Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic Principal EQA Scientist and Scheme Manager to work within a friendly, professional and busy team dedicated to providing External Quality Assessment (EQA) programmes to Hospital Laboratories. This is an extremely unique position.
Birmingham Quality (UK NEQAS) provides External Quality Assessment (EQA) Services for Clinical Chemistry laboratories within the UK and worldwide; and our Clinical Chemistry specimens are prepared in-house.
As a Principal EQA Scientist, you will provide expert advice to Consultant, Heads of participant laboratories on the impact of their EQA performance on their clinical service to clinicians and patients, analogous to the 'Duty Biochemist' role.
If this post interests you, we would strongly encourage you to contact us prior to submitting your application or to arrange a visit to Birmingham Quality, to see the variety of work performed and to meet other team members.
Please contact Hailey Goodman, Operations Manager, on 0121 414 7300, or Hailey.Goodman@uhb.nhs.uk.
The role is 5 days a week Monday -- Friday, 08:30 and 17:00, and the position is permanent.
Main duties of the job
As Principal EQA Scientist in Birmingham Quality you will support the Director and Deputy Director in the scientific management of the Department undertaking health technology assessment in the UK and internationally to internationally accepted accreditation standards.
Integrate knowledge from the clinical and technical area of laboratory medicine
Undertake scientific aspects of generic EQA scheme design, implementation, development, audit and continuous quality improvement
Provide a scientific advisory service to participant laboratories, diagnostic manufacturers, Government and regulatory bodies and other organisations
Formulate complex EQA Scheme designs that meet clinical specifications and quality system requirements, and which probe the characteristics of participating laboratory methodology
Undertake performance surveillance and take action on participants with poor performance
Monitor customer complaints and internal audit of operations and ensure that corrective and preventative action is undertaken to resolve problems and non-conformities
Formulate complex EQA Scheme designs that meet clinical specifications and quality system requirements, and which probe the characteristics of participating laboratory methodology
About us
We are recognised as one of the leading NHS Foundation Trusts in the UK. Our vision is to Build Healthier Lives, and we recognise that we need incredible staff to do this.
Our commitment to our staff is to create the best place for them to work, and we are dedicated to:
Investing in the health and wellbeing of our staff, including a commitment of offering flexible working where we can;Offer our staff a wide variety of training and development opportunities, to support their personal and career development objectives.
UHB is committed to ensuring that our staff are treated fairly and feel that they belong, by creating a kind and inclusive environment. This is about equity of opportunity; removing all barriers, including discrimination and ensuring each individual member of staff reach their true potential, achieve their ambitions and thrive in their work. This is more than words. We are taking action. Our commitment to an inclusive culture is embedded at all levels of the organisation where every voice is heard, driven by our diverse and active staff networks, and at Board level by the Fairness Taskforce led by our CEO. We nurture a culture which empowers staff to challenge discriminatory behaviours and to enable people to bring their 'whole self' to a kinder, more connected and bold place to work.
University Hospitals Birmingham is a Smoke-Free premises hospital.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please note for a specific detailed job description for this vacancy please see attached job description.
The ability to appraise critically and to integrate a wide range of information (from the areas of laboratory analysis, clinical application of laboratory medicine, EQA principles and practice), and to interpret and apply this in internal actions and external advice
The ability to write complex reports relating to EQA schemes for understanding by a mixture of people in participant laboratories
First or second-class honours degree in chemistry, biochemistry or allied subject
Master's degree (or assessed equivalent level of knowledge) in laboratory medicine or relevant related area
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please note for a specific detailed job description for this vacancy please see attached job description.
The ability to appraise critically and to integrate a wide range of information (from the areas of laboratory analysis, clinical application of laboratory medicine, EQA principles and practice), and to interpret and apply this in internal actions and external advice
The ability to write complex reports relating to EQA schemes for understanding by a mixture of people in participant laboratories
First or second-class honours degree in chemistry, biochemistry or allied subject
Master's degree (or assessed equivalent level of knowledge) in laboratory medicine or relevant related area
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- First or second-class honours degree in chemistry, biochemistry or allied subject
- * Masters degree (or assessed equivalent level of knowledge) in laboratory medicine or relevant related area
- * Training in EQA or laboratory medicine to a level equivalent to Diploma (Membership Part 1) of the Royal College of Pathologists
- * To have and to maintain a Continuing Professional Development portfolio (administered by the Royal College of Pathologists) relevant and appropriate to the post
- * State Registration with the Health & Care Professions Council as appropriate for a senior healthcare scientist in EQA
- * To have demonstrable knowledge and experience in research - as evidenced by publications in appropriate media
Experience
Essential
- * In-service experience in EQA scheme design,data analysis and interpretation
- * Substantial experience as a scientist in an appropriate role in laboratory medicine and/or EQA, including experience at a senior level of responsibility
- * Experience of laboratory medicine analysis and interpretation
- * Postgraduate or post-qualification training Detailed knowledge of EQA scheme design,data analysis, data presentation and data interpretation such that the postholder can
- act as a recognised expert for the National and International users of the department's services and for relevant organisations including the diagnostics industry and regulatory bodies
- * A detailed understanding of the scientific and analytical basis of the services provided by the department
- * An understanding of the scientific and analytical basis of the services provided by participant laboratories
- * An understanding of the use of laboratory medicine investigations in screening, diagnosis, treatment, outcome and prevention of disease, including their applications and limitations
- * An understanding of the diagnostics industry and its regulatory environment, including the In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Directive and Regulations
- * Knowledge of healthcare service delivery systems and requirements including accreditation
- * A detailed understanding of the specialist techniques employed in EQA, e.g. practical application of statistical theory, use of limited data sets
- * A detailed understanding of IT system requirements to provide effective EQA services, and of designing,specifying and applying them in practice across a range of EQA situations
- * Advanced knowledge and understanding of Quality Management Systems, and their relation to accreditation of EQA and laboratory medicine service
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- First or second-class honours degree in chemistry, biochemistry or allied subject
- * Masters degree (or assessed equivalent level of knowledge) in laboratory medicine or relevant related area
- * Training in EQA or laboratory medicine to a level equivalent to Diploma (Membership Part 1) of the Royal College of Pathologists
- * To have and to maintain a Continuing Professional Development portfolio (administered by the Royal College of Pathologists) relevant and appropriate to the post
- * State Registration with the Health & Care Professions Council as appropriate for a senior healthcare scientist in EQA
- * To have demonstrable knowledge and experience in research - as evidenced by publications in appropriate media
Experience
Essential
- * In-service experience in EQA scheme design,data analysis and interpretation
- * Substantial experience as a scientist in an appropriate role in laboratory medicine and/or EQA, including experience at a senior level of responsibility
- * Experience of laboratory medicine analysis and interpretation
- * Postgraduate or post-qualification training Detailed knowledge of EQA scheme design,data analysis, data presentation and data interpretation such that the postholder can
- act as a recognised expert for the National and International users of the department's services and for relevant organisations including the diagnostics industry and regulatory bodies
- * A detailed understanding of the scientific and analytical basis of the services provided by the department
- * An understanding of the scientific and analytical basis of the services provided by participant laboratories
- * An understanding of the use of laboratory medicine investigations in screening, diagnosis, treatment, outcome and prevention of disease, including their applications and limitations
- * An understanding of the diagnostics industry and its regulatory environment, including the In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Directive and Regulations
- * Knowledge of healthcare service delivery systems and requirements including accreditation
- * A detailed understanding of the specialist techniques employed in EQA, e.g. practical application of statistical theory, use of limited data sets
- * A detailed understanding of IT system requirements to provide effective EQA services, and of designing,specifying and applying them in practice across a range of EQA situations
- * Advanced knowledge and understanding of Quality Management Systems, and their relation to accreditation of EQA and laboratory medicine service
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.
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Birmingham Research Park
Birmingham Research Park, Vincent Drive
Birmingham
West Midlands
B15 2SQ
Employer's website
https://www.uhb.nhs.uk/jobs.htm (Opens in a new tab)
