Job overview
Maidstone Hospital, situated in the heart of the Kent countryside, covers a large population and includes the regional Oncology centre which is expanding in support of the Kent cancer network.
The Histology department provides services for Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trusts, Medway NHS Foundation Trust and Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust. Consequently there is a combined Histology workload of around 88,000 cases per year. The department carries out a wide range of investigations including various specialist resections from hospitals within the Kent & Medway.
Applications are invited for the post of Medical Laboratory Assistant. This post would suit an enthusiastic and self-motivated person with good interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work as part of a team. Good hand eye coordination and attention to detail are essential requirements.
This post would suit candidates with an interest in laboratory diagnostics, particularly those looking to start a career in Biomedical Sciences within the NHS.
Main duties of the job
Working for Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust you will be part of the Kent and Medway Pathology Network (South 8 network). Kent and Medway Pathology Network is made up of seven laboratories across three pathology services in four acute Trusts – East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust and North Kent Pathology Services (hosted by Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust and providing services to Medway Foundation Trust).
The network provides services across the health sector to a population of nearly 2 million.
The network vision is based around:
1. A single laboratory information management system (LIMS) and managed services contract (MSC);
2. A Director of Pathology Transformation who will work closely with teams and services to design and implement service changes which benefit the whole network;
3. A commitment to consider a single management structure at a point in the future; and,
4. A general agreement to collaborate, and to align processes and Standard Operating Procedures where it makes sense to do so.
You will not be expected to work at sites outside of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. However, there will be opportunities for collaborative working within this network
Working for our organisation
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust ranks among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide and was named the second-best Trust to work for in the South East in the 2023 NHS Staff Survey.
We are a large acute hospital trust in south-east England, providing general hospital services and specialist care to around 600,000 residents in West Kent and East Sussex. With a dedicated and diverse team of over 8,000 staff we are proud to offer specialised cancer services to over two million people through the Kent Oncology Centre.
Fordcombe Hospital, near Tunbridge Wells, became part of the Trust in October 2024. Specialising in planned care, it offers two operating theatres, 28 inpatient and day-care beds, diagnostic services (X-ray, MRI, CT, and endoscopy), and consultation/treatment rooms.
Looking for flexible working?
We are a flexible working-friendly organisation. Whether it’s adjusting your hours or exploring other flexible arrangements, we want to work with you to find the best solution for you, our patients, and the Trust. Talk to us about how we can accommodate your working needs.
to hear what our staff say.
Joining us includes a comprehensive benefits package:
• At least 27 days of annual leave plus public/bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time staff).
• Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme, with a 20.6% employer contribution and life assurance benefits
• Blue Light card eligibility
• And more, additional benefits can be found in the benefits documents below
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
We’ve provided all the details you need about this role in the job description and person specification. Please take a moment to review the criteria in the person specification and share specific examples in your application that demonstrate how you meet these requirements. Please also check your application for errors/omissions prior to submission.
Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check at Enhanced Level. (Enhanced level now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children)
All successful applicants will be required to complete our corporate trust induction once a start date had been agreed.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
5. Evidence of numeracy and literacy (e.g. standard pass or better for GCSEs in mathematics and English Language).
6. A level or equivalent
Desirable criteria
7. Certificate of achievement Part 1
Experience/Knowledge
Essential criteria
8. Experience of skilled manual activity or work (with examples)
9. Basic understanding of laboratory health and safety requirements (with examples)
10. An understanding of the need for confidentiality (with examples)
11. Experience of taks requiring high level attention to detail (with examples)
Desirable criteria
12. Experience working in a laboratory (ideally histology)
13. Experiences working with databases (ideally lab based)
Skills
Essential criteria
14. Good written communications skills
15. Competent use of Microsoft applications.