Job summary
- Main area
- Biochemistry
- Grade
- Band 2
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (to cover shifts 24/7 as required to meet service demand)
- Job ref
- 264-7566104-CSS
- Employer
- Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Kettering General Hospital
- Town
- Kettering
- Salary
- £24,465 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 19/11/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Medical Laboratory Assistant - Blood Sciences
Band 2
Job overview
We are looking for a dedicated Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) to join our dynamic laboratory. This is a hands-on role that supports the day-to-day operations of the laboratory, ensuring the smooth and efficient processing of samples and assisting with a variety of essential tasks. As an MLA, you will be key to supporting our laboratory staff in delivering high-quality diagnostic services.
Main duties of the job
Key Responsibilities of the role:
- Processing laboratory specimens and ensuring patient details are accurately entered onto the laboratory computer system.
- Providing pre-analytical support to the Biochemistry Department.
- Assisting in the safe handling of hazardous chemical and biological materials.
- Working under the supervision of qualified biomedical scientists to ensure compliance with laboratory protocols.
- Maintaining a clean and safe working environment, adhering to all health and safety guidelines.
- Communicating effectively with team members and other healthcare professionals to ensure the smooth running of the service.
We are looking for someone with the following skills and qualities:
- Keyboard skills and a reasonable standard of literacy are essential.
- A genuine interest in science in healthcare and a willingness to learn.
- The ability to concentrate for extended periods of time, ensuring the accurate and efficient processing of laboratory specimens.
- A strong focus on accuracy and attention to detail.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to work well as part of a team.
- Flexibility in hours is essential as the service operates 24/7, 365 days a year.
- An understanding of the safe handling of hazardous chemical and biological materials.
Working for our organisation
Situated in rural Northamptonshire, Kettering benefits from affordable housing and attractive surrounding countryside. It has good road and rail links to the rest of the country, being just one hour from central London.
Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest employers in the area and we are on an exciting journey. Our mission is to provide safe, compassionate, and clinically excellent patient care, by being an outstanding employer for our people. We have entered into a Group Model with neighbouring Northampton General Hospital and have become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.
Our Excellence Values:
- Compassion
- Respect
- Integrity
- Courageous
- Accountable
Please stipulate in your supporting statement which of our excellence values means the most to you and how you will bring this to the role if successful? Failure to add this to your supporting statement will result in automatic rejection.
Eligibility to Work in the UK:
Please note that this role does not offer sponsorship. To be considered, applicants must already have the right to work in the UK. Unfortunately, we are unable to support visa applications or provide sponsorship for this role as this does not meet UKVI guidelines. Please ensure you meet the necessary work eligibility criteria before applying.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification for a detailed overview of the job role.
Person specification
Educations, Training and Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Educated to GCSE level or equivalent level of education, training or experience
- Basic literacy and/or numeracy qualifications
- Typing/word processing qualifications
Knowledge and Experience
Desirable criteria
- Healthcare work experience
- Computer data entry experience
- Laboratory work experience
Skills
Essential criteria
- Understanding of confidential nature of patient data
- Able to type specimen information accurately and quickly from a printed or hand-written request form
Desirable criteria
- manual dexterity to manipulate specimens for processing
Key Competencies/Personal Qualities and Attributes
Essential criteria
- Passionate and committed to bring our Dedicated to Excellence values to life, improving the way we work with each other, particularly focusing on empowerment, equality diversity and inclusion of our staff, patients and service users
- Ability to concentrate to process large blocks of repetitive work
- Ability to understand and accurately pass on telephone messages
- Ability to integrate fully into a small team of staff
Desirable criteria
- Understanding of H&S requirements in a laboratory
- Knowledge of medical and/or laboratory terminology
- Able to safely handle hazardous biological and chemical materials routinely, after appropriate training
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Lisa Roberts
- Job title
- Lead BMS Biochemistry
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01536 492702
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