Healthcare Assistants

Title: Healthcare Assistants
Salary: £10.50ph, 42hpw
Locations: Stockport, Newcastle, Reading

Summary
We are looking to recruit 6 Healthcare Assistants at each site, which will require individuals with experience in laboratory work and phlebotomy to be part of an Imaging Enhancement Project who are able to work on a shift pattern. The project is intended to provide comprehensive brain, body, cardiac, carotid and bone imaging on a subset of 100,000 volunteers. The Imaging Centres are open for 12 hours a day, 7 days a week with the aim of processing 18 participants per day.

As part of this vibrant team the Healthcare Assistants responsibilities are split into two main areas; participant venepuncture/measures (including interview) and laboratory processing. The Healthcare Assistants will be trained in both areas but may focus on the area they have most experience in. All imaging centre staff work together as a team to ensure the participants have a positive experience during their imaging assessment.

The Role
The successful candidates will have demonstrable and proven experience in one of the related areas of phlebotomy or laboratory work. Experience gained in both areas would be a distinct advantage. For the phlebotomy role you will be phlebotomy trained and preferably have experience of working in a clinical or medical environment. In respect of the laboratory roles you will have a background in Biological Sciences
(qualifications preferred) and experience of using a pipette.

You will have excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills and be adept at clearly explaining procedures and instructions to participants. You will be required to be well presented, personable, polite and present a professional image at all times. You will have a patient and calm demeanour whilst displaying an excellent "bedside manner" to participants. The ability to carry out repetitive tasks to a high standard of quality with a keen eye for detail are integral skills required for the role.

You will be able to work to quality standards and procedures as well as adhering to specific job related protocols. You will have experience of working with confidential information and be both computer literate and able to demonstrate excellent manual dexterity. The ability to work as part of a team and use your own judgement are also required for the role.

The roles would suit individuals who are self-motivated and are confident with strong interpersonal skills to communicate with a wide range of people.

The Organisation is a major national health resource set up with the aim of improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of serious and life-threatening illnesses. Between 2006 and 2010, the organisation recruited over 500,000 volunteers from across the country to take part; all donated biological samples for future analysis, provided detailed information about themselves, and agreed to have their health followed. Enhancement projects are now underway to add further value to this valuable research resource.

The Organisation was established with the backing of a number of major funding bodies and is a registered charity. Whilst we are physically headquartered in Cheadle, direction and strategy take input from senior academics and other experts from across the UK and around the world.

To succeed in this role you will need to be able to carry out the following duties which will be rotated across the two areas (participant venepuncture/measures (including interview) and laboratory processing);

Duties to include:
Participant venepuncture/measures (including interview)
* Complete beginning-of-day and end-of-day duties to ensure the blood donation and physical measurements station is correctly set-up to receive the 1st participant and closed down after the last participant has been assessed.
* Participant venepuncture (for subsequent processing and analysis)
* Obtain samples in a way that does not lead to contamination, they must maintain specimen integrity by using aseptic technique, and by following the standard operating procedures.
* Directing and assisting participants through their imaging centre visit.
* Verify the participant's identity, whilst maintaining a calm demeanour and conversing with the participant to allay fear of the procedure and to put the participant at ease.
* Assessment of physical measures
* Responding to participants requests for information about their imaging assessment.
* Maintaining general cleanliness/tidiness of the imaging centre, in particular the blood donation and physical measurement stations.

Laboratory processing
* Fraction samples collected previous day into storage tubes
* Sample pre-processing after blood raw (centrifugation and storage)
* Maintain sample tracking throughout laboratory processing
* Maintaining cleanliness of laboratory, including maintenance on -80°C freezers
* Monitor laboratory temperatures
* Basic equipment maintenance
* Work closely with laboratory team at co-ordinating centre to maintain quality of samples and escalate issues
* Shipment of samples to core storage facility approximately monthly

General tasks
* Conducting participant assessments and all work in accordance with standard operating procedures.
* Completing tasks as delegated by the Clinic Manager, Lead Radiographer or Laboratory Manager.

We offer a competitive salary, and holidays based on an equivalent of 26 days holiday, membership of the USS pension scheme and several other employee benefits are also provided.

The Organisation operates to ISO9001:2015 and ISO27001:2013 regulations as well as UKAS 17025:2005 regulations.

To be considered for this opportunity please click 'Apply' to forward your CV.