Job vacancy: Medical Laboratory Assistant - Microbiology, Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Prescot

Job summary

Main area: Pathology
Grade: NHS AfC: Band 3
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week (24/7 shifts in operation)
Job ref: 409-8208192

Employer: Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: Whiston Hospital
Town: Prescot
Salary: £25,760 - £27,476 Per Annum
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 31/08/2026 23:59
Interview date: 07/09/2026

Medical Laboratory Assistant - Microbiology

NHS AfC: Band 3

After applying via NHS Jobs, your submitted application will be imported into our preferred Third-party recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through the NHS Jobs website, and furthermore, as an employer, we will not be able to respond to any e-mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website. By applying for this post you are agreeing to "name of trust" transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are appointed to a post information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

KEY DUTIES

Under the supervision of a trained Biomedical Scientist, carry out microbiological work on specimens from patients with known or suspected infections. This work is undertaken in accordance with appropriate training and ability to demonstrate competence in handling clinical samples.
Maintain appropriate stock levels within the section following appropriate policies and procedures under the direction of the section leader.
Ensure that equipment is used in accordance with departmental policies and supplier’s instructions and is maintained correctly. Notify equipment/general building fitting failures to the appropriate senior person.
Participate in training and development. Each individual is encouraged to supply suggestions for new techniques and technology and use their initiative in the improvement of the department.
Provide and sustain a high-quality service and to be involved in the maintenance of quality goals.

Technical

Receive, sort, identify and label specimens as per Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs).
Identify to Senior/Qualified staff any specimens and/or requests, which may cause problems (e.g. Health and Safety, inadequate identification and/or sample quality).
Prepare specimens for dispatch to other laboratories; when appropriate complete request forms and / or organise transport as required.
Assist on benches as assigned, to process clinical specimens under supervision (see rota).
Unpack and process media orders, maintaining records and stock rotation.
Report to a senior BMS any instance or event which may cause a service delivery failure.
Undertake routine operative maintenance on laboratory instruments.
Monitor and record fridge and incubator temperatures daily.
Undertake stock take and log details.
Ensure all clinical material is stored according to departmental policies.
Ensure all clinical material is disposed of according to departmental policies.
Assist in clinical and non-clinical audits, trials and research projects as directed by department management.
Work in a safe manner.

Communication

Receive telephone calls and action where appropriate.
Contact service users in case of any problems with received samples.
Communicate any relevant information to laboratory colleagues within the section.
Actively participate in team meetings and to inform effectively at hand over.

Effort and Environment

The job will involve frequent exposure to unpleasant body fluids and tissue including sputum, faeces, blood, urine and samples that are potentially infective with pathogenic micro-organisms (including infections such as Hepatitis, HIV, nvCJD, TB).
Due to the nature and pressure and variety of work there is a need for the ability to multi-task both physically, mentally and be expected to communicate with all grades of staff. Transport of chemicals, reagents and solutions together with disposal of clinical waste requires some physical effort.
The job will involve exposure to harmful chemicals, including acids and carcinogens, which should be dealt with under COSHH regulations.
The job may involve visits to clinical areas in order to maintain, and control point of care testing equipment, blood fridges or other systems.

CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Keep the workplace and work benches clean and tidy.
Maintain good working relations with all members or staff and to promote effective teamwork.
Maintain and promote the professional image of the Pathology, St. Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (STHK) and Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust (SOHT).

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

Ensure that records are kept up to date and stored safely to ensure compliance with good working practices required by UKAS ISO:15189. 3
Comply with good laboratory practices required by UKAS ISO:15189 including Health and Safety.
Organise the workload to ensure that reporting of results is carried out in a timely fashion.
Advise the Senior Biomedical Scientists when stocks of reagents and consumables are approaching minimum stock levels.
Enter details from request forms in to the pathology computer as required according to departmental SOPs.
Comply with the local and national policies for safe, secure and confidential processing and storage of patient and other laboratory information.
Use the Pathology Computer System (LIMS) according to the SOPs.
Enter their own results and those obtained by others into LIMS.
Maintain the integrity and accuracy of laboratory databases.
Use Trust wide I.T. systems as appropriate following Trust polices, guidelines and procedures.

RESEARCH & AUDIT

Participate in departmental clinical trials, audit, research and development programmes.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

Basic typing qualifications or NVQ3 in Health Sciences or equivalent experience.
Educated to GCSE level in English and Maths or equivalent qualification and or experience

Knowledge & Experience

Essential criteria

Understanding of a working laboratory

Desirable criteria

Laboratory/Pathology experience

Skills

Essential criteria

Basic computer skills
Good interpersonal and communication skills
Well organised
Willing to work flexibly
Willing and able to learn new skills
Team working skills
Ability to use own initiative

Desirable criteria

Ability to work with minimum supervision
Good telephone manner

Other

Essential criteria

Personable, friendly demeanour

Our Values

Essential criteria

We are Kind
We are Open
We are Inclusive

Thank you for considering an application to work for Mersey West Lancashire NHS Trust. MWL is an exciting and forward-thinking NHS Trust who are one of the best places to work for in England.

Given sometimes we receive a high volume of applications to work for us, please be aware, that we may close a vacancy earlier than stated should a sufficient number of applications be received from which a shortlist can be confirmed. Therefore, you are advised to apply at your earliest convenience.

The Trust may contact you during the recruitment process for your feedback on your experience. We always aim for continuous improvement in our practice.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

We actively cultivate a professional environment of fairness, equality, dignity, and respect for all individuals. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds and value the unique skills, perspective and experience you bring. We are grounded in the belief that diversity enhances our collective strength, fostering innovation and excellence within our workforce. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.

As a Disability Confident Leader, we commit to offering an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.

If you are having difficulty completing an online application, or require any disability reasonable adjustments, to the application process, please contact [email protected]

We also commit to offering an interview to all armed forces veterans who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.

The Trust operates anonymous shortlisting where no personal information about you, including your name or personal details are shared with the recruiting manager. No equality information is shared at any time during the recruitment process with the recruiting manager or other people involved in the decision-making process.

The equality monitoring information you provide is used in the following situations: to review our recruitment practices; where a job is limited to a specific person to verify their eligibility to apply; and to offer disability reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab)

Following the recent update on UK immigration policy for those on a Health and Care Visa or Skilled Worker Visa, please click here to check your eligibility before applying for this post as we may be unable to provide sponsorship.

eVisa Update

For successful candidates on selected work and study visa routes, who have completed and paid for their applications will no longer receive a visa vignette in passport as evidence of their permission to enter the UK.

Instead, you will be issued with an eVisa only, which is accessed by creating a UKVI account.

Before travelling to the UK, we advise applicants to:

Create a UKVI account
Link their current passport
Access their eVisa straightaway to check all details. Incorrect information should be reported as soon as possible using the following link: https://www.gov.uk/report-error-evisa
Understand how to generate an eVisa share code

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

If this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Please note if applicable, applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment.

If you have not already done so, you are therefore encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service to which a small annual fee of £13 per year applies.

Flexible Working

We actively support flexible working patterns throughout MWL. Changes made to the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook mean that:

All employees have the right to request flexible working from day one of employment.
There is no limit on the number of requests they can make.
Employees have the right to make requests, have them considered, regardless of the reason.

At Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, we will consider requests for flexible working. We would also encourage you to also discuss flexible working options at interview stage.

Working for Team MWL

Staff recognition is especially important to us; as well as performance reviews and appraisals, we recognise staff through Employee of the month. Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.

The Trust is a non-smoking across all our sites. Failure to follow this rule could lead to disciplinary action. For more information, see the Smoke Free NHS website.

You will be expected to undertake the Trusts' commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

You must ensure that your application, including personal statements and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

The Trust will not accept applications which are found to be AI generated and will check all applications against AI detection software.

Additional Information

Before applying, we encourage you to review the Trusts Values and Behaviours which are We are KIND, We are OPEN, We are INCLUSIVE, which can be found here.

An applicant guide to help and support you with your application and what to expect during your recruitment journey can be accessed in the supporting documents.

Good luck with your application. We hope to welcome you to Team MWL very soon.