Job summary
- Main area
- Medical Microbiology
- Grade
- Band 4
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 430-CC25-369A
- Employer
- Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Microbiology (Dept)
- Town
- Milton Keynes
- Salary
- £27,485 - £30,162 Per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 28/09/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Associate Practitioner
Band 4
At Milton Keynes University Hospital, you will be welcomed into a friendly and supportive environment where teamwork and respect are at the heart of everything we do. We are proud to live our Trust values and behaviours every day, creating a culture where everyone feels heard and valued.
MKUH staff's Motivation and Involvement scores are among the highest in our peer group, showing that our people feel inspired and included in decision-making (Staff Survey, 2024).
Our benefits
We believe in recognising and rewarding the amazing contribution of our staff and that is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your wellbeing, work-life balance, and professional growth, including:
- Free on-site parking including EV charging
- Complimentary refreshments
- Flexible working arrangements
- Discounted gym membership
- Salary sacrifice car scheme
- Generous annual leave, with the option to bank holiday entitlement
- Membership of the NHS Pension Scheme
- On-site nursery (charges apply)
- A wide-ranging staff health and wellbeing programme including EAP
- VIVUP products to support your mental, physical, and financial Wellbeing
Job overview
Associate Practitioner
Department: Microbiology
Band 4 pro rata if part-time
Hours: 37.5 per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working
The Microbiology Department receives over 210,000 sample requests per annum offering a broad range of diagnostic service for bacteriology, molecular, virology, serology, mycobacteriology, and parasitology. The laboratory is currently working towards its UKAS accreditation and holds an accredited status for training with the IBMS/HCPC.
We are seeking for an enthusiastic candidate for a band 4 Associate Practitioners posts in our laboratory. Ideal candidate will have an eye for detail and a genuine interest in the role which can be challenging but rewarding at the same time.
General duties include supporting all areas of the lab, maintaining data and documentation, handling specimens, performing microscopy and culture reading, setting up specimen, operating maintaining and troubleshooting laboratory analysers, inventory taking and moving & handling of stock items.
Applicants with previous laboratory experience will have an advantage, however, individuals with similar transferable skills are also encouraged to apply. The selection procedure will be based on application, if shortlisted, this will be followed by an interview.
Interview date: 17/10/2025
Main duties of the job
To be a team member of Biomedical support workers delivering technical, quality, and administrative support for the optimal delivery of a safe quality lead Microbiology laboratory service.
Primarily supporting workload in all areas of the lab with sample handling, processing, and reporting where necessary. Samples include respiratory sections, blood, sterile fluids, swabs, skin and nail scrapping, urines, and faeces preparing microscopy slides (staining/wet prep) and reporting, also reading primary culture plates after a suitable training period.
Adherence to lab and Trusts values (4 Cs), Trusts data confidentiality policy.
The post holder will be based in Microbiology but if required could also work in Blood Sciences/Cellular Pathology labs.
The post holder will be required to support a 24 hour, 7 days per week service as part of their normal contractual hours outside the laboratory’s core work hours on rotation. This will include late evenings, nightshifts (proposal in discussion), weekends and public holidays on rotation.
Working for our organisation
Milton Keynes University Hospital, in proud partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital committed to advancing patient care through cutting-edge research and education. With a “Good” rating from the CQC and significant investment underway, this is an exciting time to join our team and grow your career.
As a medium sized general hospital, we provide a full range of general medical and surgical services, including a busy Emergency Department, Maternity, and Paediatrics. As the population of our city and surrounding areas continues to grow rapidly, we are expanding and enhancing our facilities to meet rising demand and improve access to care for all our communities.
We are also proud to offer a growing portfolio of specialist services. In January 2025 we opened our state-of-the-art Radiotherapy Centre, bringing advanced cancer treatment closer to home. Our services also include neonatology, specialist surgical care, and a wide range of diagnostics, supported by the new Community Diagnostic Centre at Whitehouse Health Centre.
Further investment is underway, including the construction of Oak Wards – a new ward block featuring two 24-bed wards – and the recently approved Women and Children’s Centre, set to open by 2030.
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Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Technical:
· Perform requested tests in accordance with laboratory Standard operational procedures (SOP’s).
· Operate, maintain and troubleshoot automated analysers in accordance with procedures and Health & Safety procedures.
· Maintaining records (maintenance, quality controls etc…)
· To prepare daily quality assurance checks and acceptance testing on materials purchased or prepared in the department.
· Identify clerical, technical and system errors apply corrective procedures. Reporting event and corrective action to the operational BMS or the Senior Biomedical Scientist team.
Laboratory informatics:
· To comply with local and national policies for the safe, secure, and confidential processing and storage of patient and other laboratory information.
· Collect, receive, match, verify, label, and enter on as computer sample requests. Identify any errors for action e.g., mislabelled, or other failures of sample matching criteria. Report and record in accordance with standard operating procedure.
· Transcribe record results obtained by biomedical scientists or received from referral centres.
· Input information results from patients and staff into laboratory’s information management system.
Administrative:
· Maintain clear and accurate quality records using the QPulse system (training provided)
· Assist in implementing and recording corrective and preventive actions as requested (training provided)
· Assist in monitoring labs KPIs, Turnaround Times and report breaches or improvements to colleagues for appropriate action.
· During staff shortage, assist the senior BMS in covering the skill gap including assuming Assistant Technical Officers duties including labs waste management tasks (including autoclaving).
· Prioritisation of various sources of workload and allocate support as appropriate.
General:
· Participate in shift work between 0700- 000 on rotation.
· Assist in all ATO duties, if required.
· Clean and maintain equipment and work areas.
· To work within an environment and be exposed to unpleasant odours and potentially offensive material e.g., products of bacterial growth, patient fluids, pus, faeces, tissues and occasionally body parts.
Please refer to the job description for further details.
Person specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential criteria
- Minimum of five GCSEs (A-C) including English Language, mathematics and a science subject
- Level 3 qualification (A-level equivalent) in a science subject OR NVQ3 or equivalent experience in relevant discipline
- Foundation Degree in Science
Desirable criteria
- Accredited degree in Biomedical Science
Experience
Essential criteria
- General lab experience in all areas of the lab at the required level
- Microscopy and reading/reporting of culture results
Desirable criteria
- Laboratory IT/LIMS
- Supervisory role
Skills
Essential criteria
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Intermediate level of computer skills
- Ability to plan and prioritize allocated work
- Able to work alone or in a team
- Ability to use complex automated equipment and associated computer software systems
Personal and people development
Essential criteria
- Ability to demonstrate confidentiality and trustworthiness
- Deal calmly and politely with members of hospital staff who are working in areas of extreme pressure
- To co-ordinate and supervise the activities of less experienced staff and participate in their training and development
Communication
Essential criteria
- Good telephone manners conveying results or sensitive information
- To participate in departmental meetings and contribute
Specific requirements
Essential criteria
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptation
- Good manual dexterity
- Able to perform physical work (must be reasonably fit)
- To be able to organise own day-to-day work tasks within parameters determined by the Line Manager
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Rizalea Echaluse
- Job title
- Chief Biomedical Scientist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Additional information
For further information, please contact Kalana Patabendige, Laboratory manager or Peter Plotka, Senior BMS on 01908 99 5781.
Please note: This role will not lead to a Trainee BMS post, nor it permits any support towards completion of the IBMSs registration portfolio.
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