Band 4 Associate Practitioner - POCT

Malvern Hills; Metropolitan Borough of Solihull; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider is seeking an enthusiastic Associate Practitioner to join their Point of Care Testing team. The role involves providing high-quality testing services across multiple hospital sites and supporting clinical staff in specimen analysis. The candidate will need a clean driving licence and will be expected to travel between sites. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone looking to contribute to a dedicated team while working flexibly in a supportive environment, aligning with the inclusive culture of the organization.

Qualifications

• Understanding of how Point of Care Testing works within the NHS.
• Experience in a healthcare environment is preferred.
• Ability to work flexibly across multiple sites.

Responsibilities

• Provide efficient Point of Care Testing service.
• Support clinical staff in analyzing biological specimens.
• Maintain accurate records of activities carried out.

Skills

Knowledge of Point of Care Testing

Clean driving license

Ability to work independently

Tools

Blood Gas analysers

Full Blood Count analysers

Glucose & Ketone meters

Job description

We are offering this fantastic opportunity for an enthusiastic and highly motivated Associate Practitioner to work within Point of Care Testing (POCT) team at University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB). This is offered on a 12‑month fixed‑term contract working 37.5 hours per week. The successful candidate will join our friendly and committed team at UHB who have expertise across a broad range of near patient testing and provide high quality of service to the hospitals and community. The post holder will be expected to work primarily between Monday to Friday and participate on Saturday, Sunday, or Bank Holiday sessions on a rotational basis. There is an enhanced pay for unsocial hours in line with Agenda for Change.

You will be part of the expanding Point of Care team which manages multiple instruments across multiple sites at UHB. This post will be suitable for a person who likes to get out and about the hospital sites to meet a variety of staff grades. A clean driving licence and access to a car is essential.

The team assist in maintaining and managing numerous pieces of equipment including Blood Gas analysers, Full Blood Count analysers, Glucose & Ketone meters, INR & D‑Dimer monitors, TEGs, HemoCue & HbA1c analysers, Pregnancy & Urinalysis readers and Flu/ COVID‑19 testing.

It is anticipated that the suitable candidate will have knowledge and understanding of Point of Care Testing and how this works within the NHS environment.

Main duties of the job

Successful candidate will be expected to work as part of the Point of Care Testing (POCT) team providing an efficient, cost effective and timely POCT service to equipment users. The post holder will perform a wide variety of tasks within the Point of Care department to support the clinical staff in the analysis of biological specimens. Successful candidate will also be expected to support breath test clinics.

The post holder will work independently but will follow the relevant standard operating procedures, ensure that they are implemented and adhered to as directed by the POCT Lead. There is a requirement to maintain accurate records of activities carried out and may be required to supervise, organise, train, and allocate work to less experienced staff. For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please carefully read the attached Job Description.

The post holder will be based at any of the hospital sites covered by University Hospitals Birmingham and will be expected to cover sites within the Community setting across Birmingham and Solihull. The post holder will be expected to travel to, and from these hospitals and institutions. There will be a requirement to work flexibly across the sites.

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust strives to have an inclusive culture where everyone feels like they belong, can thrive, knows that they add value and feels valued. We do this by developing compassionate and culturally competent leaders, being values driven in all that we do and by creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace that thrives on the diversity of our people. As such we want to attract and recruit talented individuals from all backgrounds, and for each of you to feel supported for the diversity you bring, to achieve your full potential. For those staff with a disability, including physical disability, long term health condition, mental health or neurodiverse condition, this also means being committed to making reasonable adjustments needed for you to carry out your role.