Band 5 NurseandBand 2 Healthcare Support Workerrecruitment iscentralised, meaning when you apply you will be considered fora number of rolesacross the Trust. If you have any questions please email:nursing.careers@ouh.nhs.uk .
Domestic,catering,porteringandmaintenance engineerservices at some of our hospitals are provided by our PFI partners. For these jobs, please seevacancies with our PFI partners .
This post is only open to internal applicants.
NHS AfC: Band 4
Main area Microbiology Grade NHS AfC: Band 4 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (This post includes covering all shift patterns relevent to the department, including core, late, night, weekend and bank holiday working.) Job ref 321-CSS-7105307-B4
Site Microbiology, John Radcliffe Hospital Town Headington, Oxford Salary £26,530 - £29,114 Per annum pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 19/06/2025 23:59 Interview date 27/06/2025
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research.
The Trust comprises of four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.
Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call thisDelivering Compassionate Excellenceand its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence. These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via theOUH YouTube channel .
Many of our recruitment programmes useValue Based Interviewingto identify those who have the skills we seek, who share our values and who are able to deliver compassionate excellence from the outset. We know that this makes a significant difference to your job satisfaction and above all the outcomes and experience of our patients and their families. For more information about our Values and Value Based Interviewing please visitwww.ouh.nhs.uk/about/vision-and-values
Job overview
The Microbiology Department is based at the John Radcliffe Hospital and is part of the South Four Pathology Partnership Network. The department provide services to the Oxford University Hospitals NHSFT, ICS BOB Primary Care, Oxford Health NHS, South 4 Pathology Partnership, other NHS providers, private care, UKHSA, Oxford University and research trials.
The department undertakes bacteriology, mycology, parasitology, serology, and molecular microbiology. Combining manual and automated methodology, as well as highly specialised tasks that require a high level of concentration, knowledge, experience, and skills.
The laboratory is a 24/7 service and successful applicants will participate in all shifts required to deliver service and patient care pathways. The shifts include working core day, evenings, night, weekend & bank holiday sessions. The post is full time, average working hours over the shift pattern 37.5 hours.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will act as a Band 4 Associate Practitioner, supervising, training, and undertaking required duties to support the microbiology team in the service delivery and the pre-analytical processing of samples received. You will undertake manual and automated processes, instrumentation maintenance and quality controls. You will demonstrate a high standard of quality, as well as supervising the departments Laboratory Support Workers and dealing with troubleshooting and problem solving. You will also support the undertaking of audits; acceptance testing and support the quality team with documentation and other key quality and health & safety tasks.
Applicants, ideally, should have a minimum of 18 months experience working in an NHS diagnostic laboratory as a Band 2 or Band 3 Laboratory Support Worker, and have experience of supervising staff.
Successful applicants will be required to achieve voluntary registration with the Science Council and IBMS, demonstrating continual professional development, knowledge and skill for the role. Once achieved, you will be able to support the undertaking of diagnostic roles in routine microbiology interpretation and working within the Containment Level 3 facility.
Successful candidates must be conscientious, enthusiastic, and able to work well as a team, as well as individually.
Working for our organisation
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trustis one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research.
The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.
Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community.We call thisDelivering Compassionate Excellenceand its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via theOUH YouTube channel .
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
· The post holder will be working as a Non State Registered Biomedical Scientist (NBMS) to assist in the provision of an efficient and smooth running service within the Department by following the departmental Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and protocols throughout all sections of the department.
· The post holder will work towards and hold voluntary registration with the Science Council and IBMS.
· The post holder will also assist in the provision a professional secretarial service to support the Laboratory Administrator and office staff, covering for their absence, and to the scientific staff in the Department
· The post holder will be required to work at any of the laboratory sites within the Trust as and when required.
· The work will include weekend, bank holiday and evening or night duties, which requires a flexible approach to the hours of employment, according to individual contract.
Scientific and Clinical Responsibilities
· Analyses potentially infectious samples using a range of highly specialised laboratory procedures, by either manual or automated techniques, to produce results of a quality consistent with excellent patient care. Undertakes these duties in all areas of the Department under the supervision of qualified staff.
· Ensures efficient use and maintenance of resources, is aware of stock levels and rotation, storage conditions, batch numbers and expiry dates, thus ensuring the viability of the reagents and/or blood products used.
· Exercises a degree of autonomy but refers to qualified staff and works in co-operation with other staff members to ensure that the workload is processed in a timely and efficient manner, assessing samples for urgency and ensuring samples meet acceptance criteria for testing and dealing with any non-compliance in accordance with departmental protocols.
· Works to gain competence in all departmental policies and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), ensuring that personal performance complies with ISO 15189-2022 and other professional standards.
· Carries out troubleshooting and preventative maintenance on highly complex, expensive (in the region of £50,000 - £100,000) automated systems. Ensures appropriate records are kept and liaises with senior staff and service engineers where appropriate.
· Matches samples with request forms and inputs patient and test information into the laboratory computer system, requiring complete accuracy.
Analytical and Interpretation Responsibilities
· Performs a variety of manual laboratory procedures under supervision of qualified BMS staff. Procedures include the setting up of tests pre-analytical and analytical sample preparation, including centrifugation, aliquoting, plating out.
· Carries out the preparation of samples designated as ‘High Risk’ which involves a high level of knowledge and competence in procedures required for working in a Containment Level 3 room acquired through training and experience.
· Performs simple, diagnostic microscopy techniques as, for example, in the screening for Cryptosporidium oocytes, dermatophyte wet preps and cell counting in urine samples according to Departmental SOPs and protocols
· Performs other diagnostic tests, like direct antigen testing, in accordance with Departmental SOPs and protocols, under the supervision of qualified Biomedical Scientist staff
· Performs reading and interpretation of screening bacteriology and urines samples under supervision of Biomedical Scientists
· In conjunction with qualified Biomedical Scientist staff ensures validity of results by the use of appropriate control materials and that workload is processed in a timely and efficient manner.
Person specification
Education & Qualifications
* BTEC Diploma Level 3 in Pathology Support OR BTEC Level 4 Healthcare Science Associate or other suitable Level 4 qualification
Experience and Knowledge
* Competences and knowledge of techniques used within a clinical microbiology laboratory environment
* Knowledge of Health and Safety within a clinical microbiology laboratory environment
* Previous experience of working in a NHS diagnostic microbiology laboratory
Other
* Prepared to work with biological materials and a variety of sample types.
* Flexible approach to hours of work including nights, evenings, weekend and bank holidays
* No grammatical errors in application
COVID-19: The COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course our patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings. Whilst COVID-19 vaccination is not a condition of employment, we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated. If you are unvaccinated there is helpful advice and information at Oxfordshire County Council Website where you can also find out more about how to access vaccination.
Vacancy Closures: Please note, this vacancy may close early if a high volume of applications are received.
Probation Period: This post is subject to a 6 month probationary period. If you currently hold a contract of employment with the Oxford University Hospitals, this will not apply. This statement does not apply to Medical staff or Executive Appointments.
Referencing: When providing employment reference details please provide correct work related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your first referee will need to be your line manager, supervisor or clinical lead from your current or most recent post or place of study. Please note that if you have previously worked for the Trust we will require a reference from your last Manager, this information is essential if your offer of employment is to be confirmed.
Next Steps: Please make sure that you read the job description and person specification, and that your supporting statement reflects this as your application will be judged against these criteria. Candidates selected for interview will be contacted after the short-listing process, usually within 2 weeks. (Please note that shortlisting times vary when applying for a Medical position within the Trust). The majority of correspondence will be via the e-recruitment system; therefore you should check your emails regularly including junk mail folders in web-based email products.
No unsolicited recruitment agency telephone calls or emails.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Domestic / catering / porteringservices at theJohn Radcliffe Hospitalare provided byMitie.
Domestic / catering / portering / maintenance engineerservices at theChurchill HospitalandNuffield Orthopaedic Centreare provided byG4S.
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