Job Overview
Are you looking for a Fixed-term full-time Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) position with a desire to work as part of the largest NHS led Pathology Services in the UK? Are you looking for a Fixed-term 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 – Microbiology Department. We are looking for an energetic, enthusiastic and well-motivated individual with good scientific background to complement our existing MLA team. Essential qualities expected are efficiency, being well organised, 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. The laboratory is UKAS accredited to ISO 15189. The lab is well equipped with a Kiestra TLA system, Faecal PCR testing and Mast UriSystem. MALDI-TOF and GenExpert complete the picture for an efficient and highly automated Bacteriology department.
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 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.
- The diagnostic work of the department includes 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.
Why Join Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust?
At Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, our people are at the heart of everything we do. As a Disability Confident Employer and recipient of the Gold Award in the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme, we actively champion equality, diversity and inclusion, creating opportunities for people from all backgrounds to build rewarding careers within the NHS. We also recognise the importance of a healthy work-life balance. By supporting flexible working arrangements wherever possible, we enable our colleagues to balance their professional and personal commitments while continuing to deliver outstanding care to our patients. Whether flexibility means adjusted hours, part-time working, hybrid arrangements or alternative working patterns, we work in partnership with our staff to meet both individual and service needs.
Join Us
Whether you're at the start of your career or looking for your next challenge, Frimley Health offers the opportunity to be part of an inclusive, forward-thinking organisation that is committed to excellence, innovation and compassionate care. Together, we can shape the future of healthcare and make a real difference to the lives of the communities we serve.
Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities
- To keep the laboratory manager informed of all matters regarding laboratory procedures and help with the smooth running of the department.
- To inform a team leader, section head or Biomedical Scientist of any refrigerator/freezer temperatures that are out of range on a daily basis.
- 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.
- Demonstrates excellent personal communication and team working skills.
- To work to achieve competencies across the repertoire of the department as appropriate to grade.
- To assist in the departmental work as instructed, following SOPs under the supervision of the laboratory managers, team leaders and / or Biomedical Scientist staff.
- Refer to attached JD & PS for details.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Good basic education
- Willing to undergo relevant training
Desirable criteria
- Interest in working to higher level of qualification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Able to perform technically challenging procedures where applicable
- Ability to develop knowledge and understanding of microbiology techniques sufficient to undertake specimen processing and reception
Desirable criteria
- Some experience of diagnostic microbiology
Skills and Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Able to understand and follow Standard Operating Procedures
- Ability to follow laboratory H&S practice
- Ability to communicate clearly
- Possess basic IT skills
Desirable criteria
- Understanding of need for service quality
- Experience of working in a relevant routine laboratory
- Observant of detail, ability to make basic judgement decisions
- Ability to prioritise tasks and organise daily work
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.
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