This is an exciting opportunity to support the Pathology Clinical Support Unit with its governance activities, as well as playing a key part in driving forwards the service improvement programme through collaborative working with individual specialities.

The Leeds Teaching Hospitals Pathology service is part of the WYAAT regional network (West Yorkshire Association of Acute Hospital Trusts). We will deliver centralised regional testing services using state of the art analytical technology, provided as part of a new managed service contract and a new laboratory information management system to support fully integrated workflows.

The successful candidate will work closely with the Quality Lead and a team of Quality Managers to continue to embed our new electronic quality management system. They will develop advanced skills in leadership, quality management and service improvement, using their expertise to help shape the future design and day to day delivery of cutting-edge services.

Main duties of the job

You will be a dedicated individual committed to continuously improving and monitoring service quality for the benefit of our patients and engaging others in doing so.

Key duties will include working closely with the Quality Lead and a strong team of Quality Managers to:

Provide training and guidance to departmental teams on the use of service improvement techniques, helping to embed the Leeds Improvement Method across all services

Co-plan and implement improvements to quality systems and processes

Deliver quality management system training to department leadership teams

Coordinate change controls in relation to changes spanning multiple departments

Provide system administration of the CSU electronic quality management system (Q-Pulse)

Support the Quality Lead in preparing reports and presentations for Quality and Governance Forums

Co-design policies and procedures relating to quality systems and processes including compliance monitoring mechanisms

Represent the CSU at Trust Quality/Governance forums

About us

The Leeds Teaching Hospitals Pathology service is part of the WYAAT regional network (West Yorkshire Association of Acute Hospital Trusts). We are a leading provider of clinical laboratory services and will deliver centralised regional testing services using state of the art analytical technology, provided as part of a new managed service contract and a new laboratory information management system to support fully integrated workflows.

The Pathology Quality Team plays a key role in ensuring that our services are fully optimised to the needs of our patients, working closely across the disciplines to design and implement systems to both manage and continuously improve service quality. There is a strong culture of support, empowerment and innovative thinking with lots of idea sharing and team working across departments. This team ethic is supported by having well-aligned and integrated processes.

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

The post holder is responsible for supporting the CSU Quality Lead to facilitate the ongoing accreditation and development of the quality systems within Pathology. The post holder will assist the Quality Lead in the development and maintenance of a quality and service improvement programme across all specialities within the CSU.

The post holder will assist and support the senior team in ensuring the delivery of CSU wide compliance with statutory, mandatory and national clinical governance standards and support the team to ensure good clinical governance practice across the services.

The post holder will co-ordinate multi-speciality meetings, activities with other professions and agencies. The post holder will be able to initiate the planning and coordination of these activities. The post holder will be able to manage a number of these complex activities at any time on a daily basis.

The post holder will attend meetings and provide administrative support to CSU colleagues as required, for example during Peer Review.

The post holder will also be involved in the development and maintenance of audit schedules, monthly reports, service improvements and root cause analysis where needed within the CSU.

Quality system(s) and/or projects will be allocated to the post holder who will be responsible for ensuring day to day management and updating of the quality systems. The post holder will be expected to attain basic knowledge of all areas and discuss and highlight incidents as they occur.

The post holder will collate information for the CSU Governance and other quality meetings across the CSU. The post holder will attend meetings, take minutes and liaise with staff to ensure that actions are completed.

The post holder will support the quality team education program, booking rooms, updating calendars and spreadsheets and preparing materials for quality forum meetings.

The post holder will collate the complaints for the CSU and ensure accurate and up to date records and tracking logs are maintained as well as assisting the managers with completing responses.

The post holder will track all investigations via a dashboard and upload action logs to DATIX.

The post holder will support the CSU leadership teams in undertaking Patient Safety Incident Response Framework Investigations.

The post holder will support the quality administrator team within the CSU with quality management system alignment work and training in quality systems and processes.

The post holder will be required to travel and work across hospital sites within the Trust.

Qualifications essential criteria

Educated to degree level or above (or equivalent experience).

Advanced keyboard skills and ECDL or equivalent level of knowledge for Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Qualifications desirable

Service Improvement Certification (or actively working towards). E.g., Leeds Improvement Method Course.

Experience essential criteria

Demonstrable analytical skills, including the ability to analyse and communicate issues effectively.

Demonstrable ability to break down problems into critical elements and to identify solutions.

Experience of delivering presentations and participating at meetings and workshops.

Interpersonal skills including the ability to lead influence and motivate staff.

The ability to engage and work collaboratively with key stakeholder groups.

Proven ability to work under pressure and managing priorities appropriately.

Experience of monitoring progress against targets and reporting as necessary.

Demonstrates an understanding of project planning and management techniques.

knowledge of Data Protection, and confidentiality issues and requirements

Demonstrable ability to provide clear, concise and high-quality responses to queries from staff members, including an appreciation of when to consult senior colleagues.

Experience desirable

Experience in the use of service improvement methodology within a clinical laboratory setting

Evidence of recent and continued professional development, commensurate with evolving scope of practice.

Skills and Behaviour essential

Excellent problem-solving skills.

Capable of working with staff at all levels.

Self-motivated and able to work autonomously to achieve objectives without reference to a manager.

Team worker.

A professional attitude towards all staff & patients during incidental or planned contact

Strong written & verbal communication skills.

Use appropriate behaviour when dealing with patients and staff in difficult situations.

Skill and Behaviour desirable

N/A

Other Criteria/additional requirements

Understanding of clinical governance and quality management activities

Experience of applying quality management skills within a clinical laboratory setting

Service improvement knowledge

Understanding of the Leeds Improvement Method: theory and practical application

Person Specification

Skills and Behaviours

Essential

• Excellent problem-solving skills.
• Capable of working with staff at all levels.
• Self-motivated and able to work autonomously to achieve objectives without reference to a manager.
• Team worker.
• A professional attitude towards all staff & patients during incidental or planned contact.
• Strong written & verbal communication skills.
• Use appropriate behaviour when dealing with patients and staff in difficult situations.
• An ability to analyse and resolve highly complex problems where there is no precedent.
• Ability to sustain the necessary concentration when analysing complex issues. Can effectively deal with interruptions from staff during this time.
• Use of Microsoft Office applications, commercial electronic quality management software, incident management software (e.g. DATIX)
• Use of electronic quality management systems
• Development and monitoring of project plans.

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree level or above (or equivalent experience).
• English Language and Mathematics at GCSE Grade C/higher or equivalent.
• Advanced keyboard skills and ECDL or equivalent level of knowledge for Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Desirable

• Evidence of continued professional development.

Experience

Essential

• Understanding of clinical governance and quality management activities.
• Understanding of the Leeds Improvement Method: theory and practical application

Desirable

• Experience of applying quality management skills within a clinical laboratory setting
• Service improvement knowledge

Employer details

Employer name

Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Address

Leeds General Infirmary

Great George Street

Leeds

LS1 3EX

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

C9298-PATH-388