Specialist Biomedical Scientist

Job description

Job responsibilities

The postholder:-

Providing confidential, specialist advice over the telephone to users of the service.

To act as primary point of contact for the laboratory when working alone outside normal working hours.

Liaising with other members of staff within the department on a routine basis to ensure safe and efficient daily operation.

To be able to train and supervise other members of staff.

To be a point of reference for junior staff and participate in the duty band 6 rota.

The post requires an ability to implement new policies and changes to practice in their own area.

Provide advice and guidance to other staff members working in that area.

Helps formulate SOPs.

To coordinate work and staff within their area.

To take receipt of clinical samples from wards, clinics, theatres and GPs checking the integrity of the sample.

To unpack the samples with reference to health and safety procedures and the minimum data set requirements for labelling the sample and request form.

To label the sample with a laboratory number and input patient and sample information into the laboratory computer system.

To input request form details and simple diagnostic test results.

To merge patient details accurately.

To retrieve information from the IT system if required to do so.

To undertake with reference to departmental Standard Operating Procedures, the initial processing of all clinical samples, including: urine, sputum, fluids and fine needle aspirates. This requires a thorough knowledge and understanding of aseptic laboratory techniques and hazards associated with biological materials.

To undertake with reference to departmental Standard Operating Procedures routine examination and reporting of seminal fluid for infertility and post vasectomy investigations.

To participate in surgical sperm retrieval procedures.

To undertake, with reference to departmental Standard Operating Procedures, small biopsy transfer.

To assist consultant pathologists dissection including digital photography and decalcifying techniques.

To be able to perform emergency frozen sections.

Be proficient in embedding techniques.

Be competent in microtomy and routine H&E staining.

To carry out immunocytochemistry and immunofluorescent techniques, to understand the results and be able to recognise and solve problems.

Be proficient in the special staining techniques of the department and be able to recognise and solve problems.

To be fully trained in the maintenance and use of all equipment in the department.

Understand, perform and document daily quality checks on equipment.

Perform basic fault-finding and problem solving of faulty system processes.

To understand where different histology tests are performed and direct samples to appropriate laboratory.

To have knowledge of where other non-histology tests are performed and direct samples to the appropriate laboratory.

To make an assessment of the sample on receipt in conjunction with the clinical details to ensure that appropriate tests are carried out on the sample.

To be able to solve day to day problems with samples received such as unlabelled and leaking specimens

To ensure the patients samples follow the clinical pathways as defined in the SOPs

To perform external QA tests.

To take part in and co-ordinate internal QA testing.

To participate in Continuing Professional Development and continually update skills. Have evidence in a professional portfolio.

To have a good working knowledge of the pathology computer system.

To ensure the validity of test results by ensuring good quality QA processes.

To be able to plan your own work and that of the work area and prioritise urgent samples.

To co-ordinate the work within a section in conjunction with other biomedical scientists and the section leader.

Must have good hand eye co-ordination when handling potentially infectious material and when using equipment such as microtomes, microscopes and pipettes.

To ensure patient confidentiality.

Implement(s) changes to practice within own work area.

Provide advice and guidance to other staff members working in that area.

To maintain adequate levels of laboratory kits and reagents in the department

To undertake staff training and competency testing.

To carry out staff appraisals.

To participate in clinical trials and audits.

To act independently within occupational guidelines and make the judgement when it is necessary to refer to their manager.

To deal sensitively with products of conception samples and mortuary-related issues.

To undertake supervisory duties throughout the cellular pathology and mortuary department.

To assist in the quality work of the department, maintaining UKAS accreditation and HTA compliance.

To perform health and safety duties in the department

To assist in the implementation of new projects and techniques such as genomics and digital pathology.

Person Specification

QUALIFICATIONS / TRAINING

Essential

• State registration with the HCPC
• Degree in Biomedical Science
• IBMS Specialist postgraduate portfolio in cellular pathology, MSc in cellular pathology or equivalence

Desirable

• Post graduate qualifications related to cellular pathology

KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE

Essential

• Significant recent post registration experience in cellular pathology
• Supervision and training of MLA, associate practitioners, trainee BMS, and BMS staff
• Experience of laboratory and clinical audit
• Experience of UKAS accreditation and HTA
• Knowledge of all areas of the cellular pathology department
• Must be organised and have excellent time management skills

Desirable

• Andrology experience
• Non-gynae cytology experienced
• Experience leading a team
• Specialist cellular pathology training/ experience provided by reference laboratory/ external courses/ examination

COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS (INCLUDING MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES)

Essential

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work under pressure and plan and manage workload

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Cellular Pathology Calderdale Royal Hospital

Halifax

HX3 0PW

Employer's website

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