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Job summary

Main area
Pathology (Microbiology-Bacteriology)
Grade
Band 4
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
151-SL0604
Employer
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Frimley Park Hospital
Town
Camberley
Salary
£29,812 - £32,715 per annum incl HCAS
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
07/08/2026 23:59

Employer heading

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust logo

Associate Practitioner

Band 4

Job overview

Are you looking for a full-time Associate Practitioner (AP) role? Band 4 position with a desire to work as part of the largest NHS led Pathology Services in the UK. Successful candidate will be based at Frimley Park Hospital site.

 We are looking for an energetic, enthusiastic and well-motivated individual with good scientific background and laboratory experience to complement our existing AP team.

 The post holder will liaise with line manager as part of a team delivering high-quality protocol based technical service under the supervision of HCPC Registered Biomedical Scientist staff. The role also includes maintaining adequate stock of all reagents and consumables, through timely ordering of supplies and undertaking regular stock check and audit as required. To act as supervisor for support grade staff members as agreed with the laboratory management team, and will be expected to train, support and advise less experienced staff, such as trainees, students and medical laboratory assistants.

Essential qualities expected are efficiency, being well-organized, having good communication and leadership skills and attention to detail. Good keyboard skills are desirable. In addition, you should be a reliable individual who is able to demonstrate good practical skills and work as part of the AP team. 

You will be expected to work according to our working time compliant shift system.

Main duties of the job

  • To participate in the provision of a comprehensive range of scientific and diagnostic services for bacteriology.
  • The diagnostic work of the bacteriology department includes the appropriate processing and handling of body fluids and materials including high risk specimens.
  • The post holder will liaise with line manager as part of a team delivering high-quality protocol based technical service under the supervision of HCPC Registered Biomedical Scientist staff.
  • The post holder will be required to communicate with hospital clinicians, general practitioners, other healthcare professionals, patients and their representatives and commercial suppliers.
  • The post holder will be required to operate sophisticated, automated laboratory equipment and perform scientific techniques under supervision and to report results in accordance with departmental SOPs and as appropriate to grade.
  • The post holder is required to act as supervisor for support grade staff members as agreed with the laboratory management team, and will be expected to train, support and advise less experienced staff, such as trainees, students and MLA’s.
  • The post holder will be required to manage laboratory stock within the department and provide details of stock management to the Lead BMS or General Manager as required.

Working for our organisation

Visa Sponsorship:
This position is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants must already hold the right to work in the UK for the full duration of the contract.

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is committed to being an inclusive and disability confident employer and has been awarded the Gold for the Armed Forces Employment Recognition Scheme. We provide first class development opportunities for all staff and have a wide range of professional, management and leadership, and clinical skills training available. 

Here at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, we know how important it is to have a healthy work life balance; this benefits not only individuals but the patients we care for too.

We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service and its users.

Frimley Health Trust benefits on Vimeo

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

  • Be able to effectively deal with simple day to day situations and problems, referring to Senior Biomedical Scientist staff when appropriate.
  • Effectively maintain stock control, place orders and take appropriate action as required.
  • Ensures sample is appropriate type for all tests and assesses samples for urgency, informing Biomedical Scientist staff of such samples.
  • Communicates effectively with other staff groups both internal and external, including healthcare professionals, transport and courier staff, patients and their representatives and commercial suppliers.
  • Provides supervision, training support and assistance to newly staff as appropriate (including the demonstration of procedures to less experienced staff).
  • To carry out appraisal of MLA staff as directed by laboratory management.
  • Analyses potentially infectious samples using sophisticated automated equipment to produce results of a quality consistent with excellent patient care.
  • Complies with the requirement to practice within information governance, data protection and confidentiality guidelines.

Refer to attached JD & PS for further information

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Good education to A Levels, including science subject or NVQ 4 or IBMS Certificate of Achievement (Part 2) or Foundation degree or demonstrable laboratory knowledge, experience and skills that prerequisite this role.
  • Willing to undergo relevant training to ensure sound relevant knowledge
  • Qualification in Microbiology or biomedical science.
Desirable criteria
  • ECDL

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience as a MLA in a diagnostic laboratory
  • Able to perform technically challenging procedures where applicable
  • Ability to develop knowledge and understanding of microbiology techniques sufficient to undertake specimen processing and reception
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of working as part of a team
  • Some experience of diagnostic microbiology
  • Lateral thinking.
  • Experience of working as part of a team.

Skills and Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Good at multi-tasking
  • Well organised
  • Good verbal and manual skills
  • Ability and enthusiasm to learn word processing for data entry requirements
  • Ability to work effectively under time and workload pressures
  • Able to perform technically challenging procedures where applicable.
Desirable criteria
  • Lateral thinking
  • Familiar with the use of computers and able to use a keyboard
  • Friendly and interactive in working group
  • Committed to working in healthcare environment
  • Good telephone manner.

Special Requirements

Essential criteria
  • Must be available to work the extended day and working week operated in BSPS.
  • Must be available to work across all sites of BSPS if required.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyMenopause Friendly EmployerCare quality commission - GoodArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardWe offer Wagestream - A financial wellbeing benefit which lets you access your pay as you earn it.Disability confident employerWe Work Flexibly

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. We would advise that you complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Marcial Navarro
Job title
Site Lead Biomedical Scientist
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
03006136958
Additional information

or contact Catriona Steele

Site Lead Biomedical Scientist

[email protected]

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