Job summary
- Main area
- CIC Immunology
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 3
- Contract
- Fixed term: 12 months
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Commitment to early shift and weekend working)
- Job ref
- 262-A-23-5276758
- Employer
- North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Cumberland Infirmary
- Town
- Carlisle
- Salary
- £22,816 - £24,336 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 09/06/2023 23:59
Employer heading

Pathology Clinical Support Worker
NHS AfC: Band 3
Job overview
Pathology Clinical Support Worker (Band 3) 37.5 hours per week. Fixed term one year in Virology/Immunology
Based at the Cumberland Infirmary, Pathology Department.
Applications are invited for this post within Infection Sciences. The Virology, Immunology and Microbiology departments that make up Infection Sciences are well equipped and are all ISO 15189 accredited. We use Telepath LIMS with ICE electronic requesting and reporting, and Q-Pulse quality management system.
The diagnostic workload is approximately 140,000 virology/immunology tests per year. We use a wide range of automated serological testing across both disciplines including: Cobas e601, Dynex DS2 platforms, Diasorin Liaison, Phadia 250, Sebia Capillarys and Hydrasys 2 and The Binding Site Optilite. The molecular platforms on site include Cobas 6800, Seegene STARlet, Altona AltoSTAR, ABI Prism 7500 and Cepheid. We are a referral centre for Aspergillus, Farmers Lung and Avian precipitin work.
Our current average workload for COVID testing is approx. 12,000 samples per month.
Previous laboratory experience is not essential as training will be provided after which time you would be expected to participate in a rota for weekend and late working. You should be able to demonstrate good planning, organisational and interpersonal skills as well as evidence of competence in problem solving and prioritising workloads. Excellent communication skills are essential for this post.
Main duties of the job
Support biomedical scientists in a range of laboratory duties including the processing of clinical specimens for testing, registration of patients onto the pathology computer system, specimen reception duties, telephone enquiries and general housekeeping duties
Extended working day and weekend commitment in place for COVID testing
Working for our organisation
At NCIC, we have an ambition to deliver outstanding hospital and health services to half a million people. Established on 1st October 2019, the Trust is creating a centre of excellence in providing rural and remote healthcare and provides a wide range of community and acute services throughout north Cumbria and beyond. We’re responsible for delivering over 70 services across 15 main locations and we employ more than 6,500 members of staff.
Our 5 key principles demonstrate our belief in the delivery of ‘safe, high quality care every time’.
- Being a clinically led organisation
- Quality and safety at the heart
- A positive patient experience every time
- A great place to work
- Managing our money well
As an organisation we are serious about supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our local community and are very much focused on being an inclusive and compassionate place to work.
We encourage you to think about what you can do as an individual and within your team to contribute in to embedding carbon reduction into the everyday running of our organisation
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see attached Job description and person specification for further information regarding the role and the essential and desirable criteria required to be met by applicants.
Relocation assistance may be available for successful applicants moving to the region for certain posts. Please see our Policy for eligible vacancies?
- Please ensure that you document evidence of meeting all the essential criteria in the supporting information.
- If sufficient response is received this post could be closed earlier than the specified closing date, please apply as soon as possible to ensure that your application is considered.
Important Information
Candidates who have been successfully shortlisted for interview will be asked via an email notification to log on to their Trac account to select an interview time. This will usually be within 2 weeks of the closing date.
For candidates applying using a Hotmail account or have strict firewall settings please ensure the following:
- Junk Mail is checked regularly
Disclosure and Barring Service:
On 28 November 2020, the new Disclosure and Barring Service filtering rules will come into effect.
The changes mean that:
- youth cautions, reprimands and final warnings will no longer be subject to automatic disclosure
- the multiple conviction rule has been removed, meaning that if an individual has more than one conviction, regardless of offence type or time passed, each conviction will be considered against the remaining rules individually, rather than being automatically disclosed.
If you are unsure about whether you need to disclose certain criminal record information, free confidential advice may be sought from one of the charity bodies listed below. These bodies can advise you on what you are legally required to declare and may also be able to advise you on how you can disclose criminal record information to a prospective employer and your legal rights when doing so.
Nacro – Tel: 0300 123 1999, or email: helpline@nacro.org.uk
Unlock – Tel: 01634 247350, email advice@unlock.org.uk or complete the online form on the Unlock website
The Trust is committed to safeguarding adults and children therefore if the post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended) the successful candidate(s) will be subject to a criminal records check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The cost of the DBS must be met by the successful candidate(s) through salary deduction. DBS charges are as follows if applicable to the post:
Standard Check: £18 + Administration cost of £3.85 = £21.85. Deducted at £6.85 from 1st month salary and £5 deducted from salary over following 3 months.
Enhanced Check: £38 + administration cost of £3.90 = £41.90. Deducted at £11.90 from 1st month salary and £10 deducted from salary over following 3 months.
As part of the one of the largest employers in the UK NCIC future employees will have also access to the following benefits.
A lease car may be available for this position; further details will be provided upon appointment if applicable.
27 day holiday scheme rising to 33 after 10 years
Flexible working Scheme
Excellent opportunities for development
Competitive NHS Pension scheme
Access to NHS discounts with retailers and leisure companies
EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) a free, confidential counselling and information service to assist with personal or work-related problems
These schemes are subject to availability
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- NVQ 2 in clinical laboratory support or equivalent.
Desirable criteria
- NVQ 3 in clinical laboratory support
Experience
Essential criteria
- Date entry
- Work in a customer service environment
Desirable criteria
- Laboratory Work
- NHS employment
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Computer Use
- Equality issues
Desirable criteria
- NHS Systems
- Medical terminology
Skills and Aptitude
Essential criteria
- Keyboard skills
- Good communication and interpersonal skills
- Able to prioritise work to meet deadlines in a busy environment
- Able to work as part of a team.
- Good hand-eye coordination.
Other requirements
Essential criteria
- Flexibility in working hours, including weekends and evenings.
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
- Gail Wager
- Job title
- Infection Sciences Operational Manager
- Email address
- gail.wager@ncic.nhs.uk
- Telephone number
- 01228 814333
- Additional information
Garren Scott garren.scott@ncic.nhs.uk
Melissa Blaylock melissa.blaylock@ncic.nhs.uk
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