Detailed job description and main responsibilities

General Laboratory duties:

• To prepare and sort specimen labels.
• To label specimens once stained and sort according to departmental SOPs.
• Removal of blocks from moulds, prioritising and sorting in to case order.
• Perform microtomy on a range of tissues.
• Prepare reagents according to departmental SOPs.
• Maintain equipment according to departmental SOPs.
• Inform senior staff of any deficiencies in stock or equipment.
• Perform slide and block filing. 
• Retrieve and sort slides for Multi Discipline Team Meetings.
• Stain and coverslip slides according to departmental SOPs.
• Take digital photographs at dissection as required.
• Dispose of reagents according to departmental SOPs.
• Prepare staining machine for daily use.
• Clean glassware and plastics for reuse.
• Maintain and act upon error log entries.
• File specimens as appropriate
• Discard specimens as per SOPs
• File and retrieve slides for MDTs.
• Maintain laboratory environment in a clean and tidy state
• General office duties – providing cover as required, laminating, photocopying and filing.
• Inform senior staff of any consumable shortages or items running low.

 Specimen Handling:

• Enter data in to the pathology computer system
• Receive, check and number specimens
• Sort specimens according to SOPs for dissection and sample preparation.
• Inform senior staff of any discrepancies or samples that requires immediate attention.
• Prepare equipment for dissection.
• Record details from dissection (dictation) and record accurately.
• Prepare processing cassettes for each specimen according to departmental procedures.
• Enter details post dissection into pathology computer system.
• Ensure area is cleaned according to departmental SOPs.
• Monitor those specimens that require decalcification
• Organise safe disposal of samples on a weekly basis.
• Organise workload within the working day.
• Monitor those specimens in Carnoy’s solution.

Policy and service responsibility

• Participate in annual Individual Performance Review.
• Maintain own competencies as described by Department Record of Training and Ongoing Assessment.
• Work at all times in accordance with the principles of best practice, with reference to all relevant national and local policies and guidelines, especially for Health and Safety, COSHH, UKAS and Risk 

Communication and Working Relationships

• Accountable to the Consultant Pathologist Head of Department and thence to the Clinical Director of Laboratory Medicine.
• Responsible to the Cellular Pathology Laboratory Manager through the Deputy Laboratory Manager.
• Good lines of communication should be encouraged between staff within the Pathology Department, colleagues employed in other Pathology laboratories and other members of Trust staff as appropriate.
• External communications between GP surgeries and other laboratories are also required.
• To liaise with courier companies by telephone or fax to arrange pick-ups and deliveries to reference laboratories.
• Contribute to a team of medical laboratory assistants and biomedical scientists in provision of an analytical service to Primary and Secondary Care.

Planning and Organisation

• Attendance / performance of mandatory training.
• Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of professional matters by attendance at meetings, conferences where possible.
• Participation in departmental audits as required.
• Staff are required to participate in joint annual review process.
• To always work in accordance with the principles of best practice, with reference to all relevant national and local policies and guidelines, especially for Health and Safety, COSHH and Risk assessments etc.
• To work individually, with Standard Operating Procedures, to produce results and utilise one’s own knowledge and experience. To seek advice from more qualified or experienced staff when own limits are reached.

Finance, equipment and other resources

• Carry out routine maintenance of pre-analytical equipment

Responsibility for supervision, leadership and management

• Assist in the training and monitoring of new or less experienced Medical Laboratory assistant staff
• Provide cover/deputise, within your own limits, for Senior staff in their absence and be prepared to work on your own when necessary.

Information technology and administrative duties

• To contribute to the updating of the Standard Operating Procedures and to suggest changes of practice that would enhance the efficient working of the Department.