Medical Laboratory Assistant

Job Overview

Berkshire & Surrey Pathology Services

(A joint venture with Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust , Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Ashford & St Peters Hospitals NHS Trust and Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust and East Surrey Hospital)

Are you looking for a full-time Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) position with a desire to work as part of the largest NHS led Pathology Services in the UK? You will be based at Frimley Park Hospital.

We are looking for an energetic, enthusiastic and well-motivated individual with good scientific background to complement our existing Microbiology MLA team.

Essential qualities expected are efficiency, being well organized, having good communication skills and attention to detail. Good keyboard skills are desirable. In addition, you should be a reliable individual who is able to demonstrate good practical skills and work as part of a team.

You must be keen to embrace new ways of working and develop your knowledge and skills and able to participate in the shift system. Support and encouragement will be given for career development.

You will be expected to work according to our working time compliant shift system and on rare occasions may be required to work at the Wexham Park Hospital site to maintain quality, training and service requirements.

Main duties of the job

• The postholder will assist in the preparation of analytical work for the Bacteriology Department across a range of department work areas under the supervision of a Registered Biomedical Scientist.
• The postholder is required to follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) at all times for any tasks carried out.
• There is a requirement to communicate with pathology staff, hospital staff, porters, drivers and couriers.
• The postholder will provide support to the BMS staff.
• The diagnostic work of the department includes through sorting, numbering and entering onto Laboratory Information Management System.
• The postholder will be required to operate the department waste disposal systems including use of autoclaves in a safe manner.
• Processing, for example, blood, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, faeces, sputum, tissues and diverse secretions.
• Processed samples are then interpreted for the presence of pathogens, these could be bacterial, fungal or parasitic.
  
  

Working for our organisation

Visa Sponsorship

This position is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants must already hold the right to work in the UK for the full duration of the contract.

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is committed to being an inclusive and disability confident employer and has been awarded the Gold for the Armed Forces Employment Recognition Scheme.

We provide first class development opportunities for all staff and have a wide range of professional, management and leadership, and clinical skills training available.

Here at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, we know how important it is to have a healthy work life balance; this benefits not only individuals but the patients we care for too.

We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service and its users.

Frimley Health Trust benefits on Vimeo

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

• To assist in monitoring stock control of consumables held in stores.
• To ensure the cleaning and defrosting of equipment, such as fridges, freezers and incubators.
• Displays and maintains an appropriate level of IT skills. Is able to input patient and request data, maintain and amend patient records, interrogate the laboratory and hospital databases and perform basic word processing and spreadsheet work.
• Performs a range of administrative tasks in all sections of the laboratory as required.
• This includes archiving and retrieval of specimens and data, maintenance of archived material and audit trails.
• Demonstrates excellent personal communication and team working skills.
• To communicate effectively with other staff groups both internal and external, including healthcare professionals, transport and portering staff.
• To assist in the departmental work as instructed, following SOPs under the supervision of the laboratory managers, team leaders and / or Biomedical Scientist staff.
• To maintain a clean and safe working environment through good laboratory practice.
• This may include disposal of clinical waste, autoclaving, decontamination processes.
• To participate fully in all aspects of the service including both the routine and non-core hour
  
  

For further information regarding the detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the attached job description and person specification documents.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• GCSE’s (or equivalent) at grade A* to C to include Mathematics, English Language and two relevant Science subjects.
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Interest in working to higher level of qualification
• Willing to undergo relevant training.
  
  

Skills and Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Able to understand and follow Standard Operating Procedures
• Ability to communicate clearly
• Possess basic IT skills
• Ability to develop knowledge and understanding of microbiology techniques sufficient to undertake specimen processing and reception
• Ability to follow laboratory H&S practice.
• Understands the need to work to deadlines and can do so.
• Ability to write clearly.
• Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Understanding of need for service quality
• Experience of working in a relevant routine laboratory
• Ability to prioritise tasks and organise daily work
• Understanding that work relates directly to patient care.
• Observant of detail, ability to make basic judgement decisions.
  
  

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of perform technically challenging procedures where applicable.
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Some experience of diagnostic microbiology
• Experience of team working.
• Experience of working in a relevant routine laboratory.
  
  

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust (FHFT) is proud of its strong reputation, record of achievement and ambition for the future. We serve a population of over 900,000 people across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and South Buckinghamshire, and remain committed to improving the health and wellbeing of our communities.

Our new organisational strategy – FHFT 2030 – sets out our ambition to be the best place to receive care and the best place to work in the NHS. Underpinned by our Trust values – Committed to Excellence, Working Together, Facing the Future, and being a modern, compassionate, Healthcare Organisation – we are creating a culture where our people can thrive and patients always come first.

We continue to invest heavily in our services and facilities. This includes the development of a new hospital at Frimley Park, major expansion of diagnostics and inpatient capacity, and the continued transformation of services across our sites. We have already delivered a brand-new £100m state-of-the-art Heatherwood Hospital, a £49m Emergency Assessment Centre at Wexham Park, and a £10m upgrade to maternity services.

We are also committed to sustainability and the NHS Net Zero ambition. Our new hospital and estate developments are being designed to be environmentally responsible, energy efficient, and future-proofed, featuring on-site renewables energy and intelligent energy systems. Through our green plan, we are embedding sustainable practices across all areas of care and operations, ensuring we reduce our environmental impact while improving population health and wellbeing. Our staff are key to helps us deliver on our ambition and to ensure sustainability is a core component of care delivery and our operations.

Alongside estates’ investments, we are embedding a strong focus on digital innovation and quality improvement. Our electronic patient record (Epic), launched in 2024, is already enabling safer, more connected, and more effective care for patients, while giving staff the tools they need to do their best work. Our electronic patient record also supports safe and effective digitised care pathways, savings time and carbon, whilst delivering excellent quality of care.

Everything we do is guided by our values, shaping how we care for patients, support colleagues, and build a sustainable future for healthcare together.

Apply online now