Medical Laboratory Assistant

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.

NHS Highland is seeking dedicated and detail-oriented individuals for the position of Medical Laboratory Assistant within the Blood Sciences Department at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness. This pivotal role involves a range of laboratory and administrative tasks aimed at supporting our professional clinical laboratory service.

Key Responsibilities:
    Efficiently receive, sort, and book-in patient specimens.
    Accurately enter patient demographic and test details into the laboratory computer system.
    Perform basic sample processing and general laboratory duties including reagent preparation and assisting with testing, adhering to departmental Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
    Participate in a rotation across all sections based on service needs, including extended working days, weekends, and public holidays.

Requirements:
    Good general education with excellent typing/keyboard skills and IT literacy and can work independently. 
    Ability to work quickly and accurately, as precision is critical to avoid reporting incorrect results.
    Previous experience in a medical laboratory is advantageous but not essential, as comprehensive in-house training will be provided.

Duties Include:
    Receiving and labelling specimens, distributing them to the relevant department.
    Carrying out preparatory procedures on samples.
    Basic operation and regular cleaning of laboratory equipment.
    High-accuracy input of patient details into the lab computing system.
    Undertaking general clerical duties, including generating and distributing laboratory reports.
    Communicating with other departments and handling enquiries from service users and the public.

Part-time hours will be considered providing core hours are covered. 

Informal enquiries to: 
Nikhil George (Specimen Reception Team Leader) , email: nikhil.george@nhs.scot

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

• You should apply for this post by completing the application process on Jobtrain.
• DO NOT upload a CV as this will not be used for short listing purposes
• Posts close at midnight on the indicated date
• For help to complete an application on Job Train please follow this link: https://www.careers.nhs.scot/how-to-apply/application-process/
• To view our accessibility statement, please follow this link: https://www.eess.nhs.scot/jobtrain-accessibility-statement/
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NHS Highland is geographically the largest of the 14 regional boards of NHS Scotland, covering an area of 12,500 square miles, across Highland and Argyll & Bute.

As a board we strive to ensure the environment is conducive to nurturing a positive culture, supported and delivered through our NHS and Social Care values.

NHS Scotland is reducing their full time working week from 37.5 to 37 hours per week from 1 April 2024 but with no change in pay.  This reduction will also be applied pro rata for part time staff.  This advert and any subsequent offer/contract of employment therefore reflects the new working hours.  However, as not all service areas will be able to adopt the 37 hour working week immediately from 1 April 2024, you may be required to work up to an additional 30 minutes per week for a temporary period for which you would be paid until the service you are working in changes rosters or working patterns to accommodate the new reduced working week.  If you have any questions or concerns please contact the Recruiting Board.