Job Description

Role Title: Biomedical Assistant

Band: Band 2

Responsible to: Senior Staff and Department Manager

Accountable to: Director of Operations Coventry & Warwickshire Pathology Services

Our Vision, Mission, Values and Behaviours

At UHCW our vision is to become a national and international leader in healthcare. As such our
mission is to: Care, Achieve and Innovate. We can achieve our vision and mission by providing
and improving quality of care and services, encouraging creativity and embracing research and
learning.

Our mission is underpinned by our clear set of values and associated behaviours; Compassion,
Openness, Pride, Partnership, Improve, Learn and Respect.

As an employee of our Trust you will be accountable for upholding the Trust’s values and be
responsible for your own attitude and behaviour.

Net Zero and Sustainability.

UHCW NHS Trust, by virtue of its Green Plan, is committed to ensuring that the way we provide
services minimises the impact on the environment and the future health of the public e.g. zero
waste to landfill, reducing our carbon footprint and increasing our recycling and reuse percentages.

Job Summary

Under supervision and according to Standard Operative Procedures perform basic duties within
the laboratory supporting other staff within the team whilst providing optimum patient care.
Booking in specimens onto the laboratory computer system and being the first point of contact for
telephone enquiries.

Main Duties/ Responsibilities

As part of our commitment to patients and delivery of a world class service for all we have created
the UHCW Improvement (UHCWi) System in partnership with the Virginia Mason Institute in
Seattle; this involves a structured approach to removing waste and putting the patient first using a

Document Reference: HR JD17 version 4

lean management system and methodologies. Our culture and ways of working reflect and embed
the practices and methodologies of UHCWi. You are expected, where identified, to attend and
complete relevant training and development opportunities to support this. This may include Lean
for Leaders, Advanced Lean Training, and the Human Factors Programme, amongst others. Full
attendance and completion of identified courses is considered essential and a pre requisite for this
post.

1. Responsible for inputting accurate and timely patient and specimen data on to Trust
computerised systems.

2. Responsible for the safe disposal of contaminated materials, including sharps and confidential
waste.

3. Undertake first point of contact for all telephone and face-to-face enquiries dealing in a
professional manner.
4. Responsible for the sorting and identifying of specimens received, identifying and taking
appropriate action in the event of any discrepancies.

5. Undertake preparation of samples for testing by laboratory staff and provide support with basic
laboratory tasks as required by supervisor.

6. Responsible for the dispatching and posting of samples to authorised persons and outside
laboratories ensuring compliance with all statutory regulations.

7. Undertake agreed clinical and non-clinical tasks following training ensuring referral to
appropriate trained staff as required.

8. Participate in the training and support less experienced members of staff in their orientation to
the department and role.

9. To participate in appraisals and personal reviews and to work to achieve personal objectives.

10. Support laboratory team in the operation and basic maintenance of manual, semi-automated
and fully automated laboratory equipment.

11. At all times work according to policies and Standard Operative Procedures and bring to the
attention of scientific staff any changes in practices.

12. Promote and monitor adherence to Health and Safety and Trust policy designed to protect
healthcare staff and service users from known hazards.

13. Adhere to correct laboratory procedures following accidents, injuries, spillages and breakages
and ensure that these are reported to the appropriate officer.

Document Reference: HR JD17 version 4

14. When problems arise know when to refer to senior and medical staff as appropriate.

15. Schedule workload to comply with demands of laboratory workflow, adjusting in reaction to
urgent specimens, telephone enquiries and requests from medical and scientific staff.

16. Process specimens ensuring accuracy of labeling and any measurements/pipetting required.

17. Responsible for receiving and checking correct deliveries of laboratory orders.

18. To communicate appropriate patient results to those authorised to receive them and to refer to
clinical and scientific staff when required.

Contractual Responsibilities

Confidentiality
The post holder must maintain confidentiality, security and integrity of information relating to
patients, staff and other Health Services business.

Health and Safety

All staff must be familiar with the Trust Health and Safety Policy, including a thorough
understanding of personal responsibilities for maintaining own health and safety and others.

Risk Management
All staff need a basic working knowledge of risk management to enable them to participate in
identification and control of all business risks that they encounter in their area of work.

Equal and Diversity

Everyone has the opportunity to be treated with dignity and respect at work and has a clear
responsibility to comply with the detail and the spirit of the Dignity at Work Policy.

Infection Control and Prevention

The Trust is committed to minimising any risks of healthcare associated infection to patients,
visitors and staff. All employees are required to be familiar with and comply with Infection
Prevention and Control policies relevant to their area of work.

Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults and Children

The Trust is committed to ensuring the safeguarding of vulnerable adults and children in our care.
All employees are required to be familiar with their responsibilities in this area and to raise any
concerns as appropriate

Document Reference: HR JD17 version 4

Conflict of Interest
The Trust is responsible for ensuring that the service provided for patients in its care meets the
highest possible standard. Equally, the trust is responsible for ensuring that staff do not abuse
their official position for personal gain or to benefit their family or friends. The Trust’s Standing
Financial Instructions require any officer to declare any interest, direct or indirect, with contract
involving the Trust. Staff are not allowed to further their private interests in the course of their NHS
duties.

Working Time Regulations

The ‘Working Time Regulations 1998 require that you should not work more than an average of 48
hours in each working week. For example, in a 26 week period you should work no more than
1248 hours. Employees may choose to opt out by providing written notification as appropriate.

The above duties and responsibilities are intended to represent current priorities and are
not meant to be an exhaustive list. The post holder may from time to time be asked to
undertake other reasonable duties and responsibilities. Any changes will be made in
discussion with the post holder according to service needs.

Document Reference: HR JD17 version 4

 Person Specification

Job Title: Biomedical Assistant – Band 2

Criteria Essential Criteria Desirable Level

Aptitude for learning from “on the job” training
NVQ level 2
Qualification
/Training Basic numeracy and literacy qualifications –
equivalent to a pass at GCSE level.
Experience of working in a customer facing
Experience environment Previous laboratory
experience NHS experience

Knowledge of NHS systems

Knowledge
Patient focused
Skills &
Abilities Basic IT skills

Ability work cooperatively within a team

Good communication and interpersonal skills

Ability to work under pressure
Personal
Qualities Motivated and enthusiastic

Approachable

Able to demonstrate attention to detail

Ability to be work flexible hours and outside of
Satisfactory Occupational Health clearance
Other job
requirement
Satisfactory attendance record

Flexibility in working hours

Commitment
Must be able to demonstrate behaviours
to Trust
consistent with the Trust’s values.
Values and
Behaviours (As detailed in UHCW’s Values in Action

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document below)
Applicants applying for job roles with managerial
responsibility will be required to demonstrate
evidence of promoting equal opportunities
through work experience

Our Values

Compassion

Pride
We treat everyone with Partnership
courtesy and
compassion.

We work in partnership
to deliver and improve
We take pride in all we
do and aspire to do. the services we provide
for our patients.

Openness
Patients Respect
First
We act with openness,
honesty and integrity in We treat everyone with
all we do. respect and dignity.

Learn Improve

We see education, We are open to change

research and learning as and seek to innovate to
central to improvement. improve what we do.

Document Reference: HR JD17 version 4

 Our values in action
We live our values in action in our work with patients, visitors and colleagues.

Some of the things you will see include UHCW staff:

 Being polite and introducing ourselves to everyone we meet

 Treating everybody as individuals and respecting their needs
 Being approachable, caring and helpful at all times
 Communicating openly with patients, visitors and colleagues, respecting
confidentiality and privacy
 Taking the time to actively listen and understand individual needs
 Being open and honest
 Having honest conversations at all times
 Acknowledging that we don’t always get it right
 Speaking out when we see things aren’t right and supporting others to do the same
 Giving praise and saying thank you for a job well done
 Celebrating and recognising personal, team and organisational achievements
 Using the skills, experience and diversity of staff to better deliver our objectives and
services
 Actively working with patients and visitors to improve services
 Seeking and adopting best practice from colleagues and other teams within UHCW
 Taking personal responsibility for our own learning
 Keeping up-to-date with mandatory and professional development
 Developing ourselves and others, independent of our job role or profession
 Taking personal responsibility to make improvements by suggesting new ways of
doing things
 Taking opportunities to learn with and from others
 Embracing change and supporting others through it
 Putting in place ways to receive feedback and acting to change things
 Seeking and adopting best practice from colleagues and other teams within UHCW
 Sharing learning with others
 Working across boundaries to improve the experience of patients, visitors and
colleagues

Document Reference: HR JD17 version 4