Job vacancy: Associate Practitioner, Public Health Wales NHS Trust, Wrexham

Job summary

Main area: Associate Practitioner
Grade: Band 4
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Hours include 24/7 working, weekdays/weekends and bank holidays)
Job ref: 028-ACS042-1026

Employer: Public Health Wales NHS Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: Wrexham Maelor Hospital
Town: Wrexham
Salary: £28,819 - £31,626 per annum
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 19/10/2026 23:59

Associate Practitioner

Band 4

Welcome to Public Health Wales, the national public health organisation for Wales

Our vision is Working to achieve a healthier future for Wales

To find out more visit Public Health Wales and watch this video about our Strategic Plan

Working together, with trust and respect, to make a difference

Applicants are invited to apply in Welsh, any application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application made in English. To support our all Wales service, we particularly welcome applications from Welsh speakers.

Important Note for vacancies offered on a fixed-term or secondment basis.
Individuals who hold permanent (substantive) employment within the NHS may only be appointed via secondment. Approval for a secondment must be obtained from your current line manager prior to submitting an application.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click “Apply now” to view in Trac.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

Undertaking or gained an IBMS Certificate of Achievement Part 1 or 2 or equivalent qualifications and/or experience.

Desirable criteria

Biological Sciences Degree. Recent educational achievements relating to laboratory services.

Experience

Essential criteria

Experience of working within a clinical microbiology laboratory.
Good manual dexterity and hand/eye co-ordination.
Evidence of following verbal and written instructions and complex protocols and procedures.
Experience of working independently, reliably and efficiently and able to use own initiative and troubleshoot when circumstances dictate.
Good basic IT skills, document writing skills.

Desirable criteria

Experience of working with laboratory equipment.
Experience of stock control
Experience of quality control procedures
Previous computerised data entry experience.

Knowledge & Skills

Essential criteria

Ability to communicate clearly scientific/clinical information orally, written or electronically to work colleagues or external contacts.
Evidence of ability to use automation.
Knowledge of health and safety in relation to the laboratory including the disposal of waste.
Evidence of competence in laboratory techniques. Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of routine procedures in diagnostic microbiology. Understands the principles of good laboratory practice.
Understands the principles and importance of Quality Assurance systems and accreditation documents (i.e. ISO:15189).

Desirable criteria

Previous experience of following written protocols/policies.
Ability to prioritise. Quick learner with well developed learning skills.
Welsh speaker.
Good manual dexterity and hand/eye co-ordination.
Ability to recognise problems, make analytical judgements autonomously to solve procedural and technical problems. Ability to work under pressure with good organisational skills.

Attributes and Attitude

Essential criteria

Be able to work independently or as part of the laboratory team. Motivated and positive attitude to team working.
Able to accept instruction and take responsibility for own actions.
Demonstrate time management skills. Reliable, conscientious and punctual.
Clear thinking and articulate. Self motivated with a willingness to learn.

Desirable criteria

Good interpersonal skills.
Working knowledge of laboratory information management systems. Enthusiastic about work and the profession.
Keen to demonstrate good personal performance.

Public Health Wales, reserves the right to close this vacancy early. We therefore encourage early applications.

Priority is given to staff awaiting redeployment. We therefore reserve the right to withdraw this advert at any stage.

If you have a disability and have any particular requirements to enable you to participate in the application process, please contact [email protected]

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR APPLICANTS: Applications for our roles are carefully reviewed and shortlisted based on specific criteria, which varies from job to job.

Using a generic application or automated AI application services, such as Lazy Apply or AI Apply, does not usually provide enough personal evidence of your skills and experience relevant to the role. This can make it difficult for us to assess your suitability and will reduce your chances of being shortlisted.

To ensure your application is given full consideration, we recommend submitting a tailored application that directly addresses the criteria listed in the Person Specification section of the advert, providing clear evidence and examples to demonstrate how you meet each requirement.

Visa Sponsorship Eligibility

If you require sponsorship under the Skilled Worker or Health and Care Visa routes, please ensure you self‑assess your eligibility for sponsorship for this role before applying.
Check the Skilled Worker visa guidance or Health and Care visa guidance for details on job eligibility, salary, English language, and sponsorship requirements.

If you are successful and short listed for interview you will be contacted by email using the address with which you registered. Please ensure you check your email account regularly.

We are committed to fair, transparent recruitment and believe in equality of opportunity in our workplace and will not tolerate discrimination on grounds of age, disability, gender identity, religion or belief, race or nationality, marriage or civil partnership status, sex, sexual orientation, working pattern, caring responsibilities, trade union activity or political beliefs – or on any other grounds. We welcome applications from individuals seeking flexible working arrangements.

The salary scale shown is for a full-time member of staff, with the amount being adjusted pro rata for those working less than 37.5 hours per week.

In general, anyone joining our Trust who has not previously worked in the NHS will, by default, start on the first point of the advertised pay band. Pay progression will then be determined by annual Performance and Development Reviews in accordance with the NHS Wales Pay Progression Policy. An application for Incremental Credit may be considered, but can only be awarded based on evidenced, reckonable service and/or equivalent, relevant experience.