Detailed job description and main responsibilities

At Synnovis, we are currently shaping the future of pathology services by creating a world-leading Hub and Spoke pathology network with our NHS partners. A large part of this modernisation will involve moving 70% of our services to a purpose built, state of the art Hub laboratory in the heart of London. For now, the job you are applying for will be based at one of our hospital sites however, from 1 April 2024 our people and services will start to move to our Hub laboratory in Blackfriars, Southwark, SE1, with some work remaining in refurbished essential services laboratories across our hospital network, focusing on the rapid turnover of urgent tests. Please do ask your recruiting manager if you wish to find out more.

Communication

·       Participate in laboratory staff meetings and contribute to effective communication within the department relating to service issues, training needs and process changes

·       Clearly communicate development aims and outcomes to laboratory staff and to groups within the organisation. Communication at national and international meetings

·       Act as a communication link between the bioinformatics team and the laboratory team ensuring both sides have a firm understanding of the processes and limitation of use 

·       Communicate any event, which may cause service delivery failure, or other issues/problems that may affect the laboratory or the Department of Neuropathology to the operations manager or lead scientist

·       Provide and receive complex information relating to the clinical condition and treatment of patients and/or the results and interpretation of diagnostic tests to and from work colleagues or users of the service

·       Assess the clinical importance and urgency of test requests and results which impact on patient care and communicate these effectively to appropriate agencies

·       Prioritise and plan own workload within a given time period and communicate own work priorities within the team. Demonstrate flexibility in carrying out own work priorities within the team context

·       Liaise with users of the service as necessary, with direction of enquiries to the appropriate member of staff

·       Maintain courteous and professional conduct at all times with staff, patients and visitors.

·       Liaise with medical and laboratory staff at external referral centres regarding results and sample requirements

Technical

·       Assist in the development and establishment of new tests.

·       Be proactive in suggesting new technical developments and participate in the planning, development and implementation of these new developments

·       Provide a comprehensive and appropriate diagnostic service to users through the performance of manual, semi-automated and fully-automated laboratory investigations in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures

·       Ensure work is completed timely and to satisfactory standards, results are reported within the agreed turnaround times and in accordance with the relevant Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

·       Monitor outstanding work lists and turnaround times of laboratory investigations and act on information to maintain and/or improve the service provided

·       Undertake technical validation of highly complex results from laboratory investigations where necessary using judgemental expertise and ensuring accuracy and precision as specified by laboratory protocols and quality procedures

·       To analyse samples from External Quality Assessment Schemes in a timely manner, communicate performance from this to the operations manager of the laboratory

·       Implement and maintain the Quality Assurance Procedures ensuring the ISO1589 standard is met and maintained

·       Ensure documentation, analysis and graphical display of all Quality Assurance data generated by the work area

·       Review assess and initiate corrective action when Quality Control procedures indicate loss of performance

·       Assess, initiate and monitor appropriate action when a situation may cause service delivery failure

·       Review and revise laboratory SOP on a regular basis and advise the operations manager of any material changes

·       Provide laboratory support where required

Scientific

·       Maintain registration with the Healthcare Professions Council (HCPC)

·       Maintain a portfolio that demonstrates CPD achievement and pass on knowledge to other staff where appropriate

• In conjunction with the service delivery manager and the scientific lead develop, evaluate and implement new tests and processes

·       Undertake laboratory instrument evaluation as directed by the scientific lead and contribute to service development supported by evidence-based practice

·       Participate in research and development as directed

·       Understand how changes in the workflow will affect the delivery of a safe, robust high quality service for all users of the laboratory

Clinical

·       Understand the genotype/ phenotype relationship in depth with respect to at least two diseases reported by the laboratory

·       Participate in the signing out of clinical reports for conditions you have been assessed to be competent in

·       Assess the clinical relevance and importance of diagnostic test requests, work in progress and test results

·       Use interpretive skills to determine clinical significance of laboratory results and take appropriate action including:

Ø  Authorisation of laboratory investigations

Ø  Ordering relevant follow-up laboratory procedures

Ø  Adding relevant technical and clinically relevant comments

Ø  Referring results for second opinion

Ø  Informing the requestor/medical staff of clinically significant results

·       Efficient management of patients' clinical material and maintenance of a safe ethical system of storage

·       Provide approved departmental information and advice to other healthcare professionals, and refer on to appropriate specialists requests for information

·       Participate in audit to highlight deficiencies in the pre-examination, examination and post-examination process, as required by the operational manager

Laboratory Informatics

·       Comply with local and national policies for the safe, secure and confidential processing and storage of patient and other laboratory information

·       Be familiar with and proficient in the use of the Laboratory Information System’s (LIMS) in accordance with the relevant SOP's

·       Understand the laboratory data processing systems and their limitations

·       Be competent in the use of the Quality Management system ensuring all appropriate documentation is in date and recorded 

·       Records are kept up to date and stored safely to ensure compliance with good work practices required for the ISO15189 standards

·       Maintain the integrity and accuracy of laboratory databases

·       Assist the operations manager to collect and monitor management and operational performance data including turnaround times, workload and materials consumption

Staff Management

·       Participate in the training of staff in the areas in which the post holder has been assessed as competent

·       Participate in the work supervision and performance monitoring of less experienced State Registered Clinical Scientists, trainees and support staff ensuring that competency standards are maintained

·       Perform skill, knowledge and conduct assessments of staff working in the area and ensure that the required competency standards are maintained

·       Contribute to a learning environment and facilitate the CPD of staff in conjunction with the operations manager/ scientific lead and Training and Quality Manager

Risk Management

• The post holder has a general duty of care for the health, safety and wellbeing of work colleagues, visitors and patients within the hospital
• Work within the departmental Health and Safety Policy and Code of Practice and maintain Health and Safety Standards in the laboratory ensuring less experienced staff also conform to the regulations
• Participate in the review of laboratory policies and procedures, COSHH and associated risk assessments
• Responsible for the documentation, reporting and remedial action required following adverse incidents arising in the work area
• Ensure laboratory equipment is maintained in a safe clean working condition and that equipment is decontaminated and 'permit to work certificates' are issued to engineers prior to servicing
• Ensure mandatory training is kept up to date and documented correctly