Job summary
About us:
Sonic Healthcareis an internationally renowned healthcare provider with a demonstrable track record of medical across the world. Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, Sonic is an ASX Top 50 company that has grown to become one of the worlds leading healthcare providers, specialising in pathology, radiology and primary care medical centres. We have operations in Australia, the USA, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Ireland and New Zealand.
Sonic Healthcare UKencompasses the two main entities in the UK, The Doctors Laboratory (TDL) and Health Services Laboratories (HSL). HSL is a partnership between The Doctors Laboratory (TDL), Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust and University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH). HSL was formed to provide pathology services to the NHS Trusts and has expanded further to provide services to other NHS Trusts. Over 2,500 staff work at Sonic Healthcare UK, primarily under the TDL or HSL banner.
Our purpose is to deliver medically-led diagnostics, innovation, value and long-term investment to healthcare. With our core laboratory based at The Halo Building in London WC1H 9AX, we also have an expanding site in Manchester as well as smaller hospital-based laboratories across the country. We maintain rigorously high standards of quality, whilst also delivering efficiencies to healthcare through careful workforce planning, pioneering technology and significant investment in infrastructure and IT.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will be expected to contribute towards the whole biochemistry service but there is also potential to develop alternative areas of expertise, and for collaborative R&D activities. The successful applicant will primarily have laboratory responsibilities at the hub site, but may also be required to work for a period of time at one of our essential service laboratories based at the Royal Free, Barnet, North Middlesex, University College or the Whittington Hospitals.
The biochemistry department provides a wide variety of investigations using advanced instrumentation and methodologies covering; automated biochemistry, proteins, calculi analyses and an extensive mass spec section, including trace elements, steroids and metanephrines. In addition, we provide Supraregional Assay Services for steroid and lipid investigations. Most of these activities are located in our purpose-built hub laboratory (The Halo Building) in Central London, with additional facilities at spoke sites.
Interested candidates should be HCPC-registered. Support and training will be provided for those applying for registration and undertaking FRCPath examinations. Newly registered candidates with less experience will be placed on an appropriate pay band.
You will need to be self-motivated, innovative, flexible, reliable and have good interpersonal skills as well as having the ability to use your own initiative and take responsibility for ones own work and those of others less qualified.
About us
At HSL we offer a variety of excellent staff benefits including:
Training and development opportunities supporting professional development
Annual performance related salary review
** No banding restrictions:**As we are a private company we are not restricted by salary bandings and so are able to negotiate appropriate salaries based on experience. This also means that annual salary reviews do not hit a band ceiling
Discounted gym membership we have a corporate gym membership scheme with Better Gyms
Cash healthcare plan cash back on a variety of healthcare costs including dentist and opticians
Sick Pay Entitlement 5 paid days in the first year of employment, 20 days thereafter
Permanent Health Insurance and Death in Service Cover
Life Assurance providing salary continuation for long term illness (six months qualifying period)
Employee Assistance Programme supporting staff wellbeing
Season Ticket Loan Scheme interest free loan for the cost of annual travel ticket
Perkbox Access to additional staff perks and benefits such as high street discounts
Company Pension Scheme company and staff contributions which increase with service
Competitive annual leave allowance- 28 days
Flexible working hours 40 hours standard working week
Job description
Job responsibilities
Overall Job Purpose:
To undertake duties and responsibilities of a clinical scientist in the provision of a high quality
service. To collaborate and liaise with members of the laboratory in all matters necessary to
achieve the maximum efficiency of the service.
To work closely with clinical teams to deliver an effective service and to identify and explore
areas of potential development.
To contribute to the overall strategic direction and development of the department, including
research and development, teaching, training, and governance activities.
Main duties
To include, but not be restricted to, the following duties:
Analytical and clinical service provision
1. To undertake all aspects of the day-to-day operation of clinical biochemistry working at or
above nationally accepted standards i.e. UKAS or equivalent.
2. To support a broad repertoire of routine and specialist tests to facilitate the investigation and
management of patients.
3. To ensure associated equipment is optimally maintained and safely operated. This will
include advising and coordinating of planned equipment servicing.
4. To take appropriate corrective action in situations causing, or which have caused, service
delivery failure and liaise with engineers to rectify issues.
5. To ensure relevant documentation is up-to-date and associated procedures are adhered to.
6. To advise upon stock requirements as appropriate.
7. To support and review assay verifications assuring traceability where appropriate.
8. To actively contribute to quality assurance with appropriate interventions where necessary.
9. To support the biochemistry service from the Hub or the spoke sites as needed.
10. To participate in the duty biochemist rota.
11. To provide appropriate advice and interpretation on test results generated by the
department.
12. To attend relevant MDT meetings.3. To provide cover for other scientist staff as appropriate.
14. To develop and implement new assays as part of ongoing service development.
15. To participate and supervise collaborative research and development projects undertaken
by the department.
16. To critically evaluate published developments and innovations.
17. To publish research and development findings in appropriate media, and to present these at
local, national, and international meetings.
18. To support the senior Clinical and Management teams in forming a strategy for future service
improvements & developments.
Management and administration
1. To manage and prioritise your workload.
2. To be involved in service development and enhancement, including the setting of service
standards and input to protocols.
3. To monitor service performance according to local KPIs and to perform corrective
intervention where necessary.
4. To carry out clinical audit of clinical biochemistry services, and suggest and implement
service improvements as required.
5. To attend and contribute to local departmental meetings.
Training and Education
1. To assist in the theoretical and practical training of members of the department, coordinating
with training officers as necessary.
2. To provide input and support in the staff training and development structure.
3. To keep abreast of current developments in the field and attend courses and meetings as
relevant.
4. To continue your own personal and professional development by actively managing your CPD.
5. To maintain registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
6. Where appropriate to obtain and/or maintain fellowship of The Royal College of Pathologists
(RCPath).
Job description
Job responsibilities
Overall Job Purpose:
To undertake duties and responsibilities of a clinical scientist in the provision of a high quality
service. To collaborate and liaise with members of the laboratory in all matters necessary to
achieve the maximum efficiency of the service.
To work closely with clinical teams to deliver an effective service and to identify and explore
areas of potential development.
To contribute to the overall strategic direction and development of the department, including
research and development, teaching, training, and governance activities.
Main duties
To include, but not be restricted to, the following duties:
Analytical and clinical service provision
1. To undertake all aspects of the day-to-day operation of clinical biochemistry working at or
above nationally accepted standards i.e. UKAS or equivalent.
2. To support a broad repertoire of routine and specialist tests to facilitate the investigation and
management of patients.
3. To ensure associated equipment is optimally maintained and safely operated. This will
include advising and coordinating of planned equipment servicing.
4. To take appropriate corrective action in situations causing, or which have caused, service
delivery failure and liaise with engineers to rectify issues.
5. To ensure relevant documentation is up-to-date and associated procedures are adhered to.
6. To advise upon stock requirements as appropriate.
7. To support and review assay verifications assuring traceability where appropriate.
8. To actively contribute to quality assurance with appropriate interventions where necessary.
9. To support the biochemistry service from the Hub or the spoke sites as needed.
10. To participate in the duty biochemist rota.
11. To provide appropriate advice and interpretation on test results generated by the
department.
12. To attend relevant MDT meetings.3. To provide cover for other scientist staff as appropriate.
14. To develop and implement new assays as part of ongoing service development.
15. To participate and supervise collaborative research and development projects undertaken
by the department.
16. To critically evaluate published developments and innovations.
17. To publish research and development findings in appropriate media, and to present these at
local, national, and international meetings.
18. To support the senior Clinical and Management teams in forming a strategy for future service
improvements & developments.
Management and administration
1. To manage and prioritise your workload.
2. To be involved in service development and enhancement, including the setting of service
standards and input to protocols.
3. To monitor service performance according to local KPIs and to perform corrective
intervention where necessary.
4. To carry out clinical audit of clinical biochemistry services, and suggest and implement
service improvements as required.
5. To attend and contribute to local departmental meetings.
Training and Education
1. To assist in the theoretical and practical training of members of the department, coordinating
with training officers as necessary.
2. To provide input and support in the staff training and development structure.
3. To keep abreast of current developments in the field and attend courses and meetings as
relevant.
4. To continue your own personal and professional development by actively managing your CPD.
5. To maintain registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
6. Where appropriate to obtain and/or maintain fellowship of The Royal College of Pathologists
(RCPath).
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- 1st/2nd class BSc in biochemistry or related subject or assessed equivalent knowledge and expertise.
- Masters degree or assessed equivalent knowledge and expertise in clinical biochemistry
- PhD and/or track record of research and development
- To be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Part 1 examination for FRCPath
Experience
Essential
- Postgraduate experience relevant to clinical biochemistry and substantial supervised in-service experience
- Completion of STP training or equivalent
- Evidence of participation in audit and development activities
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Ability to apply scientific principles and clinical knowledge to the interpretation and reporting of clinical chemistry test results.
- Excellent technical skills/trouble-shooting
- Good oral and written communication skills
- Able to provide teaching and training to junior colleagues, students and other healthcare workers
- Able to prepare and present scientific and clinical information at meetings
- Excellent organisational and time management skills
- Able to advise clinical staff on routine biochemical investigations and their interpretation
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- 1st/2nd class BSc in biochemistry or related subject or assessed equivalent knowledge and expertise.
- Masters degree or assessed equivalent knowledge and expertise in clinical biochemistry
- PhD and/or track record of research and development
- To be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Part 1 examination for FRCPath
Experience
Essential
- Postgraduate experience relevant to clinical biochemistry and substantial supervised in-service experience
- Completion of STP training or equivalent
- Evidence of participation in audit and development activities
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Ability to apply scientific principles and clinical knowledge to the interpretation and reporting of clinical chemistry test results.
- Excellent technical skills/trouble-shooting
- Good oral and written communication skills
- Able to provide teaching and training to junior colleagues, students and other healthcare workers
- Able to prepare and present scientific and clinical information at meetings
- Excellent organisational and time management skills
- Able to advise clinical staff on routine biochemical investigations and their interpretation
Additional information
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).
