Job description

Job responsibilities

KEY DUTIES

Technical Diagnostic

• Responsibility to work towards sign off of own training log and Certificate of Competence for Registration as a BMS and do not undergo any procedures you have not been authorised to carry out unless during a training exercise. Deliver a quality service to clients within agreed timescales to provide a specialist diagnostic service to patients
• Undertake manual, semi-automated and fully automated laboratory investigations on a rotational basis through all sections within the Department as required.
• Follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs). Participate in the regular review and update of SOPs.
• Ensure that equipment is used in accordance with Departmental policies and suppliers instructions.
• Carry out appropriate internal maintenance procedures and maintain maintenance records.
• Plan and organise their work within the demands of the team.
• Undertake technical validation of the results from laboratory investigations following training ensuring accuracy and precision as specified by laboratory protocols.
• Measure and monitor the accuracy and precision of laboratory investigations using appropriate quality control procedures.
• Carry out corrective action or inform senior staff when the quality control procedures indicate loss of performance.
• Prepare reagents required for laboratory investigations.
• Monitoring of laboratory and appropriate satellite blood fridges and take remedial action in the event of failure to secure stock viability.
• Assist medical staff as appropriate
• Report any instance or event that may cause service delivery failure.
• Work at any laboratory site managed by STHK as required.

Scientific

• Undertake method and laboratory instrument evaluation as directed by senior laboratory staff.
• Take appropriate action should the quality assurance systems be outside acceptable limits.
• Perform External Quality Control and be aware of the external QC performance for the section.

Diagnostic

• Use interpretive skills to determine the clinical significance of results of laboratory tests, for example, by:

• Preparing, examining, and reporting on examination of specimens
• Performing molecular diagnostic tests and electrophoresis
• Interpret diagnostic laboratory results and take appropriate actions i.e.
• Adding technical comments under supervision
• Referring results for a second opinion using professional judgement
• Informing the requestor/medical staff of clinically significant results
• Communicate patient results by telephone to appropriate health professional

Communication

• Communicate results verbally or by fax to persons authorised to receive them in a clear and concise manner following appropriate policies and procedures.
• Provide advice and information to laboratory, ward, GP staff and patients regarding samples and sample handling including information on appropriate tests and collection conditions for in-house, referred and infrequently requested tests.
• Deal with result and test queries where information may be conflicting and difficult to understand- appropriateness of test or explanation of results.
• Liaise with National Blood Service over blood stock levels for (Transfusion staff)
• Communicate any relevant information to laboratory colleagues within the section and inform effectively at hand over.
• Actively participate in departmental meetings, team briefings, educational and audit meetings as appropriate.

Other Duties

• Trainee BMS will be expected to work with minimal supervision when trained in that area, occasionally, single-handed, managing their own workload, reporting on progress and any problems to the appropriate section leader as necessary.
• Work towards demonstrating competencies in all areas associated with providing service out of hours and also including dealing with queries from medical and other staff.
• When working out of hours you will make every effort to ensure that pathology turn round times and hospital service targets are achieved often under stressful conditions.
• The post will involve frequent exposure to unpleasant body fluids and tissue including sputum, faeces, blood, urine and samples that are potentially infective with pathogenic micro-organisms (including infections such as Hepatitis, HIV, nvCJD, TB).
• Able to concentrate for significant periods of time on technically demanding procedures and with attention to detail. Due to the nature and pressure and variety of work there is a need for the ability to multi-task both physically, mentally and be expected to communicate with all grades of staff. Transport of chemicals, reagents and solutions requires some physical effort.
• The post may involve visits to clinical areas in order to maintain and control point of care testing equipment, blood fridges or other systems and assist medical staff with bone marrows on the wards.
• The post will involve exposure to harmful chemicals, including carcinogens, which should be dealt with under COSHH regulations.

Trainees and less experienced post holders will be on band 5 whilst completing their pre-registration / specialist portfolio or equivalent. The band 5 BMS post does not require the post holder to directly supervise staff or deputise for senior staff in normal circumstances. The main requirement whilst working in the laboratory is to develop the specialist expertise in all areas of the Department to meet the full requirements of the Band 6 Specialist Biomedical Scientist. On successful completion of the specialist portfolio, which will take approximately 2 years full-time to complete, the postholder will progress to Band 6.

CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Complete training to obtain registration with Health Care Professions Council (HCPC).
• Adhere to the codes of conduct expected by the HCPC and Institute of Biomedical Sciences.
• Maintain and promote the professional image of the Department of Pathology, St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust.
• Attend educational and training courses as required by the departmental manager. To maintain knowledge of advances in relevant scientific areas, through Continuous professional development activities.
• Maintain and develop skills in the appropriate discipline/s (Biochemistry/Immunology, Haematology/Coagulation/Transfusion to enable participation in departmental rotation.
• Develop competency in order to work autonomously out of hours and maintain expertise necessary to carry out specialised procedures during rotation through the Department.
• Maintain an awareness of developments and provide suggestions for implementation as appropriate.
• Keep the workplace and work benches clean and tidy.
• Maintain good working relations with all members or staff and to promote effective teamwork.

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensure that records are kept up to date and stored safely to ensure compliance with good work practices required for the standards of ISO15189.
• Comply with good laboratory practices required for the standards of United Kingdom Accreditation Services (UKAS) to ISO 15189 standards including Health and Safety.
• Undertake work file management to ensure that reporting of results is carried out in a timely fashion.
• Assist the Biomedical Scientists with the supervision of Medical Laboratory Assistants
• Advise the Senior Biomedical Scientists when stocks of reagents and consumables are approaching minimum stock levels or take appropriate action.
• Comply with the local and national policies for safe, secure, and confidential processing and storage of patient and other laboratory information.
• Use the Pathology Computer System (Telepath) according to the authorised protocols.
• Enter their own results and those obtained by others into Telepath.
• Check and correct, if necessary, information input by other laboratory staff.
• Maintain the integrity and accuracy of laboratory databases.
• Use Trust wide I.T. systems as appropriate following trust polices guidelines and procedures.
• Know and understand back-up procedures in the case of LIMS/PAS failure.
• Assist in the audit of data held on the pathology laboratory information system.

RESEARCH & AUDIT

• Assist in clinical audits, trials and research projects as directed by departmental management.

Job responsibilities

KEY DUTIES

Technical Diagnostic

• Responsibility to work towards sign off of own training log and Certificate of Competence for Registration as a BMS and do not undergo any procedures you have not been authorised to carry out unless during a training exercise. Deliver a quality service to clients within agreed timescales to provide a specialist diagnostic service to patients
• Undertake manual, semi-automated and fully automated laboratory investigations on a rotational basis through all sections within the Department as required.
• Follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs). Participate in the regular review and update of SOPs.
• Ensure that equipment is used in accordance with Departmental policies and suppliers instructions.
• Carry out appropriate internal maintenance procedures and maintain maintenance records.
• Plan and organise their work within the demands of the team.
• Undertake technical validation of the results from laboratory investigations following training ensuring accuracy and precision as specified by laboratory protocols.
• Measure and monitor the accuracy and precision of laboratory investigations using appropriate quality control procedures.
• Carry out corrective action or inform senior staff when the quality control procedures indicate loss of performance.
• Prepare reagents required for laboratory investigations.
• Monitoring of laboratory and appropriate satellite blood fridges and take remedial action in the event of failure to secure stock viability.
• Assist medical staff as appropriate
• Report any instance or event that may cause service delivery failure.
• Work at any laboratory site managed by STHK as required.

Scientific

• Undertake method and laboratory instrument evaluation as directed by senior laboratory staff.
• Take appropriate action should the quality assurance systems be outside acceptable limits.
• Perform External Quality Control and be aware of the external QC performance for the section.

Diagnostic

• Use interpretive skills to determine the clinical significance of results of laboratory tests, for example, by:

• Preparing, examining, and reporting on examination of specimens
• Performing molecular diagnostic tests and electrophoresis
• Interpret diagnostic laboratory results and take appropriate actions i.e.
• Adding technical comments under supervision
• Referring results for a second opinion using professional judgement
• Informing the requestor/medical staff of clinically significant results
• Communicate patient results by telephone to appropriate health professional

Communication

• Communicate results verbally or by fax to persons authorised to receive them in a clear and concise manner following appropriate policies and procedures.
• Provide advice and information to laboratory, ward, GP staff and patients regarding samples and sample handling including information on appropriate tests and collection conditions for in-house, referred and infrequently requested tests.
• Deal with result and test queries where information may be conflicting and difficult to understand- appropriateness of test or explanation of results.
• Liaise with National Blood Service over blood stock levels for (Transfusion staff)
• Communicate any relevant information to laboratory colleagues within the section and inform effectively at hand over.
• Actively participate in departmental meetings, team briefings, educational and audit meetings as appropriate.

Other Duties

• Trainee BMS will be expected to work with minimal supervision when trained in that area, occasionally, single-handed, managing their own workload, reporting on progress and any problems to the appropriate section leader as necessary.
• Work towards demonstrating competencies in all areas associated with providing service out of hours and also including dealing with queries from medical and other staff.
• When working out of hours you will make every effort to ensure that pathology turn round times and hospital service targets are achieved often under stressful conditions.
• The post will involve frequent exposure to unpleasant body fluids and tissue including sputum, faeces, blood, urine and samples that are potentially infective with pathogenic micro-organisms (including infections such as Hepatitis, HIV, nvCJD, TB).
• Able to concentrate for significant periods of time on technically demanding procedures and with attention to detail. Due to the nature and pressure and variety of work there is a need for the ability to multi-task both physically, mentally and be expected to communicate with all grades of staff. Transport of chemicals, reagents and solutions requires some physical effort.
• The post may involve visits to clinical areas in order to maintain and control point of care testing equipment, blood fridges or other systems and assist medical staff with bone marrows on the wards.
• The post will involve exposure to harmful chemicals, including carcinogens, which should be dealt with under COSHH regulations.

Trainees and less experienced post holders will be on band 5 whilst completing their pre-registration / specialist portfolio or equivalent. The band 5 BMS post does not require the post holder to directly supervise staff or deputise for senior staff in normal circumstances. The main requirement whilst working in the laboratory is to develop the specialist expertise in all areas of the Department to meet the full requirements of the Band 6 Specialist Biomedical Scientist. On successful completion of the specialist portfolio, which will take approximately 2 years full-time to complete, the postholder will progress to Band 6.

CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Complete training to obtain registration with Health Care Professions Council (HCPC).
• Adhere to the codes of conduct expected by the HCPC and Institute of Biomedical Sciences.
• Maintain and promote the professional image of the Department of Pathology, St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust.
• Attend educational and training courses as required by the departmental manager. To maintain knowledge of advances in relevant scientific areas, through Continuous professional development activities.
• Maintain and develop skills in the appropriate discipline/s (Biochemistry/Immunology, Haematology/Coagulation/Transfusion to enable participation in departmental rotation.
• Develop competency in order to work autonomously out of hours and maintain expertise necessary to carry out specialised procedures during rotation through the Department.
• Maintain an awareness of developments and provide suggestions for implementation as appropriate.
• Keep the workplace and work benches clean and tidy.
• Maintain good working relations with all members or staff and to promote effective teamwork.

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensure that records are kept up to date and stored safely to ensure compliance with good work practices required for the standards of ISO15189.
• Comply with good laboratory practices required for the standards of United Kingdom Accreditation Services (UKAS) to ISO 15189 standards including Health and Safety.
• Undertake work file management to ensure that reporting of results is carried out in a timely fashion.
• Assist the Biomedical Scientists with the supervision of Medical Laboratory Assistants
• Advise the Senior Biomedical Scientists when stocks of reagents and consumables are approaching minimum stock levels or take appropriate action.
• Comply with the local and national policies for safe, secure, and confidential processing and storage of patient and other laboratory information.
• Use the Pathology Computer System (Telepath) according to the authorised protocols.
• Enter their own results and those obtained by others into Telepath.
• Check and correct, if necessary, information input by other laboratory staff.
• Maintain the integrity and accuracy of laboratory databases.
• Use Trust wide I.T. systems as appropriate following trust polices guidelines and procedures.
• Know and understand back-up procedures in the case of LIMS/PAS failure.
• Assist in the audit of data held on the pathology laboratory information system.

RESEARCH & AUDIT

• Assist in clinical audits, trials and research projects as directed by departmental management.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• A recognized Biomedical Science degree with honors which is acceptable to the HCPC

Desirable

• Membership of the Institute of Biomedical Science
• Willing to pursue further qualifications

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

• Working knowledge computer systems and standard IT packages e.g., word processing and spreadsheets
• Knowledge of theoretical and practical laboratory procedures
• Ability to organise own workload
• Ability to perform audits

Desirable

• Evidence of CPD
• Exhibit competency to work alone out of core hours

Skills

Essential

• Good Problem-solving skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Good organisational skills
• Willing to work flexibly and multitask
• Ability to work without supervision
• Ability to use own initiative
• Demonstrate qualities to be a team player

Desirable

• Highly developed technical skills

Other

Essential

• Show understanding of H&S requirements including COSHH regulations
• Understands and can comply with UKAS Accreditation requirements

Qualifications

Essential

• A recognized Biomedical Science degree with honors which is acceptable to the HCPC

Desirable

• Membership of the Institute of Biomedical Science
• Willing to pursue further qualifications

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

• Working knowledge computer systems and standard IT packages e.g., word processing and spreadsheets
• Knowledge of theoretical and practical laboratory procedures
• Ability to organise own workload
• Ability to perform audits

Desirable

• Evidence of CPD
• Exhibit competency to work alone out of core hours

Skills

Essential

• Good Problem-solving skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Good organisational skills
• Willing to work flexibly and multitask
• Ability to work without supervision
• Ability to use own initiative
• Demonstrate qualities to be a team player

Desirable

• Highly developed technical skills

Other

Essential

• Show understanding of H&S requirements including COSHH regulations
• Understands and can comply with UKAS Accreditation requirements

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Whiston Hospital

Warrington Road

Prescot

L35 5DR

Employer's website

https://www.merseywestlancs.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)