Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• A Healthcare Science Associate is part of a clinical support team whose purpose is to provide timely and accurate high quality scientific information that will assist service users from the hospital and community, in the establishment of a clinical diagnosis and monitoring of patient treatment. 
• The Healthcare Science Associate will use practical skills to carry out tasks associated with the pre-analytical preparation of specimens, analysis of a limited range of tests and post analytical duties. This includes day to day management of Quality Assurance Schemes within the Blood Sciences Department and managing Point of Care Testing analysers across the Trust.
• Specimen reception: To deal with the reception, sorting and labelling of patient specimens, identifying inadequate and mislabelled specimens and ensuring urgent samples are prioritised.
• Data entry, preparing specimens for analysis, including booking in-patient and specimen details, storing, retrieving and disposing of specimens. 
• To analyse a limited range of tests, e.g. Urine Pregnancy Tests, Blood Gas Analysis, Ionised Calcium in line with departmental SOPs.
• Operate, maintain and basic trouble shoot departmental analysers, in line with departmental SOPs.
• To undertake simple analytical procedures under guidance and maintain and operate laboratory equipment in accordance with departmental SOPs.
• To manually transcribe and record laboratory data, input to and manipulation of the laboratory computer system and derivation of worksheets for qualified staff
• To receive requests for information by telephone and respond appropriately.
• To prepare and reconstitute reagents and control materials and other processes as required, recording stock levels, maintenance of instruments and equipment, and keeping appropriate records both manually and electronic.
• To manage the day to day departmental Quality Assurance by distributing, monitoring and resulting tests on all schemes.
• To co-ordinate distribution of Quality Assurance reports and assist Team Leaders in review.
• To manage Point of Care Testing (POCT) devices across the Trust, including training, audit and quality control. 
• To work in compliance with local health and safety rules to ensure a safe working environment for yourself, colleagues and visitors. To adhere to department and Trust Health and Safety policies (including COSHH, Risk assessments and Standard Operating Procedures) and to report any non-compliances to a senior member of staff.
• Oversee Healthcare Science Assistants (HSAs) working in the section.
• Train new members of HSA staff.
• The post holder will be required to provide cover for Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday duties in the department.