Job summary
- Main area
- Histocompatibility and immunogenetics
- Grade
- Band 8B
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 120-HS005-0224
- Employer
- Welsh Blood Service
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Welsh Blood Service
- Town
- Talbot Green
- Salary
- £59,857 - £69,553 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 06/05/2024 23:59
Employer heading
UK NEQAS for H&I Manager
Band 8B
Thank you for your interest in working for the Welsh Blood Service (WBS), which is a committed equal opportunities employer. WBS welcomes applications from people who share our vision;
Velindre University NHS Trust will be recognised locally, nationally and internationally as a renowned organisation of excellence for patient and donor care, education and research.
Our values;
- BE Accountable
- BE Bold
- BE Caring
- BE Dynamic
and who will complement our current experienced and specialist employees, who are passionate about working in an organisation with the ambition to provide world class services & care to our donors.
The WBS is immensely proud of the vital role it plays in modern healthcare, striving to save and transform lives through the generosity of donors. WBS is an amazing place to work and develop your career. Our caring and motivated staff are designing, developing and delivering improvements through the Supply Chain 2020 (BSC2020) initiative, which will enable the WBS to strive towards its vision of working with our staff & the people of Wales to deliver an easy to use, safe and sustainable service for blood and stem cell donation.
Applications may be submitted in Welsh. Applications submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.
Please check your email account regularly. Successful applicants will receive all recruitment related correspondence via the email account registered on the application form.
Please be advised that there is a temporary top up for Bands 1,2 and 3 to reflect the incorporation of the top up to the living wage of £12 per hour - £23,465 per annum. This temporary top up will be in place until the annual pay uplift for 2024/25 is confirmed
Job overview
A unique opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic HCPC registered Scientist, to permanently join a friendly, professional and busy team dedicated to providing External Quality Assessment (EQA) services to laboratories.
Based in the Welsh Transplantation Laboratory at the Welsh Blood Service, the post holder will be responsible for the management and co-ordination of the UK National External Quality Assessment Service for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (UK NEQAS for H&I) activities to ensure effective and efficient delivery of services.
This involves leading a specialist team to deliver 19 histocompatibility and immunogenetics related EQA schemes, and provide a high quality ISO 17043 accredited service for laboratories in the UK and internationally.
The duties of the post are varied and interesting, and the successful individual will have an active role in relevant research, the strategic development of the Service, and the opportunity to provide leadership in quality improvement in laboratory testing on an international basis. The post holder will work closely with the UK NEQAS Director, Steering Committee, and communicate with a wide range of service users/stakeholders including those in participating laboratories, the diagnostic industry, professional bodies, other UK NEQAS Centres and accreditation agencies (e.g. UKAS). The role is also part of the Transplantation Services Department leadership team.
Main duties of the job
Accountable for the operation and service delivery of UK NEQAS for histocompatibility and immunogenetics (H&I), managing and co-ordinating multiple external quality assessment (EQA) schemes to support optimal patient care, by monitoring the accuracy of patient sample testing, analysis and interpretative performance of national and international clinical laboratories. This requires highly specialised scientific and clinical knowledge across the breadth of H&I services, to ensure effective EQA scheme provision and provide advice and assistance to customer laboratories and external organisations. Alongside the UK NEQAS Director, the post holder will be the principal subject matter expert on H&I EQA in the UK.
Working for our organisation
Here at Velindre University NHS Trust we are extremely proud of the specialist services we provide across the whole of Wales in our cutting-edge Velindre Cancer Centre and our award-winning Welsh Blood Service, as well as the expertise of our corporate functions that bring the two divisions together. We are also fortunate to host the NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership and Health Technology Wales and have developed strong partnership working with these expert services.
Formed in 1999, the Trust has a dedicated workforce that continuously strives to apply the key principles of value based healthcare through a wide array of roles. We play a vital role in the communities we support and have ambitious plans for the future to continue to improve the services we deliver. We strive to maintain our core values in everything we do by being; accountable, bold, caring and dynamic, and ensuring the best possible care for our patients and donors.
If you want to work for an organisation that prides itself on making a real difference and offers exciting career opportunities then Velindre University NHS Trust is the place for you.
Visit our website to find out more https://velindre.nhs.wales/
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- Responsible for the operational management, co-ordination and delivery of all UK NEQAS for H&I activities to ensure effective, efficient and safe delivery of high-quality services including the achievement of key performance targets.
- Apply highly specialist scientific knowledge and expertise in histocompatibility and immunogenetics to advise national and international laboratories participating in UK NEQAS for H&I schemes, including dealing with laboratory EQA performance issues.
- Provide scientific leadership and contribute to the strategic development of UK NEQAS for H&I schemes.
- Represent UK NEQAS for H&I at national and international groups and at wider EQA governance meetings in the UK.
- Lead and manage the UK NEQAS for H&I team to ensure compliance with all relevant local and national targets and standards, working within the appropriate governance, safety, quality, risk, and regulatory framework.
- Lead delivery of a co-ordinated programme of service user education which will involve webinars, conferences and the production of scientific papers and presentations at national and international scientific meetings.
- Part of the Transplantation Services Leadership Team.
You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click “Apply now” to view in Trac
Person specification
Qualifications and Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Educated to Masters degree level in H&I, biological science or closely related subject (e.g. BSHI Diploma).
- Registered as a Healthcare Scientist with the Health and Care Professions Council.
- Part 1 examination of the Royal College of Pathologists in Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics.
- Expert theoretical and practical knowledge across H&I.
- Knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation, regulations, national standards including ISO 17043, EFI.
- Knowledge and understanding of delivery and governance of UK NEQAS external quality assessment schemes.
- Evidence of Participation in Continual professional development
Desirable criteria
- Welsh Speaker (Level 1) or willingness to work towards.
- Evidence of a recognised management/leadership qualification.
- PhD
- FRCPath
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience working in an Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics laboratory.
- Experience in leading and managing the work of others.
- Experience of working in a regulated environment.
- Management of budgets
- Scientific publications.
- Delivering presentations to a scientific audience.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of delivery of External Quality Assessment service
- Experience of contributing to strategic objectives, standards and policy development.
- Experience of customer care and marketing.
- Established professional networks.
Skills and Attributes
Essential criteria
- Good time management skills with proven ability to prioritise conflicting demands, working to tight deadlines.
- Successful change and project management skills.
- Excellent organisation and interpersonal skills.
- Tactful and diplomatic
- Ability to interpret & ensure implementation of policies.
- Excellent written and verbal communication, reporting and presentation skills.
- Able to communicate highly complex technical and scientific information to a range of healthcare professionals and lay individuals.
- Able to concentrate for prolonged periods of time.
- Able to exercise expert judgement when dealing with complex scientific and technical issues.
- Able to perform complex scientific analysis of data.
Other
Essential criteria
- Able to travel and work away for business, with notice and when required.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
Welsh language skills are desirable
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Deborah Pritchard
- Job title
- Head of Transplantation Services
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01443 622175
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