Reception Supervisor (Immunology) London, England
Job description
1. To manage on a day to day basis, the Biomedical Support Workers within the Immunology Specimen Reception to ensure an effective and quality led service for specimen reception.
1. To supervise the Biomedical Support Workers (BSW) in providing a professional laboratory service through a comprehensive programme of training and competency
1. To contribute to the efficient and effective running of department and sections as appropriate.
1. To provide technical services to patients that may include research and audit samples.
1. To use and technical skills to assist in determining the preanalytical effects on the clinical significance of results of laboratory tests.
***PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO A HIGH VOLUME OF APPLICANTS, THIS VACANCY MAY CLOSE EARLY ***
1. To oversee and contribute to work within the Immunology specimen reception area, reporting to the Immunology manager.
2. To analyse complex workload data on spreadsheets to ensure that staff are deployed appropriately. Organise rotas and arrange for cover as appropriate.
3. To undertake routine operative maintenance schedules.
4. To contribute towards a culture of quality in the department.
5. To assist in the non-interpretive assessment of the relevance and importance of diagnostic test requests, work in progress and test results.
6. To assist in the assessment of the clinical importance and urgency of test requests and results.
7. To use technical skills which have been competency assessed to assist in determining the significance of results of laboratory tests.
1. To have the ability to enter and retrieve information from local Trust IT administrative systems to support South West London Pathology senior officers in undertaking their role.
2. To understand and perform your work in accordance with the standard operational policies.
3. Ensure that documentation is maintained to the SWL Pathology standard.
4. Be able to solve problems within work area and refer unresolved problems to a more senior member of staff.
5. To prepare specimens for diagnostic testing.
6. To be able to plan, organise and prioritise their work within the demands of the team.
7. To accept promptly and politely all telephone calls to the department ensuring the caller’s needs are clearly established.
South West London Pathology is an award-winning NHS pathology partnership set up by St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Croydon Health Services NHS Trust and Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to provide a single, integrated pathology service across South West London and beyond. Applications are invited for the above post in the Immunology Laboratory and Protein Reference Unit. The Department includes the Protein Reference Unit and offers a full range of immunological investigations. The department is a nationally recognised centre of excellence for specific proteins, autoimmunity and allergy testing. We hold accreditation to UKAS ISO15189:2012 and we are an accredited IBMS training centre.
We are looking for a Specimen Reception Supervisor who will oversee a small reception team.
You will contribute to the efficient and effective running of the reception team, including operation and troubleshooting of the Beckman Automate. You should be able to lead a team, plan the rota, lead huddles, deliver training, be adaptable, willing to work to deadlines, juggle multiple duties and be comfortable dealing with queries from outside sources. This will include assisting with the send away referral process for the department
Applicants must have a GCSE / O levels in Maths and English Language, or Science or equivalent. Attention to detail and good communication skills are essential.
Find out more about South West London Pathology on our website
Main Tasks and Responsibilities:
Technical Duties
1. To oversee and contribute to work within the Immunology specimen reception area, reporting to the Immunology manager but will organise own work tasks and those of the team.
1. To analyse complex workload data on spreadsheets to ensure that staff are deployed appropriately. Organise rotas and arrange for cover as appropriate to cover gaps.
1. To undertake routine operative maintenance schedules as necessary.
1. To contribute towards a culture of quality in the department and to comply and promote the quality initiatives within the department consistent with maintaining laboratory accreditation.
1. To assist in the non-interpretive assessment of the relevance and importance of diagnostic test requests, work in progress and test results.
1. To assist in the assessment of the clinical importance and urgency of test requests and results which impact on patient care.
1. To use technical skills which have been competency assessed to assist in determining the significance of results of laboratory tests, for example, by;
1. Pre-analytical processing of pathology samples for interpretation by Biomedical Scientists.
1. Assisting with a wide range of techniques using automated and non-automated technology.
1. To have the ability to enter and retrieve information from local Trust IT administrative systems to support South West London Pathology senior officers in undertaking their role; i.e. APEX, ERS, Human Resources, DATIX reporting systems.
1. To understand and perform your work in accordance with the standard operational policies using basic theoretical knowledge.
1. Ensure that documentation is maintained to the SWL Pathology standard (including electronic records).
1. Be able to solve problems within work area and refer unresolved problems to a more senior member of staff.
1. To prepare specimens for diagnostic testing.
1. To be able to plan, organise and prioritise their work within the demands of the team.
1. To accept promptly and politely all telephone calls to the department ensuring the caller’s needs are clearly established; ensuring accurate messages taken and passed on promptly; and callers are passed on to other colleagues when appropriate
Working Relationships/Communications
1. Assimilate, manage and communicate a wide range of information, some of which will be sensitive and complex and may involve matters relating to individual staff or patient matters or to matters of commercial confidence.
1. To demonstrate politeness, courtesy and sensitivity in dealing with patients/clients, visitors/relatives and colleagues, maintaining good customer relations.
1. Contribute towards sharing good practice within the department and Trust wide.
1. To promote a positive image of the Trust at all times.
1. To work cohesively with all members of the department team in ensuring that the very best services to patients are provided at all times.
1. To communicate any difficulties, problems, accidents or incidents affecting the department to a section leader/manager promptly if unable to resolve at first instance.
1. To provide and receive routine information orally to inform work colleagues or external contacts e.g. other departments, G.Ps or visitors to the department.
1. To lead the reception team meetings and contribute to effective communication within the laboratory.
1. To regularly review the annual leave diary to ensure that appropriate staffing levels are maintained.
1. To ensure, in conjunction with the manager, that the staffing rota is resilient, supervising and moving staff as per service requirements
1. Manage incoming emails, ensuring briefings and follow up actions take place and deadlines met.
Policy and Service 1. To demonstrate awareness and compliance with Trust policies and procedures such as sickness reporting, annual leave requesting, and departmental policies and procedures.
1. Be familiar with the Health and Safety policies of the Trust and the department and ensure that they are followed to maintain a safe working environment for all employees and visitors.
1. Report all incidents/complaints involving staff, patients and visitors to a senior member of staff in accordance with Trust policies and assist in any investigations as required.
1. To participate in the review and update of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Financial and Physical
1. Responsible for limited purchasing of specific supplies.
1. Replace stocks of consumables and reagents when required and inform the Immunology Manager if back up stocks are low.
Staff/ HR/Leadership, & Training
32. To manage on a day to day basis, the Biomedical Support Workers within the Immunology Specimen Reception and provide training as required.
1. To participate in on-going development activities, which will be a combination of instruction and practice.
1. To allocate staff within the Immunology Specimen Reception to respond to day to day changes in workflows, including all runner duties and sendaways.
1. To provide input and take part in staff appraisals for the Biomedical Support Workers and provide appropriate support.
1. Organise and assist in the training of new Biomedical Support Workers.
1. To ensure all Biomedical Support Workers are compliant with their mandatory training and are maintaining their training and competency folders
Information Resources
1. Undertake relevant training for electronic information systems in place & under development.
1. Undertakes data entry and inputting/recording of scientific information.
1. To resolve data entry problems and maintain correct demographic entry of patient samples.
1. To have an active e-mail account and communicate effectively through various email and electronic systems in place.
Patient/Client Care
1. To enter patient information and some test results onto the laboratory information system.
1. To provide general non-clinical advice and guidance as appropriate
1. To provide second level support for general telephone enquiries that cannot be immediately dealt with. Ability to deal with or direct enquiries to most appropriate individual within SWLP.
1. To provide second level support for all sample problems that are cannot be processed by the Biomedical Support Workers.
1. Using in-depth knowledge of working practices and SOP’s to resolve sample processing problems.
Freedom to Act
1. The post holder will work without supervision but within well-established procedures and practices. Standards and results will be set by the Central Specimen Reception Technical Lead, but the post holder may have some freedom to organise their own work in order to achieve this.
Education Training and Personal Development
1. Participate in and carry out annual appraisals where objectives will be agreed, performance monitored and personal development needs discussed.
1. To attend all statutory and mandatory training as and when required to do so.
Research and Development
1. To be involved with the evaluation and introduction of new methods/investigations as directed by senior staff.
1. Participate in the collection of audit and research data as required.
1. Work with the Immunology Manager to organise protocols regarding clinical trial work.
General
1. To participate as required in the departmental rota
1. Expected to work within the SWL Pathology Quality Management Systems.
1. To undertake such duties as may be required from time to time as are consistent with the responsibilities of the grade and the needs of the service.
The following responsibilities are common to all posts in the Trust and should be included at some point in the job description.
- To have responsibility for the Health, Safety and Welfare of self and others and to comply at all times with the requirement of the Health and Safety Regulations.
- To ensure confidentiality at all times, only releasing confidential information obtained during the course of employment to those acting in an official capacity in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act and its amendments.
- To work in accordance with the Trust’s Equality and Diversity policy to eliminate unlawful discrimination in relation to employment and service delivery.
- To promote at all times equal opportunities for staff and patients in accordance with the Trust’s policies to ensure that no person receives less favourable treatment than another on the grounds of: age; disability; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race (ethnicity); religion or belief; sex (gender); gender reassignment or sexual orientation.
- To ensure skills are up-to-date and relevant to the role, to follow relevant Trust policies and professional codes and to maintain registration where this is a requirement of the role.
- To comply with the Trust’s No Smoking Policies.
- Applicable for management posts: To be trained in and demonstrate fair employment practices, in line with trust policies
