Associate Practitioner (Microbiology), Band 4

The successful candidate will be reliable, enthusiastic, motivated and forward thinking. They will demonstrate good interpersonal skills and must be a team player.
Candidates must have previous experience of working at an Associate Practitioner level in an NHS microbiology laboratory.
This role will include processing of clinical specimens, adhering to appropriate infection control policies, assuming specific responsibilities for equipment maintenance, trouble shooting, document control, stock management, performance of both internal and external quality control and supporting the service users.
The successful candidate will be expected to participate in the weekend and bank holiday rotas.

Working for our organisation
The Department of Microbiology is based on the GRH hospital site in Gloucester. The laboratory provides an extensive service to the two hospitals and GP surgeries in Gloucestershire. The laboratory has a staff team of about 60 people, including scientific and medical roles. The core working hours are 0830 to 1700, Monday to Friday, but all staff help to provide the services outside core hours. This includes weekend and Bank Holiday working.
The department has a long history of training and developing staff in different roles. It is approved as a training laboratory by the Institute of Biomedical Science, and has been accredited by UKAS to the ISO15189 standards., + To develop and maintain a good working knowledge and competency in certain designated test procedures in the laboratory. These include, but are not limited to culture, serology and molecular PCR methods.
+ To check that the correct sample type has been received, correct sample labelling and suitability for diagnostic investigations, in accordance with Pathology laboratory policies and standard operating procedures
+ To read culture plates and accurately record initial findings and further work.
+ To be able to accurately assign processing codes to samples and requests, and to enter sample details onto the TCLE system
+ To prepare samples for analysis. This may include barcode labelling, centrifugation and preparation of aliquots, and distribution of samples to the appropriate sections for analysis
+ To recognise, prioritise and fast-track urgent samples to ensure minimal delay to patient treatment and waiting times
+ To prepare samples for dispatch to other laboratories in accordance with postal regulations including samples requiring special transport conditions.
+ To input test requests, including tests, patient demographics, requesting clinician and location for report onto the laboratory computer (TCLE) in a timely fashion in order to maintain efficient workflow and laboratory turnaround times and taking into account the urgency of the request
+ To use complex and expensive analysers, including racking and loading samples, unloading samples, replacing reagents, performing routine maintenance and archiving quality control data
+ To process internal quality control (IQC) material and evaluate results, drawing to the attention of BMS staff, any results that fall outside the IQC pre-set limits
+ To process external quality assurance (EQA) material and to return the results to the scheme organiser, after review by a senior BMS
+ To perform regular maintenance of analysers and other equipment, including instrument set up and shutdown, weekly/monthly maintenance and to keep accurate maintenance records
+ To perform decontamination procedures on centrifuges, water baths, fridges and other equipment as required
+ To carry out initial stages of instrument troubleshooting as agreed with BMS staff
+ To prepare and make up reagents, Quality Control and Quality Assurance material, under the indirect supervision of BMS staff
+ To monitor stock levels of laboratory consumables and reagents, rotating stock, replacing low levels and notifying appropriate staff of items that require re-ordering or are past their expiry dates
+ To perform laboratory tests by manual techniques, under indirect supervision of BMS staff
+ To manually enter test results onto worksheets and the laboratory computer system; to notify BMS staff of significantly abnormal results
+ To deal with diverse and complex telephone enquiries from a variety of sources in a professional and polite manner and act appropriately upon information given
+ To record all telephone messages accurately and ensure their timely communication to the appropriate staff member
+ To retrieve and telephone authorised results including urgent results to the appropriate location and appropriate level of healthcare professional. To record details of all calls in order to maintain an accurate audit trail
+ To maintain a clean, tidy and safe working environment in accordance with departmental Health and Safety Policies and protocols
The health and wellbeing of our staff and patients remains the priority of the Trust. Vaccination remains the best chance we have of conquering COVID and the Trust encourages everyone to take up this offer.
Please note, this vacancy may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received, so please apply as soon as possible if you are interested. The Recruitment Team are unable to accept any applications after the position has closed on NHS Jobs.

+ Foundation degree in Biomedical Sciences, or equivalent academic achievement in a scientific field (e.g., NVQ Level 4)
+ Generic scientific skills (e.g., pipetting, reagent preparation, quality assurance)
+ Principles and practical aspects underpinning the microbiology investigations carried out in the department
+ Understanding of the departmental Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
+ Good working knowledge of sample types, sampling conditions, minimum volume requirements, testing requirements, laboratory workflow, turnaround times, location of reference laboratories for specialised testing
+ Ability to use own initiative, but also to recognise limitations of knowledge, training, experience and competence
+ Good communication skills, including good levels of numeracy and literacy
+ Polite and professional telephone manner
+ Ability to understand and convey detailed information in a professional and helpful manner

NHS AfC: Band 4
Join us at an exciting time for Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust! We have an ambitious plan for our journey to Outstanding and are looking for aspirational, committed individuals to join us, making a real difference to both staff and patients.
As a former winner of England for excellence award: Tourism destination of the year, the beautiful city of Gloucester and the scenic regency spa town of Cheltenham are fantastic places to work and live.
As a hospital Trust we are currently involved in over 100 clinical trials and studies, whilst also providing acute elective and specialist services to a population of over 620,000.
By joining Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust new colleagues can look forward to a warm welcome and a future full of opportunities and support.

This is an excellent opportunity for a suitably qualified individual to work within a large, busy UKAS-accredited and IBMS-registered training laboratory, in a supporting role to the Biomedical Scientists.
The Microbiology laboratory is located on the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital site, providing an extensive service to two acute hospitals, smaller local hospitals and to GPs in Gloucestershire and South Worcestershire, with a current workload of over 380,000 specimens per annum.
The Microbiology department has a well-equipped laboratory offering a comprehensive service including automated urine analysis, liquid TB culture, Mycology and Andrology. The department provides an extensive virology service, including serological and molecular technologies.