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Pathology and Laboratories Directorate

Cellular Pathology – Histology
Biomedical Support Worker
Band 2 – Full-time 37.5 hours

We are looking for enthusiastic, adaptable people keen to work as biomedical support workers supporting the laboratory working alongside qualified scientists and office staff.

Laboratory tasks are performed at bench height (standing or sitting on tall draughtman’s seats):

• Specimen reception duties: • reception and sorting of specimens - moving specimen containers which range from small pots to large buckets
• computer data entry
• receiving tissue blocks and slides from other labs
• General laboratory duties: • replacing / disposing of chemicals on laboratory machines – moving 5 litre and 10 litre containers using a trolley and a fume cupboard
• making up chemical stock solutions
• general stock control of laboratory consumables – ordering, receiving, delivering (requires moving supplies weighing up to 20Kg using cages and a trolley, placing them in relevant cupboards
• specimen disposal
• Scanning of paperwork
• Filing of departmental slides, blocks, and specimens to ensure regulatory compliance, including moving archival material to external rooms and basement storage
• Scanning of slides for digital pathology - histology slides converted into a digital image for pathologists to make a diagnosis

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trustis one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. Find out more here www.ouh.nhs.uk

The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence. These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel.
Biomedical Support Worker

Overall Objective:
1 To work as part of the team to assist in the provision of an efficient and smooth running laboratory service to the Trust, General Practice, other UK or overseas Trusts and laboratories and Clinical Trials by following the departmental SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) and protocols throughout all sections of the department.

2 Participation in the reception, separation, storage and data entry of samples arriving into the laboratory; report printing and distribution; telephone and other office duties; laboratory waste disposal; cleaning and other general laboratory duties; working in analytical areas of the laboratory as required.

Principle Responsibilities

Scientific and Clinical Responsibilities

• Accepts a full range of clinical samples into the department, working with staff within the hospital and operating the air tube system and specimen hoist. Occasional use of stairs may be required for this purpose.
• Assesses samples for urgency and sorts by laboratory section.
• Matches samples and request forms and assigns unique laboratory numbers, requiring complete accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ensures that samples meet acceptance criteria for testing and dealing with any non-compliance in accordance with departmental protocols. Is aware of appropriate sample type for all tests.
• Is responsible for data entry into the laboratory computer system, requiring complete accuracy and attention to detail.
• Is fully conversant with relevant departmental policies and Standard Operating Procedures, ensuring that personal performance and demonstrated competence complies with United Kingdom Accreditation Standards (UKAS) standards.
• In conjunction with Biomedical Scientists (BMS) staff ensures the validity of results by the use of appropriate control materials.
• Works in cooperation with BMS staff to ensure workload is processed in a timely and efficient manner.
• Performs telephone duties that include making and receiving calls from and to the laboratory, verbally transmitting confidential results and conveying sensitive information to healthcare professionals, patients and their representatives.
• Participates in the preparation of disinfectants and reagents in accordance with Standard operating Procedures (SOPs) and Health and Safety requirements.
• To be capable of occasional heavy lifting (up to 20 kg) e.g. disposable waste or boxes of new supplies.
• Daily maintenance tasks e.g. changing of chemicals and wax on staining machines and tissue processors in Cellular Pathology

Analytical and Interpretation Responsibilities

• Performs a variety of manual laboratory procedures under the direct supervision of State Registered BMS staff. Procedures include the setting up of tests and pre-analytical sample preparation, including centrifugation, aliquotting and plating out.

Role responsibilities

• Works to achieve competencies across the repertoire of the department as appropriate to grade.
• Effective communication of information about specimens and test results with other staff groups both internal and external. To include healthcare professionals, patient representatives and commercial suppliers.
• Receives sensitive information from patients and their representatives where empathic skills are required.
• Displays and maintains an appropriate level of IT skills, in order to input patient and request data, maintain and amend patient records and interrogate the laboratory and hospital databases.
• 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 collection of data for audits.
• Ensures efficient use of resources and is aware of stock levels and rotation, storage conditions, batch numbers and expiry dates.
• Ensures appropriate stock levels are maintained in own area of operation, this may include issuing stock to external departments and ordering stock from external suppliers under supervision. receipt and distribution of new supplies within department
• Maintains a clean and safe working environment through good housekeeping practices including the preparation of laboratory disinfectants. This may include disposal of clinical waste, autoclaving, decontamination of work areas.
• Is aware of Clinical Governance, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) and local Health and Safety polices, reporting problems, errors or breaches to the senior staff.
• Despatches biological samples to referral centres. Ensures that sample packaging is compliant with SOP guidelines.
• Solves day-to-day problems e.g. mislabelled and lost specimens.
• Provides support and assistance to newly appointed staff, which may include demonstration of procedures.

Other Responsibilities

• Demonstrates excellent personal communication and team working skills.
• Complies with the requirement to practice within data protection and confidentiality guidelines.
• Works to ensure that departmental performance targets are met by continually assessing priority of work.
• Attends departmental and Trust-wide staff meetings as appropriate.
• Attends regular appraisal, maintains competence levels within the Department and assists in own personal and professional development
• Work towards attaining relevant level 2 or 3 Diploma award in Laboratory Support, or equivalent qualification.
• Maintains good work relations with all members of staff and to promote effective team working.
• Treats everyone associated with the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust with courtesy and respect.

General Responsibilities

• To be aware of the inherent risks of the work and to take appropriate precautions at all times, reporting to the Head Biomedical Scientist or Safety Officer any potential hazards.
• Abide by current policies and procedures defined by the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and/or the Pathology Risk Management Team and to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act.
• Any matters of a confidential nature, including information relating to the diagnosis and treatment of patients, individual staff records must, under no circumstances, be divulged to any unauthorised person or persons.