Advanced Quality Officer (South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Pathology)

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 05 May 2025

Job summary

The South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw (SYB) Pathology Partnership fully integrates the pathology services delivered on behalf of the Partner Trusts within the Integrated Care System (ICS) footprint, Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust.

The Pathology Partnership will provide the best possible service for patients and clinicians, improving health outcomes, delivering quality and efficiency benefits and ensuring a sustainable workforce for the longer term.

This role is a secondment/acting up role to the Band 7 Advanced Quality Officer within the SYB Pathology Partnership, based across Barnsley and Rotherham Laboratories.

The post is covering maternity leave for 9 months, with an option to extend to 12 months.

Before completing your application, please ensure you obtain your Line Managers permission.

Main duties of the job

The Advanced Quality Officer is a key member of the SYBP Quality, Risk and Governance Team, responsible for ensuring that the Laboratory's Quality Management System functions correctly.

The Advanced Quality Officer is accountable for:

o Ensuring the laboratory Quality Management System is designed, implemented and maintained becoming progressively more effective and efficient in quality terms and meeting both regulatory and accreditationrequirements.o Supervision of members of the Quality, Risk and Governance Team, as directed by the Quality, Risk andGovernance Lead.o Informing SYBP Management on the functioning, effectiveness and efficiency of the quality managementsystem.o Co-ordinating awareness of the needs and requirements of users.

o Deputising as directed, for the SYBP Quality Manager in matters of Accreditation and QMS.

The postholder will have the skills and ability to promote quality within all areas of the Laboratories. Modern methods of Quality Management and of quality and process control are central to effective Pathology services.

They are also vital to the clinical governance of and risk management within SYBP services.

About us

You will be working for an organisation which values and respects all its staff and the community it serves. The Trust is a leader in the NHS and research sectors and provides excellent benefits for its staff. This includes commitments to professional development but also many policies to support employees in balancing their personal and professional lives.

STHFT operates with a budget of £1.2 bn, has a workforce of over 18,500 employees, covers five hospital sites, provides care from over forty community settings, and has an excellent reputation for research.

As an organisation we value and respect our staff and the community we serve. We provide excellent staff benefits; this includes commitment to professional development but also many initiatives to support employees in balancing their personal and professional lives.

The South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Pathology Partnership are invested in training, developing, and supporting staff in all aspects including academic courses from certificates of achievement, registration, specialist and higher specialist IBMS portfolios, apprenticeships and leadership and management qualifications.

We pride ourselves in enabling opportunity across all our sites to develop staff and provide a strong and sustained service for the future.

Date posted

22 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£46,148 to £52,809 a year Per annum pro rata for part time staff

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

9 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number

190-0221-DIR

Job locations

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Herries Road

Sheffield

S5 7AU


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification.

Please ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria.

This vacancy is advertised on a fixed term contract basis for a period of 9 months due to maternity leave of the substantive post holder. The fixed term contract status of the post holder will be reviewed in accordance with the Trust's legal obligations regarding fixed term contracts and statutory maternity provisions.

Please also note any secondment must first be agreed with your current line manager.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification.

Please ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria.

This vacancy is advertised on a fixed term contract basis for a period of 9 months due to maternity leave of the substantive post holder. The fixed term contract status of the post holder will be reviewed in accordance with the Trust's legal obligations regarding fixed term contracts and statutory maternity provisions.

Please also note any secondment must first be agreed with your current line manager.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential

  • BSc in a science related subject e.g. Biomedical Science, or equivalent experience in a relevant profession.
  • Post graduate qualification equating to Master's level in a relevant subject, or equivalent evidence of extended practice.
  • Evidence of continual professional development.

Desirable

  • HCPC registration or professional registration in a scientific or quality management field.
  • Recognised Quality Management qualification e.g. IBMS Certificate of Expert Practice in Quality Management.
  • Quality and/or Risk Management qualification or equivalent experience.

Experience

Essential

  • Detailed knowledge of a Pathology Hospital environment.
  • Experience of laboratory accreditation and regulatory compliance (e.g. UKAS, HTA, MHRA)
  • Advanced knowledge and understanding of ISO requirements.
  • Advanced knowledge and experience of Quality management systems
  • Experience of training and assessing staff competencies relating to the Quality Management System functions e.g. Audit, Non-Conformances, Document Control etc.
  • Experience in administration, managing and review /approval of electronic errors and incidence records e.g. Datix
  • Experience of Auditing (Vertical, horizontal, examination, Test witness and H&S) according to the accreditation and regulatory requirements.

Desirable

  • Previous supervisory experience
  • Experience of report writing with good presentation skills

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

  • Advanced knowledge of a laboratory discipline.
  • Advanced knowledge of quality and risk management systems, including the training of staff.
  • Advanced knowledge and understanding of HTA, MHRA & HSE regulations and Laboratory related CQC requirements
  • Demonstrable ability in the use of IT systems and Microsoft software packages for the manipulation of data and production of statistics and reports.
  • Knowledge of Health and Safety and COSHH regulations.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Effective training and presentation skills.
  • Evidence of effective time management skills and with a methodical approach.
  • Ability to train and guide staff in QMS and Risk matters.
  • Able to plan and prioritise a wide range of competing priorities to meet deadlines liaising with other stakeholders as required.
  • Able to overcome barriers to staff engagement with quality improvement.
  • Good interpersonal skills

Personal Qualities

Essential

  • The ability to show good time management and manage complex tasks
  • Enthusiasm and ability to seek out and resolve problems in order to improve patient care including an appetite to challenge the status quo
  • Flexible approach to working practices
  • A commitment to promoting equality and diversity in the workplace and in service delivery and development
  • Must be able to travel efficiently between sites across the Network
Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential

  • BSc in a science related subject e.g. Biomedical Science, or equivalent experience in a relevant profession.
  • Post graduate qualification equating to Master's level in a relevant subject, or equivalent evidence of extended practice.
  • Evidence of continual professional development.

Desirable

  • HCPC registration or professional registration in a scientific or quality management field.
  • Recognised Quality Management qualification e.g. IBMS Certificate of Expert Practice in Quality Management.
  • Quality and/or Risk Management qualification or equivalent experience.

Experience

Essential

  • Detailed knowledge of a Pathology Hospital environment.
  • Experience of laboratory accreditation and regulatory compliance (e.g. UKAS, HTA, MHRA)
  • Advanced knowledge and understanding of ISO requirements.
  • Advanced knowledge and experience of Quality management systems
  • Experience of training and assessing staff competencies relating to the Quality Management System functions e.g. Audit, Non-Conformances, Document Control etc.
  • Experience in administration, managing and review /approval of electronic errors and incidence records e.g. Datix
  • Experience of Auditing (Vertical, horizontal, examination, Test witness and H&S) according to the accreditation and regulatory requirements.

Desirable

  • Previous supervisory experience
  • Experience of report writing with good presentation skills

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

  • Advanced knowledge of a laboratory discipline.
  • Advanced knowledge of quality and risk management systems, including the training of staff.
  • Advanced knowledge and understanding of HTA, MHRA & HSE regulations and Laboratory related CQC requirements
  • Demonstrable ability in the use of IT systems and Microsoft software packages for the manipulation of data and production of statistics and reports.
  • Knowledge of Health and Safety and COSHH regulations.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Effective training and presentation skills.
  • Evidence of effective time management skills and with a methodical approach.
  • Ability to train and guide staff in QMS and Risk matters.
  • Able to plan and prioritise a wide range of competing priorities to meet deadlines liaising with other stakeholders as required.
  • Able to overcome barriers to staff engagement with quality improvement.
  • Good interpersonal skills

Personal Qualities

Essential

  • The ability to show good time management and manage complex tasks
  • Enthusiasm and ability to seek out and resolve problems in order to improve patient care including an appetite to challenge the status quo
  • Flexible approach to working practices
  • A commitment to promoting equality and diversity in the workplace and in service delivery and development
  • Must be able to travel efficiently between sites across the Network

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).

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.

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

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Herries Road

Sheffield

S5 7AU


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Herries Road

Sheffield

S5 7AU


Employer's website

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

For questions about the job, contact:

SYBP Quality Manager- Barnsley and Rotherham

Natalie Holmes

natalie.holmes5@nhs.net

01709424008

Date posted

22 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£46,148 to £52,809 a year Per annum pro rata for part time staff

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

9 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number

190-0221-DIR

Job locations

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Herries Road

Sheffield

S5 7AU


Supporting documents

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