Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA)

Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA)

Whitehaven Full-Time 20400 - 24400 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Assist biomedical scientists with lab duties and specimen processing.
  • Company: Join North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, dedicated to outstanding healthcare.
  • Benefits: Enjoy 27 days holiday, flexible working, NHS discounts, and a competitive pension scheme.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in healthcare while developing your skills in a supportive environment.
  • Qualifications: GCSE in science required; NVQ 2 in clinical lab support is a plus.
  • Other info: Full-time, fixed term for 12 months at West Cumberland Hospital.

The predicted salary is between 20400 - 24400 £ per year.

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Job Summary

Medical Laboratory Assistant Band 2 West Cumberland Hospital , 37.5 hours per week. Fixed Term – 12 months

Job Summary

Medical Laboratory Assistant Band 2 West Cumberland Hospital , 37.5 hours per week. Fixed Term – 12 months

Provision of a comprehensive service to North Cumbria Hospitals and primary care Trusts. The departments offer core analyses on a frequent basis, processing urgent requests and a variety of specialised tests. The majority of the pathology service is provided on a 24/7 basis. Out of hours cover is delivered via extended working arrangements, on call, or shift patterns according to the urgency and volume of the work.

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

About Us

At NCIC, we have an ambition to deliver outstanding healthcare services to the population of North Cumbria. The Trust is committed to creating a centre of excellence in providing rural and remote healthcare and provides a wide range of community and acute services throughout our county.

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 of our Trust

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.

Across the North East and North Cumbria we are working together to deliver our ambition to be the greenest region in England by 2030. All staff are expected to support sustainability.

Details

Date posted

25 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 2

Salary

£24,465 a year Per Annum Pro Rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

262-A-25-7343285

Job locations

West Cumberland Hospital

Homewood Road

Whitehaven

CA28 8JG

Job Description

Job 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.

Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL). Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment.Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed.

If you are applying under the Disability Confident Scheme or Armed Forces Covenant and you meet all the essential criteria for a post, you will be guaranteed an interview.

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:

Unlock Tel: 01634 247350, email 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

Job Description

Job 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.

Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL). Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment.Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed.

If you are applying under the Disability Confident Scheme or Armed Forces Covenant and you meet all the essential criteria for a post, you will be guaranteed an interview.

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

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

  • GCSE in science or equivalent.

Desirable

  • NVQ 2 in clinical laboratory support or equivalent.

Skills and Aptitudes

Essential

  • Keyboard skills.
  • Able to work as part of a team.
  • Good communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Able to prioritise work to meet deadlines in a busy environment
  • Good hand-eye coordination.

Personal Circumstance

Essential

  • Meticulous
  • Motivation
  • Enthusiasm

Essential

Other requirements

  • Flexibility in working hours, including weekends and evenings

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Data entry.
  • Work in a customer service environment.
  • Computer use.
  • Equality issues

Desirable

  • Laboratory work.
  • NHS employment.
  • NHS systems
  • Interest in sciences or healthcare related fields

Person Specification

Essential

  • Data entry.
  • Work in a customer service environment.
  • Computer use.
  • Equality issues

Desirable

  • Laboratory work.
  • NHS employment.
  • NHS systems
  • Interest in sciences or healthcare related fields

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

West Cumberland Hospital

Homewood Road

Whitehaven

CA28 8JG

Employer\’s website

https://www.ncic.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

West Cumberland Hospital

Homewood Road

Whitehaven

CA28 8JG

Employer\’s website

https://www.ncic.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

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Seniority level

  • Seniority level

    Entry level

Employment type

  • Employment type

    Contract

Job function

  • Job function

    Science

  • Industries

    Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories

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Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) employer: North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust is an exceptional employer, dedicated to delivering outstanding healthcare services while fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment. Employees benefit from a competitive salary, generous holiday allowance, flexible working arrangements, and excellent opportunities for professional development, all within the picturesque setting of Whitehaven. Join us in our mission to provide high-quality care and contribute to a sustainable future for our community.
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Contact Detail:

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA)

✨Tip Number 1

Familiarise yourself with the specific duties of a Medical Laboratory Assistant. Understanding the core analyses and urgent requests that the role entails will help you demonstrate your knowledge during interviews.

✨Tip Number 2

Network with current or former employees of North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust. They can provide valuable insights into the work culture and expectations, which can be beneficial for your interview preparation.

✨Tip Number 3

Highlight any relevant experience in customer service or laboratory settings during your discussions. This will show your ability to handle the fast-paced environment and your commitment to quality care.

✨Tip Number 4

Be prepared to discuss your flexibility regarding working hours, including weekends and evenings. The role requires adaptability, so showcasing your willingness to meet these demands can set you apart from other candidates.

We think you need these skills to ace Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA)

Data Entry
Keyboard Skills
Good Communication Skills
Interpersonal Skills
Teamwork
Prioritisation Skills
Attention to Detail
Hand-Eye Coordination
Flexibility in Working Hours
Customer Service Experience
Computer Literacy
Knowledge of Laboratory Procedures
Understanding of NHS Systems
Interest in Sciences or Healthcare

Some tips for your application 🫡

Understand the Role: Read the job description carefully to understand the responsibilities and requirements of the Medical Laboratory Assistant position. Tailor your application to highlight relevant skills and experiences that match these criteria.

Highlight Relevant Qualifications: Make sure to emphasise any qualifications you have that are essential for the role, such as a GCSE in science or equivalent. If you have additional qualifications like an NVQ 2 in clinical laboratory support, be sure to mention them.

Showcase Your Skills: In your CV and cover letter, focus on skills that are crucial for the role, such as data entry, teamwork, and good communication. Provide specific examples of how you've demonstrated these skills in previous roles or experiences.

Follow Application Instructions: Ensure you follow all application instructions provided by North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust. This includes submitting all required documents and checking your eligibility for the role before applying.

How to prepare for a job interview at North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

✨Know Your Role

Familiarise yourself with the specific duties of a Medical Laboratory Assistant. Understand the importance of supporting biomedical scientists and processing clinical specimens, as well as the significance of accuracy in data entry and patient registration.

✨Demonstrate Teamwork Skills

Since the role involves working closely with a team, be prepared to discuss your experience in collaborative environments. Highlight examples where you successfully worked as part of a team to achieve common goals, especially in high-pressure situations.

✨Show Enthusiasm for Healthcare

Express your passion for healthcare and the sciences during the interview. Share any relevant experiences or interests that demonstrate your commitment to providing high-quality care and your understanding of the NHS's values.

✨Prepare for Practical Questions

Expect questions that assess your problem-solving abilities and how you handle busy environments. Be ready to provide examples of how you've prioritised tasks and managed time effectively in previous roles or academic settings.

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