Go back Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Medical Laboratory Assistant (Specimen Reception)
The closing date is 07 June 2026
This post is based at Whiston Hospital Pathology Department
1 × 37.5 hours per week, including a night rotation every 6 weeks and an out‑of‑hours on‑call service covering Ormskirk District General Hospital, with bank holiday cover based on a rota.
1 × 13.75 hours per week, including evenings on a 5‑week rolling rota, weekends and bank holidays. Shift times include 5 pm – midnight, with occasional night shifts. This also includes an out‑of‑hours on‑call service covering Ormskirk District General Hospital, with bank holiday cover based on a rota.
We are looking for an enthusiastic, organised, methodical and highly motivated individual.
Job responsibilities
- 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.
- Work independently under the technical supervision of a qualified Biomedical Scientist, undertake pre‑analytical preparation of specimens received, and act as the first point of reference for enquiries.
- Contribute to the timely delivery of 24‑hour pathology services: sample handling and checking, aliquoting, data entry into the Pathology Administration System, sample loading, and clerical duties.
- Maintain air‑tube functionality, report faults without delay, and purge the system as required.
- Deal with visitors and telephone queries; manage Pathology Stores.
- Work closely with Consultants, junior medical staff, General Practitioners, Laboratory staff and other hospital/professional staff, assisting patients with general enquiries face‑to‑face and by telephone.
- Participate in bank holiday and weekend work rotas as required.
- Handle specific tasks listed in detail: receive and barcode all samples and request forms; enter patient and sample details into Laboratory Information System; sort and deliver bar‑coded samples to appropriate departments; receive requests into Telepath; process samples through pre‑analytical stages such as centrifugation, aliquoting, removal of clots, and loading onto the analytical track; number and load Blood Cultures onto the analyser in Microbiology; prioritize urgent samples; process add‑on requests; use Patient Administration System and other systems to check patient details; carry out LIMS housekeeping manual patient merges in Haematology, Biochemistry and Microbiology; purge air‑tube system and clear simple faults; respond to telephone enquiries; use fax, photocopier; manage storage and stock rotation; distribute GP orders; ensure reports are sorted and distributed to relevant bodies; accurate filing and retrieval of reports; scanning of request forms; work closely with all departments within the Pathology Directorate; provide cross‑cover for colleagues as required; night rota staff work in Microbiology, including processing Blood Cultures to loading; perform any other duties necessary for smooth operation.
- Maintain workflow management: timely data entry, collect samples from wards/departments/phlebotomists, promote effective teamwork, maintain courteous telephone manner, participate in departmental meetings, report risks and faults promptly, replenish stock, receive visitors, cover holiday/sickness absence, advise supervisors of consumable stock levels, tidy reception area, decontaminate work areas as per SOP, adhere to Health & Safety and COSHH, communicate relevant information to colleagues and stakeholders, maintain good working relations, and promote effective teamwork.
Qualifications
- Educated to GCSE level in English and Maths or equivalent qualification/experience.
Knowledge and Experience
- Attention to detail and accuracy.
- Ability to work with indirect supervision.
- Understands the requirement for patient confidentiality.
- Ability to work in a team working environment.
- Working in a laboratory environment.
- Follow standard operating procedures.
- Able to prioritise urgent samples, previous samples and sort for distribution in a timely manner.
- Previous NHS experience.
- Willing and able to learn new skills.
Skills
- Flexibility – willingness to alter hours to suit workload needs.
- Completion of tasks to point of handover.
- Good interpersonal skills.
- Remain calm and co‑operative under pressure.
- Able to handle plasma/serum and other bodily fluids as per protocol.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and will require a Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer name
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
#J-18808-Ljbffr…