Community Phlebotomist | Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool

We are seeking a committed and flexible individual to join our Merseyside Phlebotomy Team on a fixed term contract. The applicant will be covering maternity leave for 12 months. You will be based within the Liverpool team, however supporting Sefton and Knowsley may be required.

If you are innovative, motivated, and committed to teamwork, we would love to hear from you. You will hold an NVQ Level 2 qualification in Health and Social Care, or demonstrate a willingness to undertake this qualification, or be able to evidence relevant experience within a similar role.

There will be expectancy for you to work without direct supervision and to time constraints, working as part of a team and also as a lone worker. You must have the ability to work under pressure and in different environments and be able to demonstrate effective communication skills including with the public, service users, clinicians, and other services.

You must have computer/IT skills, self-management, good communication skills, and be able to work quickly and accurately with a high degree of manual dexterity and good organisational skills. You must be aware of your responsibility to protect service users, visitors, and employees against the risks of acquiring health care associated infections, in accordance with Trust policy.

Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region. We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health, and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction, and brain injury services.

At the heart of all we do is our commitment to ‘perfect care’ – care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable, and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together.

Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles. To maintain your own Continuing Professional Development, actively participate and contribute to team working in response to service developments and the business plan.

• Work independently in a busy clinic environment ensuring that patients receive blood tests on time and manage patient flow.
• Obtain informed consent from the patient to treatment and the sharing of information, documenting in accordance with Trust procedures.
• Use IT system to document outcome of appointment.
• Escalate and seek advice from seniors if specific risks are identified.
• Work within health and safety guidelines and policies and adhere to relevant Trust procedures.
• Work positively with colleagues to maintain effective working relationships.
• Be accountable for your own actions and decisions, demonstrating ability to seek advice and guidance from Line Manager.
• Comply with Trust Clinical Governance and Health and Safety requirements within agreed policies and procedures.
• Follow and contribute to new policies and local guidance and contribute comments on proposed/required changes to meet changing service needs.
• Collect statistical information about daily contacts where required and input onto database for service.
• Actively participate in audit, research, and development activity when required.
• Undertake routine administrative tasks e.g. photocopying, filing, and faxing within current Trust policies and procedures as required by the service.
• Report defective equipment and make it safe without delay in accordance with Trust procedures.
• Work towards completion of competency framework within agreed timescales.
• Participate in clinical supervision as per individual requirement.
• Be competent in the selection of the appropriate sample bottle for all common laboratory investigations.
• Be competent in the procedures required for bleeding High Risk, Immunocompromised, and barrier-nursed patients.
• Organise and stock work benches and trolleys daily.
• Clean and disinfect trolleys and work benches after use.
• Restock the Phlebotomy rooms when necessary.
• Work across Mersey Care phlebotomy footprint.
• Respect confidentiality and privacy of patients and carers at all times.
• Maintain a constant awareness of health, welfare, and safety issues affecting colleagues, patients, relatives, and self, reporting incidents or near miss events in line with Trust policies.
• Fully participate in Health and Safety Training.
• Participate in personal training, development, appraisal, and attend all mandatory courses as required.
• Display empathy and a pleasant, helpful manner when dealing with patients, visitors, and staff.
• Contribute to the delivery of a quality service to customers within agreed timescales.
• Communicate effectively with patients to ensure correct identification, cooperation, and clarification of complications.
• Ensure samples are labelled correctly according to protocols.
• Provide aftercare and assistance to patients affected by venepuncture.
• Be competent in dealing safely with nervous or upset patients, including managing conflict.
• Be competent in dealing safely with fainting patients and those who become unwell.
• Maintain basic life support skills to enable the safe care of patients.
• Liaise with service users to improve relationship, service, and patient care.
• Answer telephone enquiries in a helpful manner.
• Participate in relevant staff and departmental meetings.
• Co-operate with and assist leaders of Phlebotomy teams to promote good team working.

Physical, Mental and Emotional Effort: Lone working in busy clinic environments. Able to manage the pressures of a busy clinical environment and demanding workload. Able to manage situations involving patient conflict and challenging behaviours.

Working conditions: Ability and willingness to attend clinics across the Trust footprint.

Safeguarding: Demonstrates skills and knowledge on how to raise and elevate a safeguarding concern. Ensure service users/carers are supported appropriately to understand Safeguarding issues to maximise their decision making. Understand when to use emergency systems to raise safeguard adults and children. Maintain accurate, complete, and contemporaneous records. Engage and participate in all safeguarding training appropriate to role.