Associate Practitioner POCT | Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

As an Associate Practitioner working in Point of Care Testing within LCL, you will be required to work under the direction of HCPC registered Biomedical Scientists. As part of this role, you will be carrying out analytical procedures in a clinical setting and maintaining POCT equipment. You will also support HCPC registered Biomedical Scientists with training of staff, ensuring that service users receive a high level of service and are fully competent in the use of POCT devices.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Completion of Quality Control, preventative maintenance, and minor repairs.
• Carrying out general duties both under supervision from senior staff and without direct supervision.
• Maintaining critical devices such as blood gas analysers.
• Carrying out troubleshooting on devices and contacting manufacturers when necessary.
• Organising and working with manufacturer engineers to ensure timely repairs.

The successful applicant will be expected to have excellent communication and time management skills, communicating with a variety of people including doctors, nurses, Biomedical Scientists, Clinical Scientists, and engineers. You will also help ensure that services provided are compliant with governance in place and support the department in obtaining UKAS accreditation.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing a comprehensive range of routine and specialist Biochemistry and Haematology analyses using POCT devices under supervision.
• Assisting clinical staff with training, quality control, and preventative maintenance.
• Supervising POCT competency assessments for various devices.
• Undertaking patient testing in clinic environments following standard operating procedures.
• Maintaining analytical equipment in optimum operational condition.
• Entering patient demographic information and collating results into laboratory IT systems.

Knowledge & Personal Development:

• Gaining intermediate technical and analytical knowledge through ongoing training.
• Ensuring compliance with local and national standards of work practice.
• Maintaining knowledge necessary to lead update training sessions.
• Attending training, study days, and workshops as relevant.

Advice, Guidance and Interpersonal:

• Dealing sympathetically with patients and colleagues.
• Using empathy to overcome technical, clinical, and linguistic barriers.
• Reporting results to Biomedical Scientists and clinicians professionally.

Scientific & Technical:

• Prioritising workload effectively.
• Assessing the suitability of samples collected at the point of care.
• Accurately entering patient information and tests requested onto the computer system.

Equality and Diversity:

• Understanding equality and diversity commitments and statutory obligations.
• Valuing individuals and treating everyone with dignity and respect.

Values and Behaviours:

• Being caring and fair, valuing contributions from diverse backgrounds.
• Working as one team to deliver and improve care.

Infection Prevention & Control:

• Adhering to infection control policies and procedures.

Confidentiality:

• Maintaining confidentiality regarding personal information and Trust activity.

Management of Risk & Health and Safety:

• Taking reasonable care to avoid injury and cooperating with the Trust's statutory requirements.

Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults:

• Acting to safeguard the health and well-being of children and vulnerable adults.

IT Skills:

• Having or gaining basic IT skills to support Trust services.

Records Management:

• Being responsible for record keeping and ensuring records are retained according to policy.

Information Quality:

• Ensuring complete and accurate data collection to the highest standard.

Professional Responsibility:

• Complying with required registration and LUHFT policy.