Job responsibilities
CORE
BEHAVIOURS AND SKILLS
Shares information openly with
other team members and works in partnership with others to solve a problem.
Open to new approaches and copes
with changing targets.
Helps others to adjust their
behaviour to changing circumstances.
Develops and initiates strategies
in response to change.
Makes active efforts to influence
the work of the team, takes responsibility for making appropriate decisions.
Relates well to people at all
levels and backgrounds.
Uses rational argument and data to
persuade others.
Manages conflict diplomatically and
calmly.
Establishes and responds to user
needs and requirements.
Monitors and continuously reviews
service processes and outcomes and looks for ways of improving service
quality.
Consistently attempts to try
learning in the workplace and from experiences.
Develops and maintains effective
networks.
Makes conscious choices about their
own personal development identifies their own strengths and weaknesses and
orchestrates appropriate development opportunities.
Delegates appropriate tasks and
responsibility.
Allows others the authority to
accomplish tasks effectively.
Makes effective presentations and
speaks confidently in front of a group, including large group or audience,
and at national and international meetings of peers.
Consults appropriately and seeks
relevant information, including financial, before making recommendations.
Remains objective and rational when
dealing with emotive issues.
Sets deadlines and timescales for
managing their own workload.
Plans actions to achieve objectives
to schedule and produces detailed project plans
Anticipates problems and
difficulties and makes contingency plans.
Understands the long term strategy
and objectives of their own department taking into account of the strengths
and weaknesses of the organisation.
Stands up for their own point of
view, even against opposition, and speaks with Sincerity and conviction.
Shows enthusiasm for their own
initiatives and acknowledges their own successes.
CORE
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
Advanced knowledge of specified
range of genetic diseases and disease mechanisms as described in current
literature.
Knowledge of strategies and methods
of molecular genetic analysis, including financial implications.
Knowledge of equipment,
bioinformatics tools and analysis pipelines used for genetic testing and
analysis,
Understanding of clinical features
of inherited an/or somatic genetic diseases and counselling and ethical
issues.
Understanding of services provided
by other pathology departmentsand other genetic centres.
Knowledge of internal and external
quality assurance and national and international best practice standards.
Understanding of health and safety
procedures.
Understanding of department and
Trust policies and procedures.
Knowledge of IT resources in
relation to genetic diagnosis, including bio-informatics.
Knowledge of mathematical
approaches to interpret genetic data and determine genetic risk.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF
RESPONSIBILITY
Clinical
Take personal responsibility for
delivery of laboratory scientific genetics service for specific diseases and
others as required.
Determine appropriate tests for
individual cases. Prioritise testing and reporting to ensure reporting
targets are met for all samples, including urgent predictive and prenatal
tests. Liase with technical staff.
Perform laboratory technical work
as required, for example as part of a development project or troubleshooting
of services.
Ensure laboratory stocks are
maintained, in particular in own areas of work. Analyse and interpret results
of tests, which are oftenbe highly complex or non-routine, and consider
further investigations. For example, variant classification and risk
calculations.
Responsibility for validating
results generated by laboratory staff ensuring internal quality control.
Use of specialist bioinformatics
tools to process laboratory data, compare results and interpret
data.Interpretating genetics results in the context of patient phenotype,
published literature, databases and other pathology tests. Be able to use
these results to write clinically relevant interpretation as part of a
integrated report. , taking national and professional guidelines or
equivalent standards into account. Ensure data is recorded accurately in
databases.
Keep accurate records of all
clinically relevant email, telephone and verbal communications.
Participate in Duty Scientist
rota. This involves gatekeeping all samples received, proritiation,
co-ordinating DNA extractions with technical staff, performing data checks,
ensuring appropriate action for all samples, and acting as primary contact
for scientific and service enquiries.
Discuss individual patient
cases at regular multi-disciplinary (MDT)with
clinicians from a range of clinical specialities to determine appropriate testing
and interpretation of results.
Identify and communicate with other
UK and international genetic centres providing specialised services for rare
genetic diseases with regard to patient testing.
Independently discuss, advise and
challenge Consultants and other users, on the appropriateness of tests and
the interpretation of molecular genetics results, which may be complex,
sensitive or contentious.
Propose changes which may impact on
policies within the molecular genetics laboratory and suggest changes which
may impact outside the laboratory, for example in Clinical Oncology or
Clinical Genetics.
Suggest areas appropriate for and
contribute to clinical audit
Managerial
Following departmental UKAS Accreditation policy by producing and
maintaining standard operating procedures.
Suggest areas appropriate for
laboratory internal audit, and perform specified audit activities.
Responsibility for scheduling
day-to-day case management of technicians and trainee scientists including
advice and troubleshooting.
Provide direction and support for
scientific and technical staff within the laboratory as required.
Suggest and research laboratory
equipment requirements, bioinformatics tools and investigate appropriate
suppliers taking into account cost, reliability, staff feedback and other
factors. Contribute to changes leading to
service reconfigurationOrganise and schedule staff meetings, including
inviting external speakers.
To lead in a defined clinically
relevant area, eg. internal audit, monitoring of response to user feedback,
training.
Scientific/Research
and Development
Present scientific findings at
department, national and international scientific meetings.
Responsibility for reporting and
publishing any research findings arising from laboratory investigations.
Involvement in formulation of
national and European best-practice guidelines by presentation and debate.
Ongoing development of molecular
genetics services for specific diseases, incorporating technological and
scientific developments and re-addressing clinical need. Ensure service
standards meet national guidelines, including UK National External Quality
Assurance Scheme recommendations, in consultation with Quality Lead.
Development of new services in
consultation with senior scientific staff.
Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of
clinical molecular genetics in general with particular reference to own
caseload.
Teaching
and Training
Participate in the teaching and
training of personnel working in or seconded to the Genetics Laboratory; e.g.
Trainee Clinical Scientists, undergraduate project students, registrars.
Attend relevant scientific
conferences and workshops.
Attend and present at weekly
literature and laboratory reviews.
Be actively preparing for FRCPath
and maintain training record.
Comply with Trust mandatory
training requirements
Maintain competency records for
relevant work areas
Health
and Safety/Risk Management
All
staff are responsible for working with their colleagues to maintain and
improve the quality of services provided to our patients and other service
users. This includes complying at all
times with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Policies, including Health
and Safety policies, in particular by following agreed safe working procedures,
and reporting incidents using the Trust Incident Reporting system.
Infection
Control
The
jobholder must comply at all times with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS
Trust Infection Control policies, in particular by practising Universal
Infection Control Precautions. Hand hygiene must be performed before and
after contact with patients and their environment.
Equality
and Diversity
The
jobholder must co-operate with all policies and procedures designed to ensure
equality of employment. Co-workers,
patients and visitors must be treated equally irrespective of gender, ethnic
origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc.
Training
and Personal Development Continuous Professional Development
The
jobholder must take responsibility in agreement with his/her line manager for
his/her own personal development by ensuring that Continuous Professional
Development remains a priority. The
jobholder will undertake all mandatory training required for the role.
Respect
for Patient Confidentiality
The
jobholder should respect patient confidentiality at all times and not divulge
patient information unless sanctioned by the requirements of the role.
COMMUNICATION
& WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
The
post holders main communication channels will be: -
Within
the Genetics Laboratory
Clinical
Service Lead for Genetic Laboratory Services
Genetics
Laboratory Management Team
Genetics
Laboratory Clinical Scientists, Bioinformaticians and Genetic Technologists
Genetic
Laboratory support staff and Admin Team
