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Job summary

Main area
Pathology
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 3
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Part time - 30 hours per week (Shift pattern covering evenings, some weekends and bank holidays.)
Job ref
374-LCSMc006-B
Employer
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Eastbourne District General Hospital
Town
Eastbourne
Salary
£24,071 - £25,674 per annum pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
19/03/2025 23:59

Employer heading

East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust logo

Pathology Assistant - Specimen Reception

NHS AfC: Band 3

We are proud to provide ‘Outstanding’ care and be a great place to work.

East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust provides safe, compassionate and high quality hospital and community care to the half a million people living in East Sussex and those who visit our local area.Ìý


We are one of the largest organisations in East Sussex with an annual income of £568 million and we are the only integrated provider of acute and community care in Sussex.Ìý


Our extensive health services are provided by over 8,000+ dedicated members of staff working from two acute hospitals in Hastings and Eastbourne, three community hospitals in Bexhill, Rye and Uckfield, over 100 community sites across East Sussex, and in people’s own homes.Ìý


The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated us as ‘Good’ overall, and ‘Outstanding’ for being Caring and Effective. The Conquest Hospital in Hastings and our Community Services were rated ‘Outstanding’ and Eastbourne DGH was rated ‘Good’ Our two acute hospitals have Emergency Departments and provide 24 hour a day care, offering a comprehensive range of surgical, medical, outpatient and maternity services, supported by a full range of diagnostic and therapy services.Ìý


Recently the Trust launched its ambitious ‘Building for our Future’ (BFF) programme. This once in a lifetime programme aims to redevelop and expand our hospitals at Eastbourne, Hastings and Bexhill, transforming the environment in which we provide care for generations to come.Ìý

Job overview

Pathology specimen reception are looking for two new team members. ÌýWe ensure every sample sent to pathology is checked, registered and labelled correctly before going into our laboratories for testing. We receive thousands of samples every day from wards, community sites and GP practices and work to exacting ISO standards for the safety of our patients.

Hospital workflow is steady throughout the day and GP bloods start arriving early afternoon, continuing into the evening.Ìý Our shift patterns match this workflow with more of us on in the afternoon and evening ensuring that every sample is processed by the laboratory the day it is taken.Ìý There will be bursts of activity as samples arrive from across East Sussex needing to be unpacked, followed by data entry before taking the samples into the labs. Pathology runs 365 days a year and our shifts reflect this.

The skills required for specimen reception are very much administration and not clinical or scientific but we do work very closely with our Biomedical Scientist colleagues in ensuring safe and correct management of patient samples.Ìý Attention to detail and computer skills are key.Ìý Our Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) is quite unlike any other Hospital system but these skills can be taught as part of our competency program so no prior clinical knowledge is required.

Main duties of the job

This role requires attention to detail and an ability to follow strict protocols when receiving and booking in samples.

The reception team book in thousands of samples every day.Ìý You will be handling but not testing a wide variety of blood and other sample types.Ìý This is not a clinical or laboratory based role.Ìý

Main duties are:

  • Booking in of samples using IT system
  • Sorting of samples
  • Liaising with wards and other service users
  • Reporting of quality issues

If you are interested in joining out team please contact Lesley White or Jaygan Chyle for a chat and a look at the department.

[email protected]

[email protected]

Working for our organisation

We are proud to provide ‘Outstanding’ care and be a great place to work

We provide safe, compassionate and high quality care to half a million people living or visiting East Sussex. We are one of the largest organisations in East Sussex, the only integrated provider of acute and community care in Sussex. Our extensive services are provided byÌý 7000 + members of staff working from acute hospitals in Hastings and Eastbourne, three community hospitals in Bexhill, Rye and Uckfield, over 100 community sites and in people’s own homes.

In 2020 the Care Quality Commission rated us as ‘Good’ overall, and ‘Outstanding’ for being caring and effective. The Conquest Hospital and our Community Services are rated ‘Outstanding’. Eastbourne DGH rated ‘Good’.

Ìý

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the job description attached.

Ìý

Ìý

If you have any questions about this position please do not hesitate to contact us.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Good general education to GCSE level including English and Maths
  • NVQ 3 level qualification in relevant subject or equivalent level of experience and knowledge
Desirable criteria
  • Completion of NVQ level 2 in Clinical Laboratory Support.
  • Completion of formal one year Laboratory Training and Assessment Programme

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Knowledge of and commitment to healthcare
  • Accepts responsibility whilst recognising limits.
Desirable criteria
  • Experience in Pathology laboratory techniques.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardVeteran AwareNational Preceptorship for Nursing Quality MarkSilver Award 2024 - Wellbeing at Work - East Sussex

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Application numbers

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

Documents to download

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Lesley White
Job title
Pathology Specimen Reception Supervisor
Email address
[email protected]