects as directed by departmental management.
- LABORATORY INFORMATICS
- Enter specimen and patient details into the pathology computer according to departmental SOPs. Check and correct, if necessary, information input by other laboratory staff.
- To comply with the local and national policies for safe, secure and confidential processing and storage of patient and other laboratory information.
- To use the Pathology Computer Systems according to the SOPs.
- To enter their own results and those obtained by others into Telepath.
- To maintain the integrity and accuracy of laboratory databases.
- To use Trust wide I.T. systems as appropriate following trust polices, guidelines and procedures.
- To participate in sample receipt and checking previous computer record.
- Preparation of outstanding lists from the Laboratory Information System and locating appropriate samples, ensuring correct labelling of samples.
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
- To ensure that records are kept up to date and stored safely to ensure compliance with good work practices required for the standards of UKAS ISO15189.
- To comply with good laboratory practices required for the standards of UKAS ISO15189 including Health and Safety.
- To undertake work file management to ensure that reporting of results are carried out in a timely fashion.
- To advise the Senior Biomedical Scientists when stocks of reagents and consumables are approaching minimum stock levels.
COMMUNICATION
- To telephone patient results to clinical users following appropriate policies and procedures.
- To contact service users in case of any problems with received samples.
- To communicate any relevant information to laboratory colleagues within the section.
- To actively participate in team meetings and to inform effectively at hand over.
Job description
Job responsibilities
KEY DUTIES
- SPECIMEN RECEPTION
- Checking patient identification details and numbering of samples for analysis.
- Making reference on request form to any missing samples.
- Returning pods to wards.
- Delivering samples to the appropriate department.
- Receiving visitors to pathology and informing relevant member of staff.
- Receiving deliveries, notifying the correct department at arrival of each delivery.
- Assist in the cleaning and disinfecting of work areas and equipment.
- Disposal of waste.
- TECHNICAL
- To follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs).
- To undertake routine operative maintenance on laboratory instruments, change reagents and log actions.
- To prepare reagents required for laboratory investigations.
- To report any instance or event to BMS staff which may cause a service delivery failure.
- Perform analysis of specified diagnostic tests under indirect qualified supervision.
- Filing of completed samples and request forms for storage.
- Monitor and record fridge temperatures daily at Whiston Hospital and weekly at St Helens and Fairfield Return unused blood to stock and replace emergency O Neg stock in satellite fridges on both sites as required.
- During sample preparation visual examination of samples such as underfilled, haemolysed, lipaemic, must be recorded as directed by departmental SOPs.
- To load, sample and remove samples from main line analysers.
- To perform routine quality control on the analysers, reporting any out-of-range results to qualified staff.
- To assist in clinical audits, trials and research projects as directed by departmental management.
- LABORATORY INFORMATICS
- Enter specimen and patient details into the pathology computer according to departmental SOPs. Check and correct, if necessary, information input by other laboratory staff.
- To comply with the local and national policies for safe, secure and confidential processing and storage of patient and other laboratory information.
- To use the Pathology Computer Systems according to the SOPs.
- To enter their own results and those obtained by others into Telepath.
- To maintain the integrity and accuracy of laboratory databases.
- To use Trust wide I.T. systems as appropriate following trust polices, guidelines and procedures.
- To participate in sample receipt and checking previous computer record.
- Preparation of outstanding lists from the Laboratory Information System and locating appropriate samples, ensuring correct labelling of samples.
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
- To ensure that records are kept up to date and stored safely to ensure compliance with good work practices required for the standards of UKAS ISO15189.
- To comply with good laboratory practices required for the standards of UKAS ISO15189 including Health and Safety.
- To undertake work file management to ensure that reporting of results are carried out in a timely fashion.
- To advise the Senior Biomedical Scientists when stocks of reagents and consumables are approaching minimum stock levels.
COMMUNICATION
- To telephone patient results to clinical users following appropriate policies and procedures.
- To contact service users in case of any problems with received samples.
- To communicate any relevant information to laboratory colleagues within the section.
- To actively participate in team meetings and to inform effectively at hand over.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Basic typing qualifications or NVQ2 in Health Sciences and / or equivalent experience
- Educated to GCSE level or equivalent qualification and / or equivalent experience
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Understanding of a working laboratory
Desirable
- Laboratory/Pathology experience
Skills
Essential
- Basic computer skills
- Good interpersonal and communication skills
- Well organised
- Willing to work flexibly
- Willing and able to learn new skills
- Team working skills
- Ability to use own initiative
Desirable
- Good telephone manner
- Ability to work with minimum supervision
Other
Essential
- Personable, friendly demeanour
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Basic typing qualifications or NVQ2 in Health Sciences and / or equivalent experience
- Educated to GCSE level or equivalent qualification and / or equivalent experience
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Understanding of a working laboratory
Desirable
- Laboratory/Pathology experience
Skills
Essential
- Basic computer skills
- Good interpersonal and communication skills
- Well organised
- Willing to work flexibly
- Willing and able to learn new skills
- Team working skills
- Ability to use own initiative
Desirable
- Good telephone manner
- Ability to work with minimum supervision
Other
Essential
- Personable, friendly demeanour
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
