Medical Laboratory Assistant | Barts Health NHS Trust

We are looking for a bright and enthusiastic individual to join the Cytogenetics section of the Cytogenetics and Molecular Haematology Department as a Medical Laboratory Assistant.

The candidate needs to have an excellent eye for detail, strong interpersonal skills and be able to demonstrate good manual dexterity. The role involves culturing of human tissue samples, harvesting of cytogenetic samples for the production of metaphase chromosomes, maintenance and cleaning of equipment and preparation of reagents.

The candidate will be required to work from 9:00 to 17:30 Monday to Friday with the potential requirement to work weekends and bank holidays in the future. The job role can be physically demanding however, it offers the potential to learn new laboratory skills and allow for excellent personal development.

The post holder is expected to work as part of a team in the Specialist Integrated Haematological Diagnostic Service (SIHMDS) to undertake routine data entry and preparation of specimens for laboratory processing. Core duties involve receipting of specimens and entering data into the laboratory information systems, scanning and filing, basic preparation of specimens where appropriate, and placing them into racks or taking them to laboratory areas for processing.

The post holder will be expected to offer a professional and helpful service to visitors to the laboratory, and to deal with telephone enquiries. Full in house training and written standard operating procedures will be provided.

The NHS East and South East London Pathology Partnership is an arms-length organisation providing pathology services to Barts Health NHS Trust, Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust. The Pathology Partnership is hosted by Barts Health.

The Pathology Partnership is based on well-established models for pathology networks, with the Royal London Hospital becoming the main hub laboratory for the network and Essential Service Laboratories (ESL) as a minimum at all other Hospital sites.

Pathology is made up of the following services - Blood Sciences including Haematology, Blood Transfusion and Biochemistry; Infectious Diseases including Microbiology and Virology; Cellular Pathology including Histopathology, non-gynae Cytology and mortuary services; Immunology; Cytogenetics and Molecular Haematology; Immunophenotyping; Clinical Transplantation and Retinoblastoma.[AK1]

The 2020/21 total operating costs across the Partnership were c. £126m per annum with a workforce establishment of circa. 822 WTE. We strive to live by ourWeCarevalues and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are underrepresented within Barts Health at this band