Senior Biomedical Scientist (Virology) Blackpool, England
Job description
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Senior Biomedical Scientist position within Virology at Blackpool Teaching Hospital.
The post holder will work in the context of the objectives of the Pathology Directorate and the Blackpool Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust as a registered Senior Specialist Biomedical Scientist within the Virology department.
(Please see attached Job Description and Personal Specification for further details)
(2 years previous Virology experience as a BMS is essential)
The post holder will work to meet the objectives of the Pathology Directorate and the Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust through effective teamwork, communication, planning, staffing and resource management:
They will help to provide support and assistance to the Laboratory Manager in the management of all sections of the department; to provide support and assistance to the IT Manager in implementation of new information systems; to contribute towards Health and Safety and Quality leadership for the Virology Department; to provide support and assistance to the Laboratory manager in all aspects of Health and Safety compliance in the Virology department; to participate in training activities.
The Virology department consists of 5 BMS grade and 6 AP staff across Virology and Molecular sciences at Blackpool Victoria Hospital. The laboratory is accredited by UKAS and is ISO 15189 compliant.
The Virology and Molecular sciences laboratory equipment includes the Architect i1000 and Vidas for serology, Roche COBAS 4800, Qiastat, Cepheid GeneXpert, NeuMoDx and Elitech InGenius molecular platforms, also Gemini and Fungitell STAT for Beta D Glucan.
(Please see attached Job Description and Personal Specification for further details)
(2 years previous Virology experience as a BMS is essential)
We welcome and encourage application from anyone with protected characteristics, as well as supporting reservists and Veterans who are looking for a rewarding and challenging career within the NHS and especially here at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
As one of the United Kingdom's largest coastal resort, Blackpool has plenty to offer its residents -it's not just a good place to work; it's a great place to live. In addition to its bustling centre and historic seafront, the town is world famous for its many attractions, including the famous Blackpool Tower. Blackpool also offers a number of scenic cycling routes round our local parks and across the surrounding countryside, as well as boasting panoramic views of the coast on its picturesque Promenade. Due to Blackpool's convenient location, Edinburgh in the north and London in the south can be reached within three hours by train.
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals encourages flexible working in all our roles to support staff in maintaining healthy home-life balance. Working patterns such as: part time working, self-rostering, compressed hours, annualised hours, term time, and reverse term time working can be explored. We encourage applicants to state clearly on their application forms this request and discuss these options at interview.
SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL• Work independently and autonomously when required.
- Work following appropriate Standard Operating Procedures and protocols.
- Where appropriate undertake accurate and precise sample preparation of a complex nature and allocate testing procedures accordingly.
- Perform automated, semi-automated and manual processing of specimens which may require a high level of dexterity
- Set up equipment for use by other members of staff.
- Present laboratory findings within their speciality and department.
- Analyse and make judgments on complex scientific issues on a range of options including anomalous test results.
- Coordinate basic troubleshooting of expensive analytical instruments and automated analysers.
- Coordinate preventative maintenance of automated analysers as and when required.
- Have a high level of knowledge and understanding of the laboratory information systems.
- Use laboratory information system according to protocols.
- Work and operate effectively within the Quality Management System.
- Ensure workplace and workbench areas are kept at laboratory standards.
- Observe and adhere to local and national health and safety policies.
- Maintain integrity and accuracy of laboratory databases where appropriate.
- Ensure personal compliance with professional codes of conduct.
- After appropriate training, when required, may include weekend working.
- Supervise and manage BMS and support staff within all sections of the laboratory.
- Assist the organisational Health and Safety Leads with ensuring compliance with all relevant protocols and legislation.
- Assist the Laboratory Manager in maintaining high scientific and quality standards.
- Ensure quality control measures are carried out to monitor analytical performance, take corrective action where applicable investigate and report any failures to the service delivery manager.
- Help co-ordinate Risk assessments and COSHH assessments in the department.
- Be responsible for the safe and effective use of expensive equipment for analysis.
- Be proactive in escalating any possible issues that may impact on service delivery to the Laboratory Manager.
- To ensure personal compliance with regards to mandatory, professional, and personal development according to service needs.
- To ensure personal compliance with professional codes of conduct.
- To rotate through the sections of the laboratory to maintain skills.
- To maintain personal training log in conjunction with each section.
- To ensure personal compliance with Continuous Professional Development guidelines and laboratory schemes
- To attend and contribute to department Service Review meetings discussing current issues including Health and Safety, Quality Assurance and problem solving
- To maintain awareness of future needs and contribute towards service development
- To participate in an annual Staff Development Review, Continual Professional Development, and the educational activities of the Department
- To work closely with Control of Infection in identifying and monitoring hospital-acquired infection
- To report public health results to Environmental Health Departments and give technical advice to GPs and hospital/clinic medical staff
- Effective communication with laboratory and medical staff to ensure that specimens are dealt with appropriately and in a timely fashion.
- To use information systems, specialist, and general software, in data entry and the collection and interpretation of information to assist in the provision of laboratory services.
- Liaise with GP surgeries, hospital clinics and other departments within Pathology.
- Handle telephone enquiries from service users and where required communicate test results as per departmental protocol.
- Advise service users on sample preservation and transportation to laboratory.
- Discuss with service users complex scientific, medical and sensitive information relating to patient care in accordance with departmental protocols.
- Responsible for accurate and quality indirect patient care e.g. diagnostic testing, test reporting.
- Provide advice (directly or indirectly) to users of the service and patients/ clients when answering telephone queries regarding specimen collection, containers to use availability of results.
- Assist patients /service users/carers/relatives during incidental contacts.
- Responsibility for planning and organisation of own workload in order to meet the demands of the job role.
- Prioritise workload, planning and activities of staff to manage emergency and urgent work according to protocol.
- Assist in the co-ordination of duties.
- To work as economically as is practicable at all times.
- To ensure that housekeeping duties are carried out. To ensure that work areas are kept clean and tidy and free from clutter.
- Ensure safe and efficient use of equipment, resources, and consumables at all times.
- To ensure any consumables used are in-date and to indicate on reagent log when taken from stock and to ensure that all reagents are used in appropriate quantities to minimise waste.
- Be responsible for the ownership and development of some departmental policies e.g. Standard Operating Procedures and aid in the implementation of these polices, as and when required.
- To implement new methods within allocated sections in accordance with the department’s planning, improving and development methodology (request for change/change control/results documentation etc).
- Participate in the review of local policies and procedures, COSHH and workplace risk assessments.
- Ensure standards as required by external inspection bodies are maintained and where possible improved upon.
- Participate in internal and external quality assurance programmes.
- Supervision of all staff following standard operating procedures.
- Build and maintain working relations with all members of staff and promote effective teamwork.
- Act as Virology Health and Safety Lead, responsible for day-to-day management of Health and Safety.
- Act as quality lead, responsible for day-to-day management of quality in the Virology laboratory.
- To participate in personally annual appraisals and be assessed against competences of the role.
- Maintain knowledge and skills as identified by the appraisal cycle.
- To conduct annual appraisals for a section of staff.
- Undertake mandatory training as required by the employer.
- Participate in mentoring, guidance, and knowledge transfer amongst BMS, AP and MLA staff as and when required.
- Develop and coordinate Health and Safety training within the department.
- Maintain HCPC registration and undertake Continual Professional Development.
- Data management including data entry, data manipulation and general data and word processing.
- Manage your Trust e-mail account to ensure any notifications sent to you are acted upon.
- Undertake accurate and precise data entry and technical validation of results on laboratory computer system which requires frequent periods of concentration (if appropriate within speciality).
- In accordance with departmental protocol, technically authorise results, request additional testing, and add appropriate clinical comments (escalate as appropriate).
- Compliance with local and national policies for the safe secure and confidential processing, and storage of patient and other laboratory information.
- To assist in audits and surveys, and the subsequent action plans arising.
