Job description
We are currently looking for people, perhaps like yourself, who would be interested in a role where you would be trained and supported right from the start, helping to provide the best possible care and treatment for our patients.
As part of our busy and friendly team, you will need excellent communication and interpersonal skills. You will also need good manual dexterity, the ability to remain calm under pressure and be able to work independently and flexibly when necessary.
We have got a variety of shift times available but flexibility will also be key as on occasions you will be required to cover other sites where the Trust and Berkshire and Surrey Pathology Services provides a service. The operating times of the department are between 07:30 – 17:00 Monday – Friday and 08:00 - 10:30 Saturdays and Bank Holidays on a rota basis.
The work, as a phlebotomist, involves taking blood samples from patients who are currently being treated on our wards and outpatient department as well as those in other local hospitals where we provide services. As you will know, properly taken blood samples are vital in helping our clinicians to effectively diagnose and treat the medical conditions in the patients that they see.
The post holder is responsible for complying with the Trust’s corporate policies and procedures. These serve as a basis for regulating the conduct of activities in a consistent manner, and are required to satisfy the proper discharge of statutory, professional and legal responsibilities and provide a disciplined framework within which actions take place.
A bank holiday service is provided to the wards and covered by the team on a rotational basis.
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust provides NHS hospital services for around 900,000 people across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and south Buckinghamshire.
As well as delivering excellent general hospital services to local people, we provide specialist heart attack, vascular, stroke, spinal, cystic fibrosis and plastic surgery services across a much wider area.
We have three main hospitals - Frimley Park in Frimley near Camberley, Heatherwood in Ascot and Wexham Park near Slough.
Our threecore values, and the behaviours that support them, guide everything we do and set out what we expect of our staff in the way they treat patients, visitors, service users and each other,Committed to Excellence, Working Together and Facing the Future.
We are also proud to host the Defence Medical Group South East at Frimley Park with military surgical, medical, and nursing personnel working alongside the hospital's NHS staff providing care to patients in all specialities.
The post holder will be trained as a phlebotomist and will carry out duties to include wards, clinics and GP surgery based work or any other department deemed necessary. This will involve routinely handling biological samples and it is therefore essential that he/she is aware of the departmental safety policies which must be observed at all times.
The post holder will be trained to perform a range of venepuncture techniques in a variety of clinical settings and will work under supervision until successfully assigned to work without supervision with the possible opportunity to progress to a Band 3 after one year of service. ( This will be dependent on meeting the criteria of the Band 3 Job Description and passing the Band 3 competencies. )
Clinical and Technical:
- Collects, using venepuncture procedures, blood samples from inpatients and from patients attending the outpatient clinics within the HWPH NHS Foundation Trust sites.
- Monitors and maintains the health, safety and security of self and patients during the venepuncture procedure. Practices within risk management/ occupational health legislation and Trust procedures.
- Collects samples from patients in high risk categories and is aware of potential hazards. Is able to follow agreed protocol to minimise risk to self and others.
- Is aware of the clinical conditions and precautions that are necessary for sample quality to be maintained during the venepuncture procedure. This includes site selection, correct use of tourniquet and selection of blood sample bottles.
- Is proficient in performing venepuncture to meet the requirements of Dynamic Function Tests (a series of blood samples taken at defined intervals according to a set protocol).