Job description

Job responsibilities

Main Duties

• You will be responsible for the development and design of the overarching testing framework based on expert testing knowledge and experience, tailored to the unique needs of the organisations.
• You will support the end-to-end test function including (but not limited to) development of test plans, test scripts, interface testing and creating test reports. You will adhere to the standards for testing activities by applying best practice and ensuring that auditability is maintained throughout the testing process.
• You will be responsible for the development of test scripts, using product specifications and information on Trust systems and business processes. You will need to be able assimilate complex information, translate it into workflow or process so that a test script can be written which is understandable by your team and all other stakeholders involved in the testing process.
• You will manage your own time to ensure you execute the testing scripts to plan on a daily basis. You will contribute to work planning and prioritisation, escalating risks and issues where appropriate.
• You will have good problem solving, communication and organisational skills, along with expert knowledge of testing and testing theory. Knowledge of how computer systems support patient care will be essential as will experience of working in a testing role.
• Ensure the Clinical Safety Management system is followed, and all clinical risks are assessed in conjunction with the Clinical Safety Officer.
• Champion and role model the Groups values and behaviours and support others in doing so to deliver the Group Vision and Mission successfully.
• You will be expected to work flexibly to meet the demands of a 24/7 organisation. This may mean, on occasion, working outside core office hours. In addition, the post holder will be expected to be available as part of the on-call rota as required.

Testing

• Undertake all testing activities required for the successful deployment of new/upgraded software systems.
• System testing with designated Trust clinical, administrative and operational users for new EPR implementations and existing system upgrades; advising the users of the system software changes and ensuring that all areas of the system are fully tested and that users are fully aware of the changes, providing testing updates and training where required.
• Identifying issues when testing, investigating issues by liaising with system support specialists or the end-users, where necessary ensuring full replication steps are provided to laid-down procedures, passing issues to system suppliers support desks and following up issues with the suppliers.
• Create and / or update test scripts for testing the clinical systems under the remit of the Clinical Applications Team.
• Ensure the Clinical Safety Management system is followed, and all clinical risks are assessed in conjunction with the Clinical Safety Officer.
• To plan test cycles, liaising with the relevant programme team members and if appropriate the third-party provider.
• Organise and lead initiatives to improve test processes, extend the use of tools / frameworks.
• Support the use and maintenance of test environments for systems across the estate, ensuring best practices for data quality, data consistency and supporting needs of all projects across the programme.
• To ensure that the software solutions developed for NGH, either internally or externally by a third party, meet the needs of the User and comply with the documented requirements and meet the expected quality standards.
• Working with Digital colleagues in coordinating EPR system deployments and scheduling test activities.
• Preparing and maintaining a library of test scripts and documentation
• Ensure that configuration knowledge of applications are maintained so that if required during testing, configuration changes can be made to the system and be sufficiently documented so that the changes can then be made to live, training and pre-production etc, in preparation for implementation planning and execution.
• Reporting of issues found during testing and ensuring quality replication steps are provided for each issue, allowing suppliers to investigate the issues.
• Ensuring that systems knowledge is maintained, across the portfolio of applications that are supported by the department, of how systems are being used by the Trusts end-users to ensure that all existing processes are tested to support any bug fixes or software upgrades.
• Support with the interpretation of national guidelines and policies and communicate and ensure alignment with project delivery.
• Manages project auditing and ensure lessons learned are recorded and enforced for best practice.

Communication

• Effectively liaise with all system stakeholders in the trust, including clinical users, the Digital Directorate and system suppliers.
• Effectively engage with all system stakeholders in the trust to review working practices and jointly devise new ways of working when implementing new systems or functionality.
• Communicate contentious and sensitive information appropriately.
• Deliver complex presentations to various Trust level staff.
• Support in communicating project progress to stakeholders.
• Communicate risks by escalation as required in an appropriate manner.
• Persuade Board members to address best possible outcome.
• Negotiate flexibly to ensure the best outcome for the patient and service staff.
• Communicate effectively with staff at all levels, external service provider representatives, and peer NHS organisation representatives.
• Use appropriate technologies and techniques; communicate Digital issues to a wide range audience, internal and/or external members, and providing guidance and Digital concepts.

Professional/Personal Development

• The post holder will need to develop and maintain their own knowledge of developments and legislation relevant to the service area and ensure that each function reflects current professional guidance and standards.
• The post holder will take responsibility for his or her own professional development, identifying training and educational needs and agreeing ways of addressing these with their line manager.

Job responsibilities

Main Duties

• You will be responsible for the development and design of the overarching testing framework based on expert testing knowledge and experience, tailored to the unique needs of the organisations.
• You will support the end-to-end test function including (but not limited to) development of test plans, test scripts, interface testing and creating test reports. You will adhere to the standards for testing activities by applying best practice and ensuring that auditability is maintained throughout the testing process.
• You will be responsible for the development of test scripts, using product specifications and information on Trust systems and business processes. You will need to be able assimilate complex information, translate it into workflow or process so that a test script can be written which is understandable by your team and all other stakeholders involved in the testing process.
• You will manage your own time to ensure you execute the testing scripts to plan on a daily basis. You will contribute to work planning and prioritisation, escalating risks and issues where appropriate.
• You will have good problem solving, communication and organisational skills, along with expert knowledge of testing and testing theory. Knowledge of how computer systems support patient care will be essential as will experience of working in a testing role.
• Ensure the Clinical Safety Management system is followed, and all clinical risks are assessed in conjunction with the Clinical Safety Officer.
• Champion and role model the Groups values and behaviours and support others in doing so to deliver the Group Vision and Mission successfully.
• You will be expected to work flexibly to meet the demands of a 24/7 organisation. This may mean, on occasion, working outside core office hours. In addition, the post holder will be expected to be available as part of the on-call rota as required.

Testing

• Undertake all testing activities required for the successful deployment of new/upgraded software systems.
• System testing with designated Trust clinical, administrative and operational users for new EPR implementations and existing system upgrades; advising the users of the system software changes and ensuring that all areas of the system are fully tested and that users are fully aware of the changes, providing testing updates and training where required.
• Identifying issues when testing, investigating issues by liaising with system support specialists or the end-users, where necessary ensuring full replication steps are provided to laid-down procedures, passing issues to system suppliers support desks and following up issues with the suppliers.
• Create and / or update test scripts for testing the clinical systems under the remit of the Clinical Applications Team.
• Ensure the Clinical Safety Management system is followed, and all clinical risks are assessed in conjunction with the Clinical Safety Officer.
• To plan test cycles, liaising with the relevant programme team members and if appropriate the third-party provider.
• Organise and lead initiatives to improve test processes, extend the use of tools / frameworks.
• Support the use and maintenance of test environments for systems across the estate, ensuring best practices for data quality, data consistency and supporting needs of all projects across the programme.
• To ensure that the software solutions developed for NGH, either internally or externally by a third party, meet the needs of the User and comply with the documented requirements and meet the expected quality standards.
• Working with Digital colleagues in coordinating EPR system deployments and scheduling test activities.
• Preparing and maintaining a library of test scripts and documentation
• Ensure that configuration knowledge of applications are maintained so that if required during testing, configuration changes can be made to the system and be sufficiently documented so that the changes can then be made to live, training and pre-production etc, in preparation for implementation planning and execution.
• Reporting of issues found during testing and ensuring quality replication steps are provided for each issue, allowing suppliers to investigate the issues.
• Ensuring that systems knowledge is maintained, across the portfolio of applications that are supported by the department, of how systems are being used by the Trusts end-users to ensure that all existing processes are tested to support any bug fixes or software upgrades.
• Support with the interpretation of national guidelines and policies and communicate and ensure alignment with project delivery.
• Manages project auditing and ensure lessons learned are recorded and enforced for best practice.

Communication

• Effectively liaise with all system stakeholders in the trust, including clinical users, the Digital Directorate and system suppliers.
• Effectively engage with all system stakeholders in the trust to review working practices and jointly devise new ways of working when implementing new systems or functionality.
• Communicate contentious and sensitive information appropriately.
• Deliver complex presentations to various Trust level staff.
• Support in communicating project progress to stakeholders.
• Communicate risks by escalation as required in an appropriate manner.
• Persuade Board members to address best possible outcome.
• Negotiate flexibly to ensure the best outcome for the patient and service staff.
• Communicate effectively with staff at all levels, external service provider representatives, and peer NHS organisation representatives.
• Use appropriate technologies and techniques; communicate Digital issues to a wide range audience, internal and/or external members, and providing guidance and Digital concepts.

Professional/Personal Development

• The post holder will need to develop and maintain their own knowledge of developments and legislation relevant to the service area and ensure that each function reflects current professional guidance and standards.
• The post holder will take responsibility for his or her own professional development, identifying training and educational needs and agreeing ways of addressing these with their line manager.

Person Specification

Educations, Training and Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree level or equivalent level of education, training or experience to have or to be working towards a digital software testing qualification
• Evidence of continuous personal and professional development
• Demonstrable understanding of clinical workflows relevant to EPR in NHS setting
• Evidence of continuous personal and professional development
• Knowledge of the provision of health services

Desirable

• ITIL Certification or relevant experience or working in an ITIL environment
• Project Management qualification, such as PRINCE II or experience of using structured project methodology
• Evidence of experience or qualification in one or more of the following o SQL / SQL Server o HL7 Interfaces o Reporting tools (e.g. Business Objects) o Windows Server Administration

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• A proven track record in software testing
• A commitment to quality and a thorough approach to work
• Experience working in an NHS environment and/ or a comprehensive knowledge of a PAS/ EPR and of the operational processes that it supports
• Experience of logging and following up defects to successful resolution
• Experience of developing procedures and processes to a high level of quality and detail
• Experience of proactive problem solving
• Experience of creating test scripts from business processes
• Knowledge of interfaced systems and how to test such systems in a controlled environment
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Experience in contributing to the success of a multi-disciplinary team as effective team member
• Knowledge of digital healthcare standards and NHS datasets and their relationship to coding, finance and commissioning

Desirable

• Systems configuration and maintenance experience
• Understanding of EPR implementation, the benefits this provides to a Trust, in addition to a wider knowledge of Digital healthcare
• Good understanding of NHS Digital strategies and their impact on local organisations

Skills

Essential

• Excellent and careful attention to detail
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal and interpersonal skills
• Ability to analyse complex information requiring interpretation in order to meet the service requirement
• Able to organise, manage and prioritise own workload to ensure deadlines are met
• Works well under pressure
• Investigative nature, organised and methodical
• Competent Digital skills in order to collect and interpret data, present reports and compile simple presentations
• Ability to work well from a predominantly computer-based environment with use of VDU
• Advanced keyboard skills
• Proactive ability to work on own initiative and prioritise activities
• Ability to work well in a team
• Flexible approach to work
• Confident

Desirable

• Methodical approach to problem solving

Key Competencies/Personal Qualities and Attributes

Essential

• Passionate and committed to bring our Dedicated to Excellence values to life, improving the way we work with each other, particularly focusing on empowerment, equality diversity and inclusion of our staff, patients and service users
• Well-developed emotional intelligence
• Effective leadership qualities
• Integrity and personal credibility
• Strives for excellence
• Ability to be flexible and respond to the needs of the organisation
• Self-motivated and able to motivate others to achieve a high level of performance
• Sensitive to the needs of others and has an awareness and responsiveness to other people's feelings and needs
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines where there are competing demands
• Proactive and Solution focused
• Emotionally resilient
• Ability to concentrate for extended periods to enable effective planning of complex Digital programmes or projects
• Ability to travel to the Northampton Hospital site and to other sites across the Group

Educations, Training and Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree level or equivalent level of education, training or experience to have or to be working towards a digital software testing qualification
• Evidence of continuous personal and professional development
• Demonstrable understanding of clinical workflows relevant to EPR in NHS setting
• Evidence of continuous personal and professional development
• Knowledge of the provision of health services

Desirable

• ITIL Certification or relevant experience or working in an ITIL environment
• Project Management qualification, such as PRINCE II or experience of using structured project methodology
• Evidence of experience or qualification in one or more of the following o SQL / SQL Server o HL7 Interfaces o Reporting tools (e.g. Business Objects) o Windows Server Administration

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• A proven track record in software testing
• A commitment to quality and a thorough approach to work
• Experience working in an NHS environment and/ or a comprehensive knowledge of a PAS/ EPR and of the operational processes that it supports
• Experience of logging and following up defects to successful resolution
• Experience of developing procedures and processes to a high level of quality and detail
• Experience of proactive problem solving
• Experience of creating test scripts from business processes
• Knowledge of interfaced systems and how to test such systems in a controlled environment
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Experience in contributing to the success of a multi-disciplinary team as effective team member
• Knowledge of digital healthcare standards and NHS datasets and their relationship to coding, finance and commissioning

Desirable

• Systems configuration and maintenance experience
• Understanding of EPR implementation, the benefits this provides to a Trust, in addition to a wider knowledge of Digital healthcare
• Good understanding of NHS Digital strategies and their impact on local organisations

Skills

Essential

• Excellent and careful attention to detail
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal and interpersonal skills
• Ability to analyse complex information requiring interpretation in order to meet the service requirement
• Able to organise, manage and prioritise own workload to ensure deadlines are met
• Works well under pressure
• Investigative nature, organised and methodical
• Competent Digital skills in order to collect and interpret data, present reports and compile simple presentations
• Ability to work well from a predominantly computer-based environment with use of VDU
• Advanced keyboard skills
• Proactive ability to work on own initiative and prioritise activities
• Ability to work well in a team
• Flexible approach to work
• Confident

Desirable

• Methodical approach to problem solving

Key Competencies/Personal Qualities and Attributes

Essential

• Passionate and committed to bring our Dedicated to Excellence values to life, improving the way we work with each other, particularly focusing on empowerment, equality diversity and inclusion of our staff, patients and service users
• Well-developed emotional intelligence
• Effective leadership qualities
• Integrity and personal credibility
• Strives for excellence
• Ability to be flexible and respond to the needs of the organisation
• Self-motivated and able to motivate others to achieve a high level of performance
• Sensitive to the needs of others and has an awareness and responsiveness to other people's feelings and needs
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines where there are competing demands
• Proactive and Solution focused
• Emotionally resilient
• Ability to concentrate for extended periods to enable effective planning of complex Digital programmes or projects
• Ability to travel to the Northampton Hospital site and to other sites across the Group

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Northampton General Hospital

Address

Northampton General Hospital

Cliftonville Road

Northampton

NN1 5BD

Employer's website

https://www.northamptongeneral.nhs.uk/Home.aspx (Opens in a new tab)