Job vacancy: Senior Biomedical Scientist, Biochemistry, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, Blackburn

Job summary

Main area: Biomedical Scientist
Grade: NHS AfC: Band 7
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref: 435-D074-24

Employer: East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
Town: Blackburn
Salary: £43,742 - £50,056 per annum
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 09/05/2024 23:59

Senior Biomedical Scientist, Biochemistry

NHS AfC: Band 7

At East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 600,000 people across East Lancashire and the surrounding area. We employ over 9,500 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main duties and responsibilities

Communication

To demonstrate politeness, courtesy and sensitivity in dealing with patients/clients, visitors/relatives and colleagues, maintaining good customer / client relations.
Participate in organisational development plans to transform the department to meet the needs of the future; this will include upholding ELHT shared values.
To demonstrate constructive and cooperative communication skills that avoid conflict arising between the parties involved.
To liaise internally with key clinical staff e.g. Consultant medical staff, clinical lead nurses, non-clinical staff and their managers, and operational management staff.
To represent Biochemistry for issues relating to their particular areas of responsibility, this may involve working with outside agencies and partners.
Foster the development of teamwork and good communication within Biochemistry.
To participate in local management meetings decision making and policy implementation.
Together with the Clinical Director, Consultant Clinical Biochemist and Directorate Manager, ensure complaints both verbal and written are responded to, preparing preliminary findings and initial drafts; undertake investigation and route cause analysis.

Management and Leadership/Operational Delivery

To exercise change, management and leadership skills to enable service delivery
To work with the Biochemistry Managers in ensuring Biochemistry delivers a quality and responsive clinical and technical service for ELHT and associated stakeholders and partners, providing professional leadership and line management.
To take a proactive role in implementing long term strategic developments within Biochemistry in response to service improvement or clinical demand.
To analyse demand and capacity and recommend service configuration and change models, which will make the most efficient use of available resources.

Service Development & Planning

To ensure that Biochemistry has access to / knowledge of latest developments in automation and technologies.
To assist with the co-ordination, submission and implementation of proposals for service development that will improve the effectiveness or efficiency of service provision within Biochemistry.
In conjunction with the Biochemistry Managers be responsible for identifying service pressures and devising action plans or business cases / plans as appropriate.
To inform and ensure that the Blood Sciences annual objectives are met.
Be responsible for managing and implementing projects/developments at the discretion of the Lead BMS
To plan and support the implementation of service improvements in laboratory areas, including skill mix review, demand and capacity planning and process mapping.

Financial

To manage staffing rotas in a cost effective manner in order to meet service and workload demands.
To facilitate the cost effective purchasing of all consumables within Blood Sciences and ensure that robust control measures/processes are in place and adhered to.

Quality and Governance

In conjunction with the Laboratory Operations Manager be responsible for ensuring that the requirements of the Quality Management System and appropriate external standards (UKAS) are met within
With the Biochemistry Managers, to be responsible for ensuring the department meets quality targets including turn-around times and consistency of test results.
Together with the Laboratory Operations Manager, to be responsible for interpreting relevant statutory and accreditation requirements, clinical governance, risk management and quality audit policies and procedures of the Trust and integrating these into standard practice within Biochemistry.
To ensure the procedures for the reporting of all incidents and Serious Untoward Incidents (SUI) are adhered to and reviewed as necessary ensuring, where appropriate, relevant action plans are drawn up and actions completed.
Working with the Directorate Manager, ensure that Biochemistry has an annual internal audit plan and that the planned audits are completed to agreed timescales, including corrective actions.
Working with the Biochemistry Managers, to follow up on external inspections, develop action plans and verify the completion of corrective action as required by the reports of the inspectors.
To monitor the requirements of Biochemistry users and ensure that they are reflected within defined quality performance measures.

Human Resources

To participate in the recruitment and selection of staff for the Biochemistry Department.
To manage, design and deliver training to staff within the department and to any relevant external departments.
To manage competence assessment for staff in Biochemistry.
To manage staffing rotas of the staff in Biochemistry, ensuring staffing levels are appropriate for effective service delivery.
Undertake return to work interviews
To carry out staff Personal Development Reviews consistent with Trust policy.
To encourage and motivate staff, providing the skills and leadership qualities necessary to manage the change process towards excellence both in service and culture.
To utilise and manage staff in the most cost effective and efficient manner.
To ensure that performance appraisal is implemented as required for all staff to enhance team and individual performance.
To maintain an environment of constructive, cooperative and non-confrontational communication with all members of the Blood Sciences team.
To identify development opportunities for all appropriate staff and encourage participation in such opportunities.
To develop team morale and motivation through effective personal leadership, ensuring views and decisions are communicated both up and down the management structure.

Personal/Education

To maintain HCPC registration as a Biomedical Scientist.
To make decisions in setting your own personal targets and objectives as part of the Trust’s PDR system.
Able to develop and improve own specialist expertise, which may be via a CPD programme. Maintain a portfolio of relevant developments achieved.
To demonstrate knowledge of all Trust Policies and procedures.

Freedom to act

Work autonomously, able to interpret Local, Trust and National policies.

Scientific / Clinical

To be familiar, at an expert level, with all scientific work and systems within Biochemistry, to be able to identify and rectify problems.
When required, perform analytical work within the department as part of a 24/7 working pattern including weekend and night time working.
To have a detailed understanding of Biochemistry and offer up advice as the Trust lead for any issues that might arise.
Work with the Pathology IT manager to ensure the discipline specific modules of the LIMS are maintained and fit for purpose

Other Duties

To undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade as requested.

PHYSICAL & EMOTIONAL DEMANDS

Line management duties requiring negotiation and persuasion.
High level of manual dexterity is required whilst working.
Use of display screen equipment (e.g. computers) frequently throughout the day.
Required to sit or stand for lengthy periods of time.
Some exposure to unpleasant and hazardous working conditions - chemicals, solvents, body fluids and potentially infectious materials.
The demands of the service require working to strict deadlines in a high-pressure environment with numerous distractions, for example frequent telephone queries and questions from other departmental staff.
Long periods of intense concentration are required due to the complex and intricate nature of the work.
Required to deal with results and clinical situations, which may cause distress.
May be required to take part in a 24/7 shift system which includes weekend and night time working.

Training

Post holders are required to attend any relevant and mandatory training for the post.

Review of Job Description

This is not intended to be a comprehensive description of the duties of the post. Due to the Trusts commitment to continuous improvement it is likely that the post will develop over time. These duties will be subject to regular review and any amendments to this job description will be made in consultation and agreement with the post holder.

Person specification

Qualification/Professional registration

Essential criteria

HCPC registered Biomedical Scientist
IBMS approved Honours degree
MSC in Biomedical Science, Clinical Chemistry or FIBMS by examination in Clinical Chemistry (if registered before 1994)

Desirable criteria

Previous experience within a Biochemistry department
Experience of training and competence assessment of laboratory staff.
Extensive knowledge of Biochemistry techniques, equipment and IT.
Experience in management of staff

Dear Potential Applicant,

It is important you are made aware of the following as regards your application to East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

Please note that the salary advertised is for full time hours. If this post is less than 37.5 hours per week, the salary will be pro-rata. For posts on Agenda for Change pay-scales, new entrants to the NHS will normally commence on the first pay point of the relevant band.
This vacancy may close before the closing date if the recruiting manager deems sufficient applications have been received. Therefore it is advised to complete your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Please ensure you check the email account from which you apply regularly as we will use this to contact you regarding your application.
Please note that shortlisting is completed anonymously with candidates being assessed against the essential criteria for the post. Therefore only applicants, who can clearly demonstrate how they meet our person specification criteria in their application, will be short-listed.

Disclosure and Barring Scheme (DBS)

If the role you are applying for is identified as either controlled or regulated activity as defined in in the Safeguarding vulnerable Groups Act (2006) any offer of employment is provisional upon a satisfactory DBS check being obtained.

The healthcare sector is exempted from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

In line with other NHS organisations in the North West Region, the Trust is now passing the charge for undertaking a DBS check on to candidates in the event they are successfully appointed into the post for which they have applied. Candidates can choose whether to pay this over 1-3 months as a deduction from the monthly salary. However, if you are applying for a post as a BANK worker, the payment must be made in full at the time of employment checks. By applying for this vacancy you are agreeing to this undertaking in the event you are successfully appointed.

The cost of an Enhanced Disclosure will be £42.90 and for a Standard Disclosure £22.90 which includes a small handling fee.

This cost is not applicable for a Volunteer post

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The Trust is an equal opportunities employer, committed to improving the working lives of our staff and operates a 'Zero Tolerance' policy to aggression, violence, bullying and harassment. In addition, our aim is to help protect children and vulnerable adults by providing a first-class service to the recruitment of people into positions of trust.

We aim to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, disability or social background.

We especially welcome applications from members of our black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, as we have identified that ELHT has an under-representation of BAME employees. Appointments will be made on merit.

Applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria for the job will be interviewed if you indicate you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme.

If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process please make the recruitment services team aware as soon as possible. By telephone 01254 732075 or email [email protected] or write to Employment Services, Parkview Offices, Haslingden Road, Blackburn, BB2 3HH