Job summary
Working Part Time: 15 hours per week
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Contracts Team at the Countess of Chester Hospital as a Commodity Advisor, Band 7. This will be on a temporary basis on a fixed term contract for 12 months for two days per week (15hrs.) This role will work in conjunction with another Commodity Advisor working 3 days per week.
The role reports directly to the Head of Procurement Contracting. The main responsibilities are to identify areas within the Trust where both clinical and non clinical consumables are being used inefficiently or where product standardisation can be implemented. To assist in achieving both government and Trust saving targets.
Main duties of the job
Work closely with the Buyers in the Team and various stakeholders throughout the Trust.
1. To actively trial clinical and non-clinical products and associated equipment in close co-operation with relevant staff.2. To manage product trials and gather and report on evaluation data, making recommendations for product changes where appropriate to the Trust.3. Formulate a database of products used in order to determine the most commonly used products, identifying where standardisation and rationalisation are feasible.4. Identify annual cost savings of product rationalisation / changes producing quarterly reports for review by the Medical devices Group on the efficiency of product changes.
About us
The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:
- The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds.
- Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility.
- Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.
The Trust employs over 6258 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 407,000. This includes 357,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.
The Trust is a busy district general hospital and in 2022/2023, there were more than 503,342 patient attendances (inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery. This is an increase of nearly 10,000 compared to the previous year when there were 494,387 patient attendances.
Job description
Job responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £23 (standard) or £43 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first three months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £13 per year applies.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application.
Job description
Job responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £23 (standard) or £43 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first three months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £13 per year applies.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- RGN or equivalent clinical qualification and up to date NMC or equivalent clinical registration.
- Evidence of ongoing Professional Development to maintain registration
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Minimum of 5 years post registration clinical experience within the NHS
- Experience in use of Microsoft applications - Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
- A good knowledge base and understanding of the range of medical and surgical clinical products and equipment application and use in a complex healthcare environment
Desirable
- Experience of product research and evaluation or involvement in the application of NICE guidance or other national initiatives
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
- Good interpersonal skills with an ability to work both independently and as part of a team
- Ability to motivate people to bring about changes in products, practices and attitudes where appropriate
Desirable
- Evidence of presenting to and working with multidisciplinary teams both at local, regional, or national level.
- Project/Change Management experience.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- RGN or equivalent clinical qualification and up to date NMC or equivalent clinical registration.
- Evidence of ongoing Professional Development to maintain registration
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Minimum of 5 years post registration clinical experience within the NHS
- Experience in use of Microsoft applications - Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
- A good knowledge base and understanding of the range of medical and surgical clinical products and equipment application and use in a complex healthcare environment
Desirable
- Experience of product research and evaluation or involvement in the application of NICE guidance or other national initiatives
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
- Good interpersonal skills with an ability to work both independently and as part of a team
- Ability to motivate people to bring about changes in products, practices and attitudes where appropriate
Desirable
- Evidence of presenting to and working with multidisciplinary teams both at local, regional, or national level.
- Project/Change Management experience.
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).
