Transfusion Practitioner Administration Assistant

Band 3

Main area Corporate Services Grade Band 3 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 435-C082-26-a

Site Royal Blackburn Hospital Town Blackburn Salary £25,760 - £27,476 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 23/10/:59

At East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 600,000 people across East Lancashire and the surrounding area. We employ over 9,500 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work.

Job overview

We are seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Band 3 Assistant to provide high-quality administrative support to the Transfusion Practitioners and wider transfusion service. The post holder will play an important role in ensuring the smooth and efficient running of administrative processes, while also supporting traceability and compliance requirements within the laboratory.

The role includes maintaining accurate records, supporting documentation processes, and assisting with traceability activities to ensure all units and data meet MHRA standards, contributing to patient safety and regulatory compliance.

This is a key administrative support role that will also contribute to maintaining the Trust's traceability performance and supporting the achievement of the 99.5% compliance target.

Main duties of the job

• Support the Trust's traceability processes to ensure full compliance with MHRA standards
• Identify and follow up on outstanding or unaccounted units in a timely manner
• Review and maintain accurate documentation, records, and notes
• Provide administrative support to Transfusion Practitioners, including data entry, record management, and coordination of information
• Assist with preparation for audits, inspections, and meetings
• Manage correspondence, emails, and filing systems related to transfusion activity
• Escalate discrepancies or risks to senior staff appropriately
• Contribute to achieving and maintaining the 99.5% compliance target
• Work collaboratively with clinical, laboratory, and transfusion teams

Working for our organisation

Established in 2003 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) is a large integrated health care organisation providing high quality acute secondary healthcare for the people of East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen.

Our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 700,000 patients a year from the most serious of emergencies to planned operations and procedures. We employ over 8,000 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work and achievements.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Band 3 Assistant will work under the supervision of senior staff to provide comprehensive administrative support to the transfusion service.

The role will focus primarily on day-to-day administrative functions, including maintaining records, managing documentation, coordinating information, and supporting service organisation. As part of this, the post holder will also contribute to traceability processes by assisting with the monitoring of blood units, reviewing records, identifying gaps, and supporting the follow-up of outstanding information alongside the Transfusion Practitioners.

The successful candidate will demonstrate excellent attention to detail, strong organisational skills, and the ability to prioritise workload effectively. They will play an important role in supporting high standards of service delivery and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide day-to-day administrative support to Transfusion Practitioners
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records, databases, and filing systems
• Support traceability processes by maintaining records and assisting with tracking information
• Assist in chasing outstanding units, data, or documentation where required
• Review notes and records to ensure completeness and administrative accuracy
• Support audit preparation, data collection, and reporting activities
• Arrange meetings, prepare documentation, and take minutes as required
• Ensure all administrative processes align with Trust policies and MHRA guidance
• Maintain confidentiality and information governance standards
• Contribute to a safe, efficient, and well-organised transfusion service

Person specification Knowledge and Skills

• Strong organisational and time management skills with the ability to prioritise workload and meet deadlines, including under pressure and with repetitive tasks
• Ability to present relevant information and reports clearly and concisely
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Proficient IT skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint, SharePoint including advanced features
• Experience of preparing reports or working with data
• Clear understanding of confidentiality and data protection requirements Awareness of blood transfusion processes or wider healthcare systems
• Familiarity with NHS systems such as PAS and LIMS

Qualifications

• Appropriate NVQ 3/diploma or equivalent
• Relevant Blood Transfusion training and experience.

Experience

• Previous administrative or clerical experience
• Demonstrable experience and sound knowledge of working within a Blood Transfusion department
• Experience working in an NHS or healthcare setting
• Experience supporting audit or data collection processes

Personal Attributes

• Reliable, conscientious, and professional, with an approachable manner
• Flexible and adaptable in approach to work, with the ability to respond to changing demands
• Strong time management skills, with the ability to multitask and prioritise effectively

Dear Potential Applicant,

It is important you are made aware of the following as regards your application to East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

• Please note that the salary advertised is for full time hours. If this post is less than 37.5 hours per week, the salary will be pro-ratio. For posts on Agenda for Change pay-scales, new entrants to the NHS will normally commence on the first pay point of the relevant band.

Disclosure and Barring Scheme (DBS)

If the role you are applying for is identified as either controlled or regulated activity as defined in the Safeguarding vulnerable Groups Act (2006) any offer of employment is provisional upon a satisfactory DBS check being obtained.

The healthcare sector is exempted from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

In line with other NHS organisations in the North West Region, the Trust is now passing the charge for undertaking a DBS check on to candidates in the event they are successfully appointed into the post for which they have applied. Candidates can choose whether to pay this over 1-3 months as a deduction from the monthly salary. However, if you are applying for a post as a BANK worker, the payment must be made in full at the time of employment checks. By applying for this vacancy you are agreeing to this undertaking in the event you are successfully appointed.

The cost for an Enhanced DBS, is £45.90 and for a Basic & Standard, this is £24.90 this cost includes a £4.90 admin fee.

This cost is not applicable for a Volunteer post

The Trust is an equal opportunities employer, committed to improving the working lives of our staff and operates a 'Zero Tolerance' policy to aggression, violence, bullying and harassment. In addition, our aim is to help protect children and vulnerable adults by providing a first-class service to the recruitment of people into positions of trust.

We aim to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, disability or social background.

We especially welcome applications from members of our black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, as we have identified that ELHT has an under-representation of BAME employees. Appointments will be made on merit.

Applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria for the job will be interviewed if you indicate you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme.

If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process please make the recruitment services team aware as soon as possible. By telephone or email write to Employment Services, Parkview Offices, Haslingden Road, Blackburn, BB2 3HH

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.