Associate Healthcare Science Practitioner Oxford, England
Job description
The Oxford Genetics laboratories, comprising the Oxford Regional Genetics Laboratories (ORGL) and the Oxford Molecular Haematology Laboratory (OMHL), are part of the Central & South Laboratory Hub (GLH), one of 7 GLHs recently established to deliver NHS England’s National Genomic Medicine Service. We provide a comprehensive range of cytogenetic, molecular cytogenetic and molecular genetic investigations for both rare disease and acquired disorders (solid tumour and haematological malignancy).
The laboratory has a fixed-term vacancy, funded to January 2025, for a Band 4 Genetic Technologist based at the ORGL (Churchill Hospital).
Band 4 Genetic Technologists undertake practical laboratory work and associated housekeeping under the supervision of experienced Genetic Technologists or Clinical Scientists and following Standard Operating Procedures.
The successful candidates will be able to demonstrate good
communication and organisational skills, and the manual dexterity to perform laboratory processes, along with flexibility, efficiency and attention to detail in their work.
Some experience of practical laboratory work is essential, though full training will be given.
Genetic Technologist/Analysts provide technical, analytical and administrative duties that support the administrators, technologists and clinical scientists in Specimen reception and the main laboratories of the department. They take personal responsibility for their own work, which is protocol driven, on a daily basis subject to the supervision of the section head.
They participate in defined regular duties on a rotational basis, including monitoring of work areas for health and safety and cleanliness, and are required to undertake all technical duties within a section on a rota basis and rotate through all service delivery/technical sections within the laboratory. They process a wide range of pathological specimens for a broad range of inherited conditions according to standard operating procedures, and are competent in the use of patient databases, state of the art technologies and a limited number of software packages, some of which are complex, for the analysis of data. They perform highly accurate and skilled analysis, which may have unpredictable outcomes and which require periods of concentration.
They are expected to communicate technical, scientific and confidential information to colleagues within their department in electronic, written and verbal forms.
Assistant Technologists/Analysts participate in the teaching and training load of the department staff within the limits of their experience.
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trustis one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research.
The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.
Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community.We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel.
Duties & responsibilities
Clinical Service
1. Deliver the technical service of a section/subsection or designated area of work to nationally accepted standards (CPA or equivalent) with appropriate supervision to include the following:
a. Follow standard operating procedures for the receipt, booking in,
processing and analysis of samples
b. Review appropriate risk and COSHH assessments in areas relevant to
own practise and abide by laboratory health and safety policies
c. Undertake basic troubleshooting for failed analyses
d. Validate quality of technical analysis, repeat and perform subsequent
investigations following discussions with more senior technologists or
clinical scientists according to defined criteria
e. Arrange dispatch of different types of samples. Deal with queries relating
to the receipt and dispatch of samples, including products of conception
(received for post-mortem examination), and other tissues.
2. Establish, maintain, sub-culture and harvest cell cultures, or undertake DNA extraction, from a variety of biological specimens received which may be high risk (eg HIV, Hep C) and/ or derived from recognisable human or fetal parts, by all methods currently employed in the laboratory and to work safely under exposure to toxic substances which are hazardous to health.
3. Identify unusual or failed results and bring them to the attention of senior technologist or scientists for further discussion
4. Liaise with senior technical or scientific colleagues over availability of equipment, sample prioritisation, or requirement for supplementary cell cultures or chromosome preparations, when planning work schedules in designated areas of work, in accordance with laboratory protocols and under the supervision of the Section Head and/or Laboratory Director.
5. Supply a high level of technical expertise in the investigative procedures involved and take a daily responsibility for his/her own work, subject to the supervision and direction of section head or other senior staff. Be adaptable to changing diagnostic workload pressures, by making independent day-to-day decisions about own workload. The post holder must communicate all problems with, and when necessary obtain help/advice from, appropriate senior staff
6. Attend, and actively participate in, team and laboratory meetings with opportunity to propose improvements in efficiency and changes to scientific and technical protocols and to contribute to the development and implementation of departmental policies within the limits of experience.
Laboratory Management
7. Undertake appropriate duties to fulfil quality control programs, including recording of appropriate data according to operating procedures, validation and verification of new reagents and protocols.
8. Safely handle and store chemicals of a volatile or hazardous nature including carcinogens and neurotoxic agents. Dispose of hazardous chemicals and biohazard waste.
9. Take day to day responsibility for use of, daily maintenance, monitoring and care of instrumentation within the laboratory (to include safety, performance and temperature of equipment e.g. biological safety cabinets, incubators, fridges and freezers).
Staff
10. Participate in the teaching and training of new members of staff or less
experienced employees in own work area by demonstrating own work activities and routine practice.
Research and Service Development
11.Assist clinical scientists in research and development projects which meet the overall objectives of the department.
Personal Development
12. Attend relevant in house training at an appropriate level for the development and maintenance of skills, knowledge and expertise required for the post (eg training on specific equipment/instrumentation, presentations on relevant topics)
Informatics/Bioinformatics
13.Be proficient in the use of state of the art software packages for the analysis of
DNA samples
14.Be proficient at entering and retrieving relevant information from Excel
spreadsheets and databases, including the laboratory information management system (LIMS).
General
15.Abide by all Operational Policies applicable to the Department
16.Co-operate with management and safety representatives in matters connected with the Health and Safety at Work Act of Practice for safety in laboratories
17.Take responsibility for the accuracy of his/her own work, and undertake an appropriate proportion of the total workload of the Department. The post holder will collaborate with all other staff, to be an effective team member, and achieve optimal use of resources
18.Participate in internal quality control and internal and external quality assessment procedures
19.Work within the section/subsection to ensure achievement of and adherence to the standards required of an accredited laboratory, in close liaison with the Quality manager and under the direction of the section head and laboratory director.
20.Participate in the preparation of the department for accreditation.
21.Implement laboratory record keeping processes and assist with retrieval and presentation of data as required
22.Take responsibility with others for the maintenance of stocks of reagents and consumables to ensure the proper functioning of the laboratory and efficient use of resources. Ensure that all equipment is used appropriately and safely and that any faults are reported for immediate rectification
23.Take responsibility with others for the daily maintenance of complex
instrumentation systems within the laboratory
24.Participate in regular performance review and personal development planning
25.Attend regular team, laboratory and departmental meetings and contribute to the development and implementation of departmental policies
26.Maintain confidentiality of information about patients, staff and other health service business in accordance with Data Protection Act of 1984.
27.Participate in out of hours duties, if required, in line with the Department Out of Hours Policy
28.Work such hours as required for the effective and timely performance of his/her duties, as specified in the terms of the contract of employment
29.Undertake any other duties commensurate with experience and job role as a result of changes to the service as agreed by the Consultant Head of Laboratory or Trust and reviewed as part of the annual staff appraisal
