Job Description

This is an exciting opportunity for a full time Medical Laboratory Assistant at Guys and St Thomas' Blood Transfusion Laboratory.



You will work in a small team of Blood Transfusion MLAs, as a key part of the wider Blood Transfusion Team.



Blood Transfusion use Winpath Enterprise and Blood-Track systems and Bio-Rad analysers.



Upon satisfactory completion of in-house training and competency assessment you will participate in the MLA rota which currently involves shifts between 8am and 8pm, however applicants may be required to work on a full 24/7 rota in the future including night shifts.



Technical



To safely handle, use and dispose of blood.



Pre-analytical preparation of samples.



To monitor and maintain laboratory instruments and equipment.

Ensure quality control measures are carried out to monitor analytical performance.



Participate in internal and external quality assurance programmes.

Undertake Blood Transfusion daily returns before returning to stock in line with BSQR on cold chain protocols.



To monitor blood satellite fridges, conducting alarms tests, temperature checks and undertaking monthly cleaning.



Monitoring and maintenance of blood stocks in accordance with protocols to assist in reducing and minimising wastage.



Use Winpath log patient information, verify patient specimens and monitor stock of blood products.



Administrative



To ensure that records are kept up to date and stored safely to ensure compliance with good work practices required for the standards of UKAS and BSQR.



Undertake work file management to ensure all results are reported with agreed turnaround time.



General Duties



To comply with the policies and procedures of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust and Synnovis Pathology.



To treat everyone associated with Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital NHS Trust and Synnovis Pathology with courtesy and respect.



To comply with the training and competence policy and procedure.



You will have a suite of learning opportunities available through The Synnovis Way Development programme, the Scientific Learning and Development Fund and the Synnovis Academy through which you can receive funding / support for advanced qualifications.



Through our Innovation Accelerator Fund, you can apply for finance to get that new innovative scientific project off the ground, and participate with the wider scientific community through symposiums, conferences and other peer group meetings.



Technical



To safely handle, use and dispose of blood or other body fluids or hazardous chemicals under supervision.



Pre-analytical preparation of samples. This includes sorting, labelling and centrifuging according to departmental procedure.



To perform automated laboratory investigations on patient samples.



To store, prepare and use reagents required for laboratory investigations.



To monitor and maintain laboratory instruments and equipment, for example, specified analyser maintenance and basic troubleshooting.



Ensure quality control measures are carried out to monitor analytical performance, take corrective action where applicable and report any failures to a senior member of staff.



Participate in internal and external quality assurance programmes.



To report to the section supervisor any instance or event which may cause a service delivery failure.



Undertake Blood Transfusion daily returns and audit each unit before returning to stock in line with BSQR on cold chain protocols.



To monitor blood satellite fridges, conducting alarms tests, temperature checks and undertaking monthly cleaning.



Monitoring and maintenance of blood stocks in accordance with protocols to assist in reducing and minimising wastage.



To store samples following appropriate laboratory protocols and keep records as required.



Process samples under supervision for clinical trials and research and developmental projects if and when required.



Advise service users on sample preservation and transportation to laboratory.



Use of the laboratory information system to log patient information, verify patient specimens and monitor stock of blood products.



Laboratory Informatics



To comply with local and national policies for the safe, secure and confidential processing, and storage of patient and other laboratory information.



To use the Laboratory Information System according to the authorised protocols.



To maintain the integrity and accuracy of laboratory databases.



Fating of Transfusion traceability tags.



Administrative



To ensure that records are kept up to date and stored safely to ensure compliance with good work practices required for the standards of Clinical Pathology Accreditation (UK) and BSQR.



Undertake work file management to ensure all results are reported with agreed turnaround time



To use departmental resources efficiently and advise senior staff when stocks of reagents and consumables are approaching minimum stock levels.



To participate in the data collection for the operation performance management system (OPMS)



To assist investigations for missing traceability evidence of blood components and products.



General Duties



To comply with the policies and procedures of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust and Synnovis Pathology.



To treat everyone associated with Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital NHS Trust and Synnovis Pathology with courtesy and respect.



To maintain and promote the professional image of Blood Sciences, Synnovis Pathology and Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital NHS Trust.



To maintain good work relations with all members of staff, and to promote effective teamwork.



To comply with local and national policies for the safe, secure, confidential processing and storage of patient and other laboratory information. To report any witnessed deficiency in health and safety and quality systems to line manager or the department lead.



Keep appropriate records of all communications.



To ensure compliance with all local and national standards of work practice (e.g. BSQR) and follow standard operating procedures and policies.



Propose changes to Standard Operating Procedures to senior staff and aid in implementation of such changes, as and when required



To maintain a clean and tidy work station, including; work benches, fridges, freezers, and store rooms/ areas.



To comply with the training and competence policy and procedure



To participate in and contribute to the Performance Planning and Review (PPR) process



Synnovis is a pathology partnership between SYNLAB UK and Ireland, and the NHS, including sites, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, to deliver and transform pathology services across South East London.



The partnership provides services to 1.7 million people living in South East London, as well as to hundreds of thousands of patients from outside the region who use local healthcare services.



The partnership provides diagnostics, testing and digital pathology for hospital trusts, GP services and other healthcare providers.



Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital Foundation Trust is a major emergency and specialist teaching Trust which has all the specialties associated with a fascinating and career defining case load including: Women's Services, Fetal Medicine, Haematology, Oncology, Transplantation, and is also home to the Evelina Children's Hospital and the Cancer Centre on the Guy's site.



You will be close to the vibrant Borough Market and the South Bank, which are exceptional London locations; perfect places to work and relax next to such iconic venues as Big Ben, The London Eye and The Shard!