Medical Laboratory Assistant

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Medical Laboratory Assistant to join our Pathology department a Permanent Basis

The post holder will take an active role in the performance of the routine and delegated tasks involved in the delivery of a histology service which enables high standards of patient care, maintaining good working relations with all staff, promoting effective team work and the professional image of the Department of Pathology within the Trust.

Main duties of the job

• Responsible for the receipt of specimens ensuring that all specimens are correctly labelled with the minimum data set. Highlight any discrepancies, contact the clinicians involved and complete incidence reports as per protocol.
• Responsible for the preparation of cut up and assist medical dissection of specimens.
• Responsible for ensuring that the digital dictation system is working correctly, printing correctly labelled Vantage blocks and all the relevant information is inputted into the Vantage and Telepath systems.
• Take responsibility for the digital photography of gross specimens at cut-up and downloading onto the Telepath system Maintain and prepare solutions, reagents and stains according to departmental SOPs and COSHH data To file microscope slides and wax blocks as part of general housekeeping for the department
• To participate in routine embedding and section cutting Assist in the daily internal quality control by ensuring that all slides are stained and mounted and that the correct slide data is put onto the slides.
• Match up slides and patient’s cards before booking out on Vantage and Telepath systems.
• Comply at all times with the Trust Health and Safety Policy and the Laboratory Health and Safety Policy. Observe the immunisation policy of the Laboratory/Trust Attend mandatory and statutory, fire, lifting and handling and health and safety training.
• Report any risks, clinical and non-clinical incidents promptly and co-operate with any investigations undertaken.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

KEY DUTIES

• Maintain and foster the highest possible standards of technical work in the department maintaining ensuring compliance with UKAS, HSE and HTA standards.
• General laboratory surface cleaning of fittings and equipment
• Responsible for despatch of unprocessed (fixed) tissue to outside agencies.
• Responsible for the receipt of specimens ensuring that all specimens are correctly labelled with the minimum data set. Highlight any discrepancies, contact the clinicians involved and complete incidence reports as per protocol.
• Responsible for the preparation of cut up and assist medical dissection of specimens.
• Responsible for ensuring that the digital dictation system is working correctly, printing correctly labelled Vantage blocks and all the relevant information is inputted into the Vantage and Telepath systems.
• Take responsibility for the digital photography of gross specimens at cut-up and downloading onto the Telepath system.
• Maintain and prepare solutions, reagents and stains according to departmental SOPs and COSHH data.
• To file microscope slides and wax blocks as part of general housekeeping for the department
• To participate in routine embedding and section cutting
• Responsible for receipt and disposal of surgical tissue not requiring histopathology from surgical theatres.
• Dispose of laboratory specimen waste, including products of conception for sensitive disposal under senior biomedical scientist supervision, according to departmental policies
• Ensure all re-usable specimen containers are cleaned in readiness for supply to theatres, clinics and GPs.
• Maintain the tissue processors, including the loading of them after specimen dissection and on a rotational cycle, change the reagents, recording it in reagent log and processing a QC block ensuring that protocols according to SOPs and COSHH are adhered to
• Assist in the daily internal quality control by ensuring that all slides are stained and mounted and that the correct slide data is put onto the slides.  Match up slides and patient’s cards before booking out on Vantage and Telepath systems.
• Comply at all times with the Trust Health and Safety Policy and the Laboratory Health and Safety Policy.
• Observe the immunisation policy of the Laboratory/Trust
• Attend mandatory and statutory, fire, lifting and handling and health and safety training.
• Report any risks, clinical and non-clinical incidents promptly and co-operate with any investigations undertaken.

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensure that records are kept up to date and stored safely for compliance with the standards of UKAS.
• Comply with good laboratory practice required for the standards of UKAS and HSE guidelines.
• Comply with the local and national policies for safe, secure and confidential processing and storage of patient and other laboratory information.
• Follow trust policies, guidelines and procedures when using the Trust wide IT system.

TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES

• Responsible for assisting in the training of new Medical Laboratory Assistants (MLA)
• Participate in formal and informal CPD activities and attend educational and training courses as appropriate.