The Department of Blood Sciences is seeking to recruit experienced and innovative Biomedical Scientists in Clinical Biochemistry to help shape, deliver and improve the service we deliver to our patients. This is an exciting time to join one of the largest Pathology departments in the country, in advance of moving to our new �30m Pathology building (on the St. Jamess University Hospital site) and new Acute Hospital Laboratory (on the Leeds General Infirmary site).

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will work within a large hub laboratory utilising cutting edge technology, serving both Leeds Teaching Hospitals and the wider community. This includes the regional Oncology centre and the Leeds Children's Hospital, which is a unique opportunity for the successful candidate to gain wide ranging experience within the discipline.

To be considered for this Specialist Biomedical Scientist (AFC Band 6) position in Clinical Biochemistry, you must be registered with the HCPC and have the relevant Clinical Biochemistry experience. If registering with the HCPC on or after 2006, a completed IBMS Specialist Portfolio is a requirement of this post. Successful candidates should possess the leadership skills to supervise and support more junior members of staff within the laboratory. In addition, the candidate will support the department maintain its accreditation status to ISO15189. Relevant training and support will be provided for the successful candidate.

We encourage all candidates to contact us to discuss the role(s) and we can offer informal visits to our laboratories for interested candidates. Please contact: Andy Smith on 0113 3923382 or andrew.smith78@nhs.net

About us

Our Pathology services operate across two large university teaching hospitals in the Leeds Metropolitan area with a population of around 2.3 million and provide services both regionally and nationally. In addition to the new laboratory projects, we are also working to deploy a West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT) regional LIMS, and a new Managed Pathology Service Contract. Construction on the new Leeds Children's Hospital is also about to start, which will include all in-patient maternity and specialist neonatal services to become the largest single site maternity centre in the UK.

The successful candidate will be well supported by the wider scientific and clinical teams. The Blood Sciences Department is accredited to ISO15189 and by the IBMS as a training laboratory in both Clinical Biochemistry and Haematology.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk' members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any questions.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details please refer to the attached job description

Clinical/ Scientific /Technical

-Perform a wide range of complex technical procedures. These will include the safe and effective use of highly complex laboratory equipment. Your level of knowledge and understanding of these procedures will be consistent with that to allow you to recognise system failures and errors. You will understand the need to report adverse events in the event of such errors and failures using appropriate laboratory and Trust policies.

-Use of LIMS to enter, manage, retrieve, interpret, validate and authorise complex patient information and results.

-To be an integral member of a team providing a clinical technical service and a high quality laboratory service.

-To work independently when and as required by the service, for instance when working alone in the provision of the emergency on-call service or providing urgent results. The postholder as a specialist scientist within their field will be guided by principles and broad occupational policies/SOPs within the confines of the Quality Management System.

-To work with precision and follow accurately the documented laboratory standard operating procedures

-Communication of complex, clinical technical information to users of the service to users of the service in a manner that is in accordance with departmental procedures. This may include providing specialist clinical technical advice to clinical teams

-Have knowledge and understanding of current national legislation and guidelines relevant to the speciality

-To undertake specialist clinical technical investigations for the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of disease

-Under direction of the team lead co-ordinates effective workflow management with prioritisation of samples received within specialist area

-Development and validation of in house quality control material and reagents in conjunction with section leadership.

-To participate in equipment testing, validation and adaptation as a function of service development

-To operate, maintain highly complex laboratory equipment safely and efficiently. Use specialist expertise for complex trouble shooting and resolution of technical equipment failure and analytical processes.

-This job requires a high degree of dexterity and precision when manipulating small tools such as pipettes, handling very small volumes of clinical material or when preparing microscope slides for examination by others. In order to achieve the required turnaround times the work must be performed with both speed and accuracy

Leadership and Management

-To provide leadership and contribute to general departmental management, for instance, by producing rotas, assisting in the ordering, receipt and control of consumables,

-HR responsibilities including actively participating in line management, attendance management, recruitment and departmental appraisal scheme.

-The postholder will be responsible for the day to day management of a group of staff and the supervision of qualified staff or students.

-To plan and prioritise the designated workload within a laboratory section and assist in the organization of tasks undertaken by other scientists and support workers

-To demonstrate relevant tasks to others as appropriate and complete relevant training and competency paperwork

-To take account of changes in service delivery by demonstrating a flexible approach to work

-Actively supports and encourages individual and team development

-To deputise for more senior staff where appropriate

-Leads waste reduction incentives for designated area

-Contributes to management reports

-Supports collaborative team working across all sections.

Quality / Training

-To be involved in the production of laboratory documentation such as SOPs, risk assessments and training records

-Supports a robust programme of training and competency assessment within the area of specialist responsibility, ensuring that procedures are only undertaken by staff with the requisite knowledge and skills at all times

-To contribute actively towards the improvement of service quality by participation in relevant discussions with other team members including staff and departmental meetings

-Participate actively in departmental internal and external quality assurance schemes. Your level of knowledge and understanding will allow you to recognise when expected levels of quality have not been met.

-Manages key performance indicators in specialist area. This includes supporting section lead in the monitoring and performance of IQC and EQA.

-Support appropriate clinical trials involving the laboratory

-Contributes to audit completion in specialist area

-Contributes to H& S compliance and audits in specialist area

-Contributes to QMS compliance/alignment in specialist area

-Conducts incident investigations and risk management including Datix

-Monitoring of results to identify any unexpected trends in assay performance

-Supports with research, development and evaluation of new methods/instruments/tests, including verification of new technologies/tests in specialist area

-Leads continuous service improvement in specialist area

-Leads service continuity plans for specialist area

-Leads implementation of corrective actions from audits

-Maintain patient confidentiality. You will recognise the absolute requirement to protect sensitive information that is related to patient care.

-Observe the requirements of departmental policies relating to service provision, for example sample labelling and adverse event reporting.

-To maintain registered status as a biomedical scientist with the Health Care Professions Council

-Participate in the maintenance of a safe working environment. This will include an awareness of the hazards associated with your work. In addition you will be made aware of any suitable actions to take in the event of breaches in health and safety. Such hazards include fire, manual handling, breaches of security, controlled and uncontrolled exposure to chemical, biological and radioactive materials.

Other

-To gain new knowledge through experience, formal study and participation in relevant training schemes including CPD.

-The post holder will be expected to gain competence in techniques to enable participation in the delivery of 24 hour Pathology service. This entails contracted participation in a 24/7 rota and / or the out of hour rota.

-The post holder will be required to work cross site locations (LGI & SJUH) if the service requires it.

-Any other duties commensurate with grade following discussion with line manager

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree (or equivalent) suitable for HCPC registration.
• HCPC Registration
• IBMS Specialist portfolio (2006 registration onwards)
• Competence in a wide range of complex laboratory procedures
• Participation in relevant CPD schemes

Skills & behaviours

Essential

• Proven ability to work unsupervised e.g. on-call or shift.
• Excellent communication skills, oral and written.
• Able to work in a team. Able to work independently.
• Knowledge of conventional IT software e.g. Microsoft Office
• Flexible approach to work

Desirable

• Knowledge of pathology disciplines other than in own area.
• Multidisciplinary experience
• Line management experience and leadership skills

Additional Requirements

Essential

• Physically able to move around and between sites

Experience

Essential

• Post registration experience within the speciality

Employer details

Employer name

Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Address

St. James's University Hospital

Beckett Street

Leeds

LS9 7TF

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

C9298-PATH-252