About this role
Job summary
We are seeking a motivated and experienced Senior Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) to join our busy Blood Sciences department. This is an excellent opportunity to play a key role in supporting the delivery of a high-quality diagnostic service within a large, modern NHS Trust.
As a Senior MLA, you will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to ensure the smooth running of sample reception and laboratory support services, contributing to a service that processes millions of clinical tests each year.
Main duties of the job
Supervising the day-to-day work of the Sample Reception team, ensuring a high-quality and timely serviceSupporting and mentoring Medical Laboratory Assistants and apprentices, including training and competency assessmentsProcessing patient samples and requests, including data entry into laboratory systemsPerforming pre- and post-analytical sample preparation and handlingMonitoring and maintaining laboratory equipment and consumables to ensure continuity of serviceResponding to enquiries from clinical staff and other stakeholders professionally and efficientlyEnsuring compliance with quality standards, health and safety, and infection control proceduresPromoting a safe, clean, and well-organised working environmentYou will also contribute to continuous service improvement and support the delivery of an efficient, patient-centred laboratory service.
About us
The Trust is committed to driving excellence in care for our patients and communities and was rated good by the Care Quality Commission report published 2020 and became a University Hospital. We are ranked as the third in the country for research; embedding education and training across the organisation and we continuously strive to achieve our core values which are at the heart of everything we do. The Trusts main hub is the Queen Alexandra Hospital, starting life as a military hospital over a century ago and now one of the largest hospitals on the south coast and you may have seen us on the TV series Nurses on the Ward. The Trust provides comprehensive secondary care and specialist services to a local population of 675,000 people across South East Hampshire. The Trust employs over 8,000 staff and are #ProudtobePHU; our patients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because its the right thing to do, but because it makes our hospital stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for providing outstanding care and support for patients, colleagues and our community you will find a home at PHU. In recruiting for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veterans status, colour, religion, disability, sexual orientation and beliefs.
Job description Job responsibilities
The Senior Medical Laboratory Assistant (SMLA) plays a key role in delivering a high-quality and efficient diagnostic service to patients and healthcare professionals.
The role combines technical laboratory duties with supervisory responsibilities, ensuring effective day-to-day operations within Sample Reception and supporting the wider laboratory team.
Key responsibilities include:
Supervising Medical Laboratory Assistants (MLAs) within Sample ReceptionPerforming pre- and post-analytical sample processingSupporting service quality, safety, and complianceContributing to the effective running of the laboratory service
Person Specification
Experience Essential
Minimum 1 year experience in a hospital laboratory environment Experience using electronic systems and handling data Accurate and efficient keyboard skills Good general education including GCSE (or equivalent) in English Science-based qualification (Level 3 or equivalent experience)
Desirable
Supervisory or team leadership experience Knowledge of medical terminology Experience training or supporting staff
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.
Employer details Employer name Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust
Address Queen Alexandra Hospital
Southwick Hill Road
Cosham
Portsmouth
PO6 3LY
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.porthosp.nhs.uk/work-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)