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Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Associate Practitioner - Microbiology

Swindon On-site 0-2 yrs exp Hospitals and Health Care 1,823 employees
MicrobiologyBacteriologyVirologyHealth And SafetyLaboratory Equipment

Requirements

Candidates must have A-level Science or equivalent and NVQ Level 3 in Laboratory Science. Experience in a high-throughput environment and familiarity with laboratory equipment is essential.

Job Description

Job Summary

Associate Practitioners (AP) are responsible for performing a range of scientific procedures on biological specimens, contributing to the diagnosis and treatment of patients. APs follow a program of in-house training, and work in conjunction with the Specialist Biomedical Scientists and the Biomedical Support Workers, to form an integral part of the laboratory team.

Main duties of the job


  • At all times to act in accordance with and adhere to laboratory and Trust procedures and protocols.
  • To rotate (after suitable training and competency testing) through all sections of the Microbiology department.
  • To be responsible for health and safety issues pertinent to diagnostic laboratory work.
  • To use personal protective equipment as required by the laboratory's health and safety procedures.
  • To carry out the pre analytical processing of samples received into the laboratory.
  • To process clinical specimens for bacteriological culture and virology testing.
  • After suitable training, to use highly technical laboratory equipment in the course of their duties including maintenance and cleaning of the equipment.
  • To participate in rotas covering Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday mornings as required.
  • To participate in mandatory training requirements of the Trust and attend training sessions and educational meetings as appropriate.
  • To participate in annual joint review in accordance with the Trust appraisal policy.


About Us

We are proud to be part of BSW Hospitals Group - a formal partnership between Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust and Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust. With a combined workforce of over 17, 600 colleagues, and budget of 1.6 billion the Group is united by a common purpose to deliver the best possible care to over 1 million people. We are creating a heath and care system that works with the people we care for, reducing the differences people currently face in access, experience and outcomes, improving the experience of our colleagues and tackling shared challenges like sustainability and finances. Every improvement we make across our Group will be guided by what creates the greatest benefit for our colleagues, our patients, our communities and our partners.

Job Description

Job responsibilities

To maintain knowledge and experience equivalent to NVQ level 3 in general laboratory science.

To develop and maintain knowledge of bacteriology cultures, specifically MRSA and perform any relevant follow-up work.

To develop and maintain knowledge of serological screening of infectious diseases on automated test platforms.

To develop and maintain knowledge of molecular techniques on automated test platforms.

To be able to develop highly accurate manual skills for tasks such as pipetting and specimen manipulation.

To undertake effective time management in the daily planning of own work.

To be able to make decisions regarding the quality of specimens and the validity of tests data and ensure any anomalies / errors are reported to senior staff as soon as possible.

To communicate effectively with colleagues regarding test procedures or test data and attend departmental meetings.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Education/Qualifications Essential


  • A-level Science (or equivalent)
  • NVQ Level 3 in Laboratory Science (or equivalent)


Desirable


  • NVQ Level 4 in Laboratory Sciences (or equivalent)
  • IBMS Certificate of Achievement
  • Health and Safety training


Experience Essential


  • Experience working in a high-throughput environment
  • Previous experience in the NHS or a laboratory setting


Desirable


  • Experience in use of laboratory equipment and instruments
  • Experience in use of automated laboratory systems
  • Understanding of ISO15189


Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such 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.

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) .

Education

Professional Certificate

Skills

MicrobiologyBacteriologyVirologyHealth And SafetyLaboratory EquipmentAutomated SystemsSpecimen ProcessingTime ManagementCommunicationManual SkillsDecision MakingTrainingTeamworkQuality ControlISO15189

About Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the top three Trusts to work for in the South West. We employ almost 5,500 staff and serve a population of over 750,000 across Wiltshire and neighbouring counties. Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides acute hospital services (at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon) and community health services across Wiltshire. These services include community hospitals, community nursing and therapy, and children's and young people's services.

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