Medical Laboratory Assistant in Epsom

At Epsom and St Helier Hospitals, we value respect. We put respect at the heart of all we do, by living up to our shared behaviours of kindness, professionalism, positivity and teamwork. This enables us to provide great patient care and make ESTH a great place to work. We welcome applicants who share our values.

An opportunity has arisen in the Cellular Pathology Department for a Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA). As an MLA you will be an integral part of the laboratory team supporting the work of the Biomedical Scientists in providing a diagnostic Cellular Pathology service. The main duties include:

• Specimen reception and data entry
• Specimen processing
• Equipment maintenance
• Filing and referral of material to other laboratories
• Other general laboratory tasks

The laboratory will provide full training in these duties. The Laboratory currently operates Monday to Friday between 08:00 and 17:00. You will need to be flexible and take part in a rota within these hours. The post is predominantly based at Epsom but you will be required to work across both hospital sites.

The candidate would be expected to have good accuracy skills and be able to communicate with a range of healthcare professionals. Essential qualities we require are:

• Efficiency
• Organisation
• Good communication skills
• Attention to detail

You should also have the ability to cope in stressful and pressurised situations and work well within a team.

St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group cares for a population of four million people in South West London and North East Surrey. Our sites include:

• St George’s Hospital, one of 11 major trauma centres in the UK
• St Helier Hospital, home to the South West Thames Renal and Transplantation Unit
• Queen Mary's Hospital for Children
• Epsom Hospital, home to the South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre (SWLEOC)

After years of collaboration, our two Trusts became a hospitals group in 2021. While remaining as two separate Trusts, being a hospitals group will help us to collaborate more closely on research, and the development, education, and training of our 17,000-strong workforce.

Please see the attached supporting job description and person specification document which contains more information about the role and requirements. Please ensure your application refers to the job description and person specification.

The recruiting team reserve the right to close this advertisement early once applications reach maximum limit. Please do not apply if you have a Biomedical Science Degree.

Qualifications and Training

• Good general education and MUST be numerate and literate with good command of spoken and written English
• Relevant NVQs or equivalent

Experience

• Experience of working as a member of a team
• Working in a busy environment (this experience may be transferable from non-employment area)
• Experience of working in a laboratory or hospital environment and use of their computer systems

Knowledge and Skills

• Good communication skills
• Accuracy and attention to detail

Your recruitment team, the NHS South West London Recruitment Hub, is here to support you at every stage of the process. If you have a query, please contact us: E: krft.askrecruitment@nhs.net

Please ensure your supporting statement clearly reflects the job description and person specification, as shortlisting will be based on these criteria. Please refer to the latest UKVI guidance and ensure you have the appropriate right to work before applying for this role.

We kindly ask that you avoid using AI tools to draft your application. We value authentic, individual responses that reflect your own experience and communication style.

Please provide a minimum of 3 years’ employment and/or education history, including professional email addresses (not personal accounts such as Hotmail or Gmail). If you cannot provide these, please inform the interview panel to avoid delays in pre-employment checks.

To help us manage recruitment efficiently, some vacancies may close early once we have received a sufficient number of applications. If you are successfully shortlisted, you will be contacted by email or SMS from the South West London Recruitment Hub. Please check your registered TRAC email regularly.

If you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date, please assume your application has not been successful on this occasion.

We are committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. For roles with direct access to these groups, an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be required. All staff are expected to understand and uphold their safeguarding responsibilities as part of their role.

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.

This vacancy may have an application cap, so please apply promptly to avoid disappointment. Ensure your supporting statement clearly shows how you meet the job specifications.