Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1) Technical Role

·        Responsibility for ensuring all tests are performed according to established laboratory standard operating procedures and within agreed turnaround times.

·        To ensure the quality of the analytical service is maintained to UKAS ISO 15189:2022 standards.

·        Responsibility for ensuring safe use of expensive and complex equipment by undertaking regular in house maintenance and maintaining appropriate records.

·        To inform Team Leaders and initiate any troubleshooting and problem solving in relation to errors with equipment, methodologies and quality control.

·        To comply with quality control procedures and utilise the data to ensure accuracy of patient results.

·        Ensure regular Quality Control reviews are undertaking within the section.

·        Responsible for initiating repeat analysis where the validity and accuracy of the results are in doubt.

·        To assist in the maintenance of adequate stock levels of reagents and consumables.

·        To assess and check the validity and accuracy of any results produced by MLAs, Trainees & Associate Practitioners and to authorise their work.

2) Supervisory Role

·        To supervise Healthcare Science Practitioners, Trainee Biomedical Scientists, Associate Practitioners and Medical Laboratory Assistants.

·        To deputise for a Team Leader within a section and deputise at meetings in their absence.

·        Ensure good communications in order to create an efficient well motivated group of staff.

·        To be an active member of Laboratory, Section & other laboratory meetings as required.

3) Human Resources Role

·        To assist with the induction of new staff.

·        To act as mentor for new members of staff, as required

·        To help to ensure all staff follow appropriate Standard Operating Procedures and comply with Health and Safety requirements and policies.

4) Financial Role

·        Responsibility for the use of all reagents and consumables in a cost efficient way.

·        Regularly review the appropriate usage of all materials.

 5) Information Technology Role

·        As commensurate with the access level of BMS band 6 perform routine and more specialist tasks tasks on the laboratory computer system.

·        To contribute to the performance of all routine ‘housekeeping’ tasks on the laboratory computer system.

·        Use Microsoft office to produce standard operating procedures and other bench based record sheets and reports.

·        Use statistical packages to run correlations for new methodologies or equipment.

6) Professional Role

·        To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through CPD activities and maintain a portfolio which reflects personal development.

·        To be involved with the training of Healthcare Science Practitioners, Trainee Biomedical Scientists, Associate Practitioners and Medical Laboratory Assistants. To include the preparation and presentation of tutorials.

·        To keep abreast of developments in the discipline.

7) Research, Development & Clinical Governance

·        To be involved with the implementation of major items of highly complex instrumentation and evaluation of new methodologies.

·        Undertake Quality Audits as part of the departments quality management system.

·        Assist in the investigation of Datix reported incidents.

·        Participate in undertaking clinical trials and processing samples.

 8) Miscellaneous

·     Full participation in the 24 hour shift pattern is expected. This includes working at both sites, sometimes as a lone worker and under taking all shifts on a rotational basis.

·     With reference to work undertaken, especially outside routine hours, provide advice to users of the service.

·     Responsible for the initiation of repeat analyses, troubleshooting and adherence to the IQC policy in the absence of a Team Leader.

·     Attend relevant training courses and user group meetings.

·     Attend laboratory meetings (including educational meetings) whenever possible but to the minimum attendance standard set by the department.

·     Ensure all competencies are kept up-to-date.

·     To fully participate in CPD tasks required by the Dept. e.g. Monthly QC Conundrum 

·     Ensure Health and Safety (including Clinical Governance and Management of Risk) standards are maintained in order to create a safe environment for staff to work in.

·     To participate in an annual appraisal and development review meeting.

·     To comply with the Trust no smoking policy.

·     To comply with the Trusts policies with regard to kindness and respect.

 9) Additional responsibilities in Relation to Deputising for a Team Leader

·        Deputise for a Team Leader co-ordinating the activities of staff and determining work priorities in a section of the department.

·        To liaise closely with the Lab Manager/Deputy Lab Manager regarding the

·        performance of the section.

Communications & Working Relationships

The post holder will be required to communicate face-to-face and by telephone, e-mail and in writing to a wide range of health professionals and non-health professionals, including but not exclusively;
        All members of the Chemical Pathology staff across both sites
        Members of other pathology departments
       Clinicians, GPs, Nurses and other hospital and primary care staff
        Patients
        Supplier representatives and engineers 

Physical, Mental & Emotional Effort & Working Conditions

        To work as a lone practitioner as part of participation in shift working (for periods up to 12 hrs) with a large urgent workload leading to stressful working situations.

        Daily pressures and stresses of processing a high workload with frequent interruptions using sophisticated equipment to obtain accurate timely results.

        Requirement to work with absolute accuracy and speed during periods of prolonged concentration.

        Handle potentially infectious blood and body fluids, faeces etc with unpleasant smells/odours together with the risk associated in handling hazardous chemicals.

       Working on contaminated equipment or work areas.

        Potential of sharps injury.

        Working in hot conditions with protective clothing, coats, gloves and goggles.

        Constant background noise from equipment.

        Make frequent repetitive movements.

        Requirement for a considerable amount of manual dexterity in processing paediatric samples and maintaining equipment. Maintenance often involves use of delicate instruments whilst working on highly sensitive and complex analytical equipment where accuracy of setup is crucial to the delivery of correct results.

        Limited amount of lifting, bending but a considerable amount of standing.

       Frequent long periods of use of a VDU

Additional Contact Information:

Name: Jeff Keast

Job Title: HCS Chemical Pathology Deputy Laboratory Manager

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 0300 422 5237