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Job description

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual, who enjoys working as part of a team, to support our high quality laboratory service for the diagnosis of inherited metabolic disease.

This band 3 Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) position provides an exciting opportunity to work within the Metabolic, Neuroendocrine and Nutrition laboratory within Clinical Biochemistry at the Bristol Royal Infirmary. This section performs a range of analytical procedures on patient samples for diagnostic purposes. The post holder will support the Biomedical Scientists and Clinical Scientists by providing both technical and clerical assistance. They will be an essential part of the laboratory team providing a high quality specialist diagnostic service to the trust and other laboratories within the South-West region.

We welcome applications from individuals interested in working in a laboratory environment with good communication skills and a passion for high quality patient care. You will join a supportive team of scientific and clinical staff providing a wider diagnostic Clinical Biochemistry service.

The appointee will ideally have some experience working within a laboratory environment and/or experience in a customer service or care role, particularly with children. They will be required to have good keyboard skills and be able to organise their own work under pressure and work to tight deadlines.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Collecting, sorting, prioritising and processing of samples in a busy environment while maintaining good working relationships with colleagues and service users.
• Specimen reception – activation of MN&N specialist samples and checking that request forms and specimens are labelled according to laboratory policy.
• Collection of sweat samples from patients with suspected cystic fibrosis.
• Preparation of samples for whole blood, red cell, plasma, white cell enzyme and urine glycosaminoglycan analysis.
• Preparation of reagents following set protocols
• Preparation & delivery of specialist testing packs/tubes (e.g. skin and muscle biopsy collection kits, CSF neurotransmitter collection kits)
• Maintain the liquid nitrogen supply to the laboratory and deliver it to theatres and wards as required for specialist metabolic investigations.
• Undertake sweat chloride analysis for the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis.
• Filing of samples following completion of analysis into the appropriate storage system including MNN section storage systems.
• Administration of the long-term storage system.

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as ‘Good’ overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward-thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

For a more detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the job description attached to this vacancy.