Job summary
Fixed term contract/secondment opportunity for 9 months
The post holder will work as part of the Eastern Pathology Alliance (EPA), a three-hospital site network IT team. EPA's hub site is the Norfolk and Norwich university hospital trust (NNUHFT), and the spoke sites are James Paget University hospital (JPUH) and Queen Elizabeth hospital in Kings Lynn (QEHKL).
The laboratory uses Intersystems TCL and will be upgrading to Intersystems TCLE. The successful applicant will be expected to work as a team to ensure we can deliver the upgrade on time. The NNUH laboratory is a hub laboratory and as such processes all GP samples across Norfolk as well as all the work from NNUH we also processes cold work from QEHKL and JPUH.
The laboratory relies heavily on automation with over 99% of our work coming from 3 ICE order communications. We utilize the Abbott Indexor to auto receipt samples. Chemistry uses an Abbott track containing multiple Alinity analysers. We have various middleware, Roche, Werfen, Abbott and stand-alone analysers that are interfaced with the LIMS such as Sebia, Siemens. Currently there are 50+ analysers interfaced with the LIMS, either directly or via middleware.
Main duties of the job
We are seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual to join a small team who will be responsible for the successful implementation of a major upgrade to the laboratory information management system (LIMS).
Any successful applicant should be able to pay attention to detail, be able to concentrate for long periods and be able to work unsupervised. Previous IT experience would be advantageous but not essential.
After completing the upgrade you will have gained experience in a variety of IT in an NHS laboratory ranging from printers, scanners, LIMS interfaces (analyser and ICE), analyser and middleware software, testing and validation. If you wish to move into laboratory IT this post will allow you to see if it is for you as well as giving you enough experience to make you a desirable candidate for any laboratory IT based role.
To support the delivery of a high quality, safe and compassionate healthcare service,all staff are expected to act as a role model to others in all aspects of their work and consistently demonstrate NNUH's 'PRIDE' values of People focused, Respect, Integrity, Dedication and Excellence and demonstrate behaviours that support and encourage an inclusive culture.
About us
Join us at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and be part of a workforce of over 10,000 staff!
The NNUH is one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK, providing first-class acute care for around one million people, living in Norfolk and surrounding areas. We are a teaching and research hospital, at the forefront of innovation, home to state-of-the-art facilities, such as the Quadram Institute. We are pleased to work closely with the University of East Anglia, providing teaching opportunities for our staff and placement opportunities for their students. We attract some of the best and leading professionals from across the country and are proud that our workforce represents 94 countries from across the world.
We are a friendly, collaborative hospital, working with local services and home to N&N Hospitals Charity
We can offer you the full range of NHS benefits/discounts and in addition:
- Flexible working hours
- Fast Track Staff Physiotherapy Service
- Multi Faith prayer room
- Discounted gym memberships
- Excellent pension scheme and annual leave entitlement
- Wagestream - access up to 40% of your pay as you earn it
- Free Park & Ride service direct to NNUH site
- Free 24-hours confidential counselling support
- On-site Nursery
- On-site cafes offering staff discounts
- Support in career development
- Flexible staff bank
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars, Cycle to Work scheme and home electronics
Job description
Job responsibilities
The individual would be trained to a high standard and would have the opportunity should it arise to work at other sites within EPA. Please see the Job description for the detailed role specific responsibilities, summary is as below.
Responsibilities for Laboratory Information Service:
- Implement the new upgraded LIMS system. Configure, monitor and troubleshoot LIMS, middleware, OrderComms and any other Blood Sciences related software, as part of the project.
- Provide first line support for following items where appropriate. This will include a variety of PCs, label printers and other computer peripherals as well as the LIMS, middleware and any other software related to Blood Sciences. To escalate issues to management, Trust IT or suppliers as appropriate. Add/retire users and ensure the correct privileges and restrictions are set per user for LIMS.
- Add/retire users and ensure the correct privileges and restrictions are set per user for all local site IT systems.
- Implement changes, meeting deadlines as per agreed change management process, approved by the CAB (change approval board).
- Interrogate any of the Blood Sciences IT systems for statistical and audit purposes as per routine and ad-hoc requests, from the management, clinical or technical teams.
- Ensure all role related documentation is generated and is consistently updated to reflect process or system changes using the QPulse document management system.
- Manage and maintain specialised databases in laboratory computer systems and patient storage databases.
- Responsible for assisting scientific colleagues for duties such as inputting and amending patient data and results.
- Trained to use, retrieve and store patient information on several patient database systems for access by external and internal users.
- Trained to operate and manage software databases on complex clinical analysers.
Research, evaluation & service development:
- Assist in the IT aspects of analytical method evaluation and development to improve the service and patient care diagnostic tests.
- Assisting in the development of specialised services to include new and emerging technologies and development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Staff development and training responsibilities:
- Assist in the IT related education and training of Medical staff, Clinical Scientists, other BMS, Trainee BMS, MLAs and visiting students as required within their specialised area.
- Demonstrate on going competence in your role by attending courses and other training activities.
- To keep up to date with SOPs.
- To actively participate in an Annual Personal Development review (PDR).
- To receive appropriate training and maintain competency to the level required for the spoke site IT lead role in order to support all services within the Blood Sciences Laboratory (Clinical Biochemistry, Haematology and Transfusion)
Health & Safety:
- Provide safety supervision & actively promote safe working practices in all areas of the laboratory service.
- To abide by the Health and Safety Code of Practice for the Service.
- To ensure the application of Trust policies where applicable to the Pathology Services.
- To participate in an annual Health and Safety review.
- Any other duties as required by the Blood Sciences Network Manager or the Chief BMS
Job description
Job responsibilities
The individual would be trained to a high standard and would have the opportunity should it arise to work at other sites within EPA. Please see the Job description for the detailed role specific responsibilities, summary is as below.
Responsibilities for Laboratory Information Service:
- Implement the new upgraded LIMS system. Configure, monitor and troubleshoot LIMS, middleware, OrderComms and any other Blood Sciences related software, as part of the project.
- Provide first line support for following items where appropriate. This will include a variety of PCs, label printers and other computer peripherals as well as the LIMS, middleware and any other software related to Blood Sciences. To escalate issues to management, Trust IT or suppliers as appropriate. Add/retire users and ensure the correct privileges and restrictions are set per user for LIMS.
- Add/retire users and ensure the correct privileges and restrictions are set per user for all local site IT systems.
- Implement changes, meeting deadlines as per agreed change management process, approved by the CAB (change approval board).
- Interrogate any of the Blood Sciences IT systems for statistical and audit purposes as per routine and ad-hoc requests, from the management, clinical or technical teams.
- Ensure all role related documentation is generated and is consistently updated to reflect process or system changes using the QPulse document management system.
- Manage and maintain specialised databases in laboratory computer systems and patient storage databases.
- Responsible for assisting scientific colleagues for duties such as inputting and amending patient data and results.
- Trained to use, retrieve and store patient information on several patient database systems for access by external and internal users.
- Trained to operate and manage software databases on complex clinical analysers.
Research, evaluation & service development:
- Assist in the IT aspects of analytical method evaluation and development to improve the service and patient care diagnostic tests.
- Assisting in the development of specialised services to include new and emerging technologies and development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Staff development and training responsibilities:
- Assist in the IT related education and training of Medical staff, Clinical Scientists, other BMS, Trainee BMS, MLAs and visiting students as required within their specialised area.
- Demonstrate on going competence in your role by attending courses and other training activities.
- To keep up to date with SOPs.
- To actively participate in an Annual Personal Development review (PDR).
- To receive appropriate training and maintain competency to the level required for the spoke site IT lead role in order to support all services within the Blood Sciences Laboratory (Clinical Biochemistry, Haematology and Transfusion)
Health & Safety:
- Provide safety supervision & actively promote safe working practices in all areas of the laboratory service.
- To abide by the Health and Safety Code of Practice for the Service.
- To ensure the application of Trust policies where applicable to the Pathology Services.
- To participate in an annual Health and Safety review.
- Any other duties as required by the Blood Sciences Network Manager or the Chief BMS
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- IT based degree with extensive experience of laboratory based computer systems or State registered Healthcare Scientist Practitioner (or BMS) with a computing background
Desirable
- BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Sciences or equivalent
Experience
Essential
- Has advanced specialist knowledge of the assays performed within their service
- Understands clinical analyser performance evaluation to include complex instrumentation
- At least 2 years professional experience in an IT role
Skills
Essential
- Has an in-depth knowledge of relevant legislation and its application to the Directorate of Laboratory
Attitude, aptitude
Essential
- Effective role model, demonstrating NNUH's PRIDE values of People focussed, Respect, Integrity, Dedication and Excellence
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- IT based degree with extensive experience of laboratory based computer systems or State registered Healthcare Scientist Practitioner (or BMS) with a computing background
Desirable
- BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Sciences or equivalent
Experience
Essential
- Has advanced specialist knowledge of the assays performed within their service
- Understands clinical analyser performance evaluation to include complex instrumentation
- At least 2 years professional experience in an IT role
Skills
Essential
- Has an in-depth knowledge of relevant legislation and its application to the Directorate of Laboratory
Attitude, aptitude
Essential
- Effective role model, demonstrating NNUH's PRIDE values of People focussed, Respect, Integrity, Dedication and Excellence
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).
