Associate Practitioner - Biochemistry

Go back Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

The closing date is 06 July 2026

We are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic Associate Practitioner who will join our friendly and conscientious Biochemistry team at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

The Biochemistry department at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals offers a wide range of diagnostic testing facilities at both Worcester Royal Hospital and The Alexandra Hospital. The Department is UKAS accredited and is recognised by the IBMS for HCPC pre-Registration and Specialist Diploma training in Clinical Biochemistry. The Department is currently equipped with Beckman Coulter DXI 800, DXI 9000, DxC 700, AU5800, DxA fully automated track system, DxA 5000 FIT Automated track, Cobas e411, Sebia Capillarys 3 Tera, Sebia Hydrasys, Optilite, BIO-FLASH, HM-JACKarc, UVIKON spectrophotometer, Osmometer, and Nova prime electrolyte analyser.

This department offers training and development opportunities for the right candidates to further develop their skills and ambition.

• Perform accurate preparation, analytical and post-analytical procedures as defined by departmental procedures.
• Undertake manual, semi-automated and fully automated analysis of specimens including high risk samples.
• Identify and expedite urgent and priority samples.
• Prioritise and plan own workload and communicate own work priorities within the team.
• Supervise junior members of staff where appropriate.
• Be able to accurately enter and retrieve data from the laboratory information system and manual record systems where appropriate.
• Liaise with other Pathology departments, wards, GPs and other service users regarding non analytical problems with samples.
• Carry out routine maintenance, calibration, quality control and operation of analyzers within the laboratory and in point of care locations.
• Act as a first line problem solver for the analyzers in the laboratory, both automated and manual, and in point of care locations to ensure correct functioning, and to complete appropriate log sheets and record remedial action taken.
• Work autonomously, to participate in the maintenance, evaluation, staff training and documentation of all point of care testing equipment under the guidance of an HCPC registered BMS.
• Contribute to the validation and verification of new analytical equipment, automated, semi-automated and manual.
• Exercise judgment when dealing with enquiries from other Pathology Departments and users of the laboratory.
• Train other hospital staff, where appropriate, including doctors, nurses and HCAs, keeping accurate records of trained staff and issuing barcodes and competency certificates as required.
• Use agreed processes and competency measures when assessing staff in training.
• Prepare and pack samples for dispatch to other laboratories ensuring packaging meets current regulations.
• Monitor the quality of samples arriving in the laboratory.
• Prepare, store and use chemical reagents required for laboratory investigations.
• Ensure departmental resources are used efficiently, with correct handling and storage of goods upon receipt in the laboratory.
• Monitor stock levels of reagents, consumables and requisition supplies and contribute to an efficient and effective inventory management system. This will include recording precise data on stock items detailing expiry and date delivered.
• Order agreed consumables from manufacturers to agreed financial values.
• Undertake general laboratory housekeeping as specified in the SOPs and monitoring of the temperature of refrigerators, freezers and incubators.
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with internal staff and external groups such as patients, GPs, Community Care workers, Health Care Providers and other relevant organisations as required.
• Contribute to research and development projects including processing and storing of samples for research projects.
• Attendance at any off-site training courses considered appropriate to the role.

• Adhere at all times to the department's Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) carrying out analyses.
• Propose changes to procedures and policies that could improve…