Job overview
A fantastic opportunity has opened within our Point of Care Testing (POCT) team for a motivated Band 4 Associate Practitioner — and there has never been a more exciting time to join us. The department has a sharp focus on innovation, from the rollout of a cutting edge single solution data management system to our key role in establishing brand new Community Diagnostic Centres in Southend and Basildon.
Our POCT team is at the heart of patient care across Southend and Basildon University Hospitals and their surrounding community sites. We deliver a fast, high quality, and responsive service that keeps clinical teams equipped and confident in using essential POCT technology — including blood gas analysers, blood glucose meters, urinalysis devices, pregnancy testing platforms, and more. You’ll also play a vital part in validating and verifying new devices, helping to shape future developments and support major projects across the organisation.
As a valued member of the POCT team, you’ll work across both hospital sites — Basildon and Southend — as well as community locations, covering shifts between 8am and 8pm, with weekend daytime work included.
If you’re ready for a varied, hands on role where your skills directly impact patient care and service innovation, this is your moment to step forward.
Main duties of the job
The Associate Practitioner will work within the Point of Care Testing (POCT) Team in both the hospital setting and out in the Community.
The post holder will assist the POCT Manager in overseeing both POCT equipment and users of the service. They will have responsibility for training Trust staff in the correct use of POCT instruments. In addition, they may perform a range of protocol driven tasks, some of which may be specialist or complex procedures. The post holder will mainly be working with other healthcare professionals in order to support routine Secondary Care procedures in a Primary or Secondary Care setting.
As an Associate Practitioner in Point of Care, you will be expected to work across Basildon and Southend hospital sites as well as our Community locations.
Key Relationships
Other healthcare professionals and Point of Care Testing staff. Appropriate Line Managers and Clinical Scientists within the Blood Sciences Department.
At SYNLAB, we believe in nurturing a culture of well-being and ensuring our employees are supported both professionally and personally. That’s why we’re thrilled to offer an exhilarating rewards package, including our incredible Wellbeing Allowance worth up to £1,500 per annum for our esteemed team members working in Band 2 – 6 roles.
Working for our organisation
Pathology First is a joint venture between Southend University Hospital, Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals and Synlab. The services provided by Pathology First covers all disciplines including Blood Transfusion, Biochemistry, Haematology, Immunology, Microbiology, Histopathology, Cytopathology and Phlebotomy.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Based off-site in Basildon, Essex, our purpose-built, state-of-the-art hub laboratory undertakes consolidated, harmonised, routine testing as well as an increasing range of specialist laboratory work. This leaves the hospital-based ‘Essential Service Laboratories’ – also run by SYNLAB – to focus on urgent clinical laboratory tests, which require a fast turnaround time
Over 450 employees service a population of over 850’000 people locally, providing over 16 million tests annually.
Main Duties to include
• Technical
• To undertake routine operative and preventative maintenance on point of care testing instruments
• To perform validation and verification of new equipment for new projects/ developments and replacement equipment
• Undertake basic troubleshooting of analytical instruments and automated analysers in POCT.
• 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 in POCT
• Set up equipment for safe use by others.
• Perform processing of EQA specimens on a variety of POCT equipment.
• Analyse and make judgments on straightforward scientific/technical issues, which may involve analysing a range of options
• File samples following appropriate protocols and keep records as required
• Attend and support installation of equipment and instruct users in its correct use, as and when required in POCT
• Administrative
• To follow the standard operating procedures and to participate in their regular review and update.
• Assist in ensuring point of care testing record keeping is accurate and in compliance with good working practices as required for UKAS Accreditation.
• To answer telephone and other enquires from health professionals and to act as the first line point of contact for problem related analysis in POCT
• Ensure adequate stock management of reagents, consumables and stationery
• Liaise with other departments as appropriate
• Assist in EQA schemes by distributing samples and collecting data
• Communication
• Communicate effectively with staff, recognising their needs for alternative methods of communication and specific clinical situations.
• Communicate effectively with other team members
• Acting as first reference point for dealing with complaints and queries
• Communicating with Trust staff to ensure all training and POCT equipment enquiries are dealt with efficiently.
• Supervisory
• Implement new policies within the scope of Pathology First, MSE Trust and community-based areas and propose changes to such policies as necessary
• Provide training of POCT procedures to other healthcare professionals as directed by the POCT Team Manager
• Participate in audits of hospital and community based process and procedures in POCT
• Build and maintain working relations with all members of staff, and promote effective teamwork
• Generic
• Compliance with local and national policies for the safe secure and confidential processing, and storage of patient and other laboratory information within the compliance of SOPs and the Pathology First quality management system.
• Post holder to be able to organise own day to day duties with ability to identify/prioritise urgent tasks
• Be proactive in escalating any possible issues that may impact on service delivery to senior colleagues
• Work with community healthcare providers to give a high quality of care
• To adhere to equality and fairness in working relations.
• Provide practical training in procedures within own area for new staff.
• To maintain and promote the professional image of Pathology First
• Undertake a period of training and assessment of competence
• Maintain knowledge and skills as identified by the appraisal cycle
• To participate in an annual appraisal cycle.
• Observe and adhere to local and national health and safety policies
• Undertake required statutory and mandatory training as directed by line manager.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
Desirable criteria
Experience
Essential criteria
Desirable criteria
Skills
Essential criteria
Desirable criteria
Applications are welcomed from applicants with a disability. We can make reasonable adjustments and offer support and advice in a variety of ways throughout the application process. All applicants are welcome to apply regardless of age, disability, gender, marital status, race, nationality or ethnic origin, religion, or sexual orientation. Equality of opportunity is our policy.
For our Permanent workforce we offer a competitive benefits package.
All employees are entitled to:
• Contributory pension scheme
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Ground breaking development
opportunities
Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. All employees have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in the course of their daily duties and for ensuring that they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.