Job summary
We are seeking well organised, highly motivated individuals to join our multidisciplinary team.Applications are invited for the post of Medical Laboratory Assistant to work within the Central Reception Department at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust which will cover both sites at Poole Hospital and the Royal Bournemouth Hospital. The departments include Biochemistry, Haematology and Transfusion and are all UKAS accredited.Medical Laboratory Assistants work as part of a team supporting the Biomedical scientists. Medical Laboratory Assistants receive and process (data entry) samples prior to testing by Biomedical Scientists in the laboratories.

The successful candidate will be trained to deal with enquiries on the telephone, and to accurately provide authorised results to other healthcare professionals as required.

Please ensure you read the attached person specification as your application will be assessed against this.Hours are part time (30.0 hours per week) on a shift basis.

The laboratory operates 24/7 with core hours between 7am and 8pm, to include weekend and bank holiday working.

You will be required to undertake a typing test as part of the interview.

Base location: Royal Bournemouth Hospital
Interview: Wednesday, 21st October 2026

Please note we are unable to offer sponsorship for this position.

This post may close early due to high numbers of applications, so you are encouraged to apply promptly.

Main duties of the job
Medical Laboratory Assistants work as part of the team supporting the Biomedical Scientists. Biomedical Scientists analyse blood, body fluids, tissues and cells to determine the presence or absence of disease, to enable diagnosis and also to monitor the effectiveness of treatment. They also carry out tests and analyses, which enable population screening for inherited or malignant disorders.

After training MLAs will be required to carry out a range of laboratory procedures including to collect and separate samples from wards and from the phlebotomy service throughout the day, to receive, check, sort, uniquely identify, label and prepare for analysis including those specimens for clinical trials and to be responsible for the accurate and timely dispatch of samples to other laboratories for testing as required. These duties to be performed according to standard operating procedures and within daily deadlines.

Concentration, accuracy and attention to detail are essential to these processes and medical laboratory assistants will be expected to provide a helpful and professional service to patients and staff within the NHS.

The Central (Specimen) Reception services are based at both Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Royal Bournemouth Hospital. The post will involve working at both sites.

About us
Our values define who we are as #TeamUHD. They underpin everything we do now and in the future. They define how we treat our patients, visitors, and each other, our valued team mates and colleagues.

UHD are investing in services across the Trust, with many being transformed and developed following merger and the New Hospital Programme.

In some cases this means that a services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or long term. Recruiting Managers interviewing for this role will be happy to answer any specific questions that you have at interview.

If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not be reimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.

Contact -Amanda Terry , Central Reception Team Leaderamanda.terry6@nhs.net 0300 019 4796

Job responsibilities
To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert. Please note previous applicants do not need to apply.

Qualifications
Essential

• Good general education and must be numerate and literate with a good command of spoken and written English.

Experience
Essential

• Experience of working as part of a team. Able to work accurately.

Desirable

• Happy to work in a busy environment

Skills
Essential

• Good computer/keyboard skills
• Able to receive and communicate routine information to work colleagues or external contacts
• Competent and polite telephone manner
• Ability to work systematically and under pressure in a busy environment
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Ability to work effectively as part of the laboratory team
• Ability to correctly follow appropriate procedures

Knowledge
Essential

• Knowledge of the importance and relevance of laboratory investigations to patient welfare
• Able to understand a range of routine work procedures, which require job training and a period of induction
• Able to seek advice and demonstrate work activities to new or less experienced staff

Desirable

• Willingness to learn in response to changing work patterns or personal development
• Understand the role of Pathology within the NHS

Personal Attributes
Essential

• Ability to work as part of a team and as an individual
• Ability to use initiative
• Ability to concentrate for long periods at technically demanding procedures
• Reliable
• Able to deal with problems in a calm efficient manner
• Ability to move around the department to collect laboratory samples/ post etc
• Willing to work flexibly
• Professional manner / demeanour
• Ability to participate in an out of routine hours rota

Language requirement
Essential

• Able to speak English as necessary to undertake the role

Other requirements specific to the role
Essential

• Ability to lift light loads
• Ability to handle blood, urine and faeces specimens

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.