Associate Practitioner

Job Overview

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.

Please see below for a detailed job description for the role.

Main duties of the job

The Microbiology and Virology department and University Hospital Southampton is a regional, supra-regional and national specialist service provider, processing over 1,000,000 specimens per annum. this includes on average 1500 SARSCoV-2 PCR tests per day. We employee over 90 staff.

It provides a comprehensive 7 day service covering bacteriology, mycobacteriology, mycology, virology, serology and parasitology, and has a well-equipped molecular facility. This role is for core hours (09:00 to 17:30) from Monday to Friday.

Attached you will find the person specification document which provides more detail about the essential and desirable skills and experience needed for this role. We highly recommend you review this document and use it when completing your application as these criteria are used by hiring managers as guidance during shortlisting.

For an overview of the main duties of the role please see the ‘Job Description and Main Responsibilities’ section below. To understand the day-to-day responsibilities in more detail please read the full job description document attached.

Working for our organisation

As one of the largest acute teaching Trusts in England, we offer learning and development opportunities to help you achieve the career you aspire to.

All non-clinical roles may involve a mixture of on site and remote working, Specific details and flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process. UHS employees are able to access a range of NHS discounts, are entitled to a minimum of 35 days paid holiday (pro rata), and we offer a generous pension scheme.

Southampton is an attractive place to live and work situated on the south coast, with an international airport and direct trains to London. The New Forest National Park and beaches of the Jurassic coast are also right on our doorstep. The city offers living costs 20% lower than London and 14 schools rated outstanding by Ofsted.

Due to the nature of this role and service, this role is on-site and the hours are as advertised. Please talk to us at interview about the flexibility you need, and we will explore what’s possible for the role and service.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

The Laboratory is UKAS accredited to ISO 15189. There is a wide range of equipment throughout the department including MALDI-TOF, Sedimax, BD BacTec FX, Serosep Enteric-bio, GeneXpert, BioFire, DXI, Diasorin Liaison, Abbott Alinity, Qiagen extraction and post elution PCR platforms, ABI7500 real time PCR platforms, Kingfisher PCR extraction and Thermo Quantstudio PCR.

Advert may close early if there are a high volume of applications.

This role is a 12 month fixed term contract for maternity cover. You will be trained on key benches in order to support ongoing training in the laboratory.

Person specification

Trust Values

Essential criteria

• Patients First
• Always Improving
• Working Together
  
  

Qualifications / Training Required

Essential criteria

• GCSE level qualifications, including English language, maths and a science subject or equivalent.
• NVQ 3 leading to Foundation Degree in Health Sciences (or equivalent level of knowledge)
  
  

Previous or relevant experience necessary

Essential criteria

• Demonstrable experience in clinical laboratory.
• Experience with handling electronic data and fluent keyboard skills.
• Experience of setting up and implementing internal processes and procedures.
  
  

Aptitudes And Skills Required

Essential criteria

• Data entry and keyboard skills.
• Demonstration of good interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work on own initiative and without supervision.
• Good literacy skills
• Ability to communicate effectively
• Excellent numeracy skills
• Demonstrate high degree of concentration and attention to detail.
• Demonstrate capabilities to manage own workload and make informed decisions in the absence of required information, working to tight and often changing timescales
• Ability to prioritise tasks.
• Ability to handle clinical samples.
• Understand the importance of confidentiality and trustworthy.
• Conscientious, methodical approach to duties
• Showing willingness to learn and improve
• Promotion of equality of opportunity and good working relations (providing practical leadership).
• Willing to work flexibly and as part of a team.
• Deal calm and politely with personnel who are working in areas of pressure.
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Capability to plan over short, medium and long term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly