Job summary
An
exciting opportunity has arisen for a Biomedical Support Worker (Higher
Level) to join our professional and friendly Point of Care Team (POCT). Blood
Sciences is part of one of the largest Pathology departments in the UK, and
offers a comprehensive POCT service to Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and
also in the community. The POCT service provides support for analytical
testing at or near the site of patient care.
Expected Shortlisting
Date
15/07/2025
Planned Interview
Date
22/07/2025
Main duties of the job
The
successful candidate will report to the POCT Team Leaders and the POCT
Coordinator/Specialist Biomedical Scientist, participate in all aspects of
the POCT service. This includes providing and documenting training, quality
assurance and troubleshooting support to POCT users, using IT skills to
connect and virtually monitor devices, ensuring the delivery of high quality
results in a POCT setting.
GCSE
qualifications or equivalent (including Maths & English) are a
requirement of this role. Prior experience of laboratory work, or of POCT
services would be desirable, but not essential as all required training will
be provided. Experience of customer services, record keeping, and IT
proficiency - including MS Office/Excel and data communications would also be
beneficial. As a minimum, all applicants should have a good knowledge of POCT
and the role of the POCT team, both within the hospital setting and in the
community.
We
encourage all candidates to make contact with us to discuss the role(s) and
we can offer informal visits to our laboratories for interested candidates.
Please contact:
Emma
Baddams, POCT Coordinator on 0113 2069414 or email emma.baddams@nhs.net
About us
The
Blood Sciences department at LTHT operates across two large university
teaching hospitals in the Leeds Metropolitan area, along with Satellite units
at Chapel Allerton, Seacroft and Wharfedale. POCT services are expanding all
the time and will continue to do so in line with wider NHS strategy. The POCT
service recently moved into our new £30m Centre for Laboratory Medicine
building (on the St. Jamess University Hospital site), which offers a
fantastic new working environment for our staff. The POCT service currently
supports 40 blood gas analysers, around 300 glucose meters, 70 urinalysis
analysers, and much more (including Flu and Covid analysers). The field of
POCT is rapidly expanding, and currently includes tests within the
Biochemistry, Haematology, and Microbiology specialisms, with exciting new
projects currently underway.
Leeds
Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk'
members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts
are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove
adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the
shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this
process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any
questions.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The
Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) service covers medical testing at or near the
site of patient care by specially trained healthcare professionals. The goal
of POCT is to collect the specimen and obtain accurate results in a very
short period at or near the location of the patient.
POCT
can be carried out in a wide range of settings; in primary care, hospitals,
the community, and secondary care, supporting the delivery of the right care
in the right place at the right time.
The
POCT team is responsible for looking after point of care equipment across the
Trust, providing routine maintenance and External Quality Assurance (EQA) for
all POCT equipment within the hospital, as well as some community and
satellite units. (Some EQA testing is carried out by the POCT team, whereas
other EQA samples are distributed to departments and must be analysed by
trained operators). The POCT team is responsible for coordinating Internal
Quality Control (IQC) for POCT equipment within the trust.
The
POCT Higher Level Biomedical Support Worker is required:
To perform a range of routine and
non-routine tasks within POCT for example carrying out routine diagnostic
tests or equipment support activities
To follow set procedures for area
of work; advice generally available from POCT Team Leader/POCT Co-ordinator
May be required to update
information systems for example patient test requests, records
To work autonomously - the post
holder participates in the maintenance, staff training and documentation of
POCT equipment under the guidance of the POCT Team Leader/Co-ordinator
To work as directed with the
clinical end users to resolve errors and result discrepancies, and to provide
feedback both to the POCT team and Trust Managers - this may include remote
sites e.g. Chapel Allerton or Wharfedale.
To be involved in routine
maintenance and able to assess whether equipment is fit for purpose based on
SOPs and personal findings
To achieve and maintain competency
in relevant technical and analytical aspects of service area.
For
full details please refer to the attached job description.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The
Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) service covers medical testing at or near the
site of patient care by specially trained healthcare professionals. The goal
of POCT is to collect the specimen and obtain accurate results in a very
short period at or near the location of the patient.
POCT
can be carried out in a wide range of settings; in primary care, hospitals,
the community, and secondary care, supporting the delivery of the right care
in the right place at the right time.
The
POCT team is responsible for looking after point of care equipment across the
Trust, providing routine maintenance and External Quality Assurance (EQA) for
all POCT equipment within the hospital, as well as some community and
satellite units. (Some EQA testing is carried out by the POCT team, whereas
other EQA samples are distributed to departments and must be analysed by
trained operators). The POCT team is responsible for coordinating Internal
Quality Control (IQC) for POCT equipment within the trust.
The
POCT Higher Level Biomedical Support Worker is required:
To perform a range of routine and
non-routine tasks within POCT for example carrying out routine diagnostic
tests or equipment support activities
To follow set procedures for area
of work; advice generally available from POCT Team Leader/POCT Co-ordinator
May be required to update
information systems for example patient test requests, records
To work autonomously - the post
holder participates in the maintenance, staff training and documentation of
POCT equipment under the guidance of the POCT Team Leader/Co-ordinator
To work as directed with the
clinical end users to resolve errors and result discrepancies, and to provide
feedback both to the POCT team and Trust Managers - this may include remote
sites e.g. Chapel Allerton or Wharfedale.
To be involved in routine
maintenance and able to assess whether equipment is fit for purpose based on
SOPs and personal findings
To achieve and maintain competency
in relevant technical and analytical aspects of service area.
For
full details please refer to the attached job description.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- GCSE qualifications or equivalent (inc Maths & English)
- Good numeracy and communication skills
Desirable
- Educated to A level standard, or equivalent
Skills and Behaviours
Essential
- Able to work autonomously and use own initiative
- Able to prioritise workload to meet set deadlines
- An aptitude for using and testing technical equipment
- Ability to demonstrate equipment to others correctly for use
- Able to travel between and off-sites (including community locations)
- Manual handling - able to lift and move weights of up to 30kg
Desirable
- Advanced knowledge or experience using Microsoft Excel
- Driving license
- Experience of supervising others
Experience
Desirable
- Experience of working in a laboratory
- Experience of working in a POCT setting
- Experience in an administration/co-ordination role
- Experience of delivering training to groups/clinical staff
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- GCSE qualifications or equivalent (inc Maths & English)
- Good numeracy and communication skills
Desirable
- Educated to A level standard, or equivalent
Skills and Behaviours
Essential
- Able to work autonomously and use own initiative
- Able to prioritise workload to meet set deadlines
- An aptitude for using and testing technical equipment
- Ability to demonstrate equipment to others correctly for use
- Able to travel between and off-sites (including community locations)
- Manual handling - able to lift and move weights of up to 30kg
Desirable
- Advanced knowledge or experience using Microsoft Excel
- Driving license
- Experience of supervising others
Experience
Desirable
- Experience of working in a laboratory
- Experience of working in a POCT setting
- Experience in an administration/co-ordination role
- Experience of delivering training to groups/clinical staff
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.
