States of Guernsey

Head of Clinical Microbiology

This job is now closed

Job summary

The Clinical Microbiology department at the P.E.H provides a comprehensive Microbiology service. The laboratory receives approximately 35-40K specimens per year divided between Bacteriology, Serology, Mycology and Molecular microbiology. In addition, the department provides epidemiological data to the Infection Prevention & Control team and the Environmental and Public Health Directorate.The post holder is responsible for supervision of all departmental staff and is accountable for specialist training in Clinical Microbiology in accordance with the Institute of Biomedical Sciences (IBMS) training guidelines. In addition to line management, the head of department is responsible for relationships with external stakeholders such as visiting consultants, locums and external service providers. The nature of the role requires an ability of prioritise time sensitive workloads whilst managing clinical demands and frequent interruptions.

Main duties of the job

The Clinical Microbiology department provides a comprehensive Microbiologyservice. The laboratory receives approximately 35-40K specimens per year divided betweenBacteriology, Serology, Mycology and Molecular microbiology. In addition, the departmentprovides epidemiological data to the Infection Prevention & Control team and theEnvironmental and Public Health Directorate.

The section head of Clinical Microbiology is accountable for a comprehensive, robust and costeffective diagnostic Microbiology service on behalf of the Health and Social Care Committeeto the highest standards, acting in accordance with Clinical Governance procedures.

The head of department must have the appropriate skills to deal with multi-professional staffand the public, in addition be able to provide expert advice to clinicians and senior managersregarding all aspects of Clinical Microbiology. The role requires extensive advancedtheoretical and practical knowledge of Clinical Microbiology, Virology, Mycology andMolecular Microbiology, together with proven leadership skills to manage a team of staff andstrategically develop processes and procedures to support an evolving service.

The post holder is responsible for supervision of all departmental staff and is accountable forspecialist training in Clinical In addition to line management, the head of departmentis responsible for relationships with external stakeholders such as visiting consultants, locumsand external service providers.

About us

The Island of Guernsey is in the English Channel in the Bay of St Malo, 50km off the north-west coast of France and 120km from the English coast.

Guernsey has a population of around 63,000 and in Alderney just under 2,000. Working in a relatively small Health and Social Care Service like ours means you can effectively work with colleagues across the services, health and social care professionals can collaborate not only with each other but also other agencies, the third sector and the community.

We offer an attractive relocation policy and competitive salaries with great career opportunities, modern facilities, excellent training, revalidation and registration support and a healthy work-life balance.

As a health or social care professional who chooses to join our team, you can look forward to working in an environment that gives you the time to care that you hoped for when choosing this career.

Date posted

17 June 2024

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£67,355 to £80,716 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

K0005-24-0120

Job locations

Princess Elizabeth Hospital

Le Vauquiedor

St. Martin

Guernsey

GY4 6UU

Job description

Job responsibilities

Manage all grades of staff within the Clinical Microbiology team including:

Recruitment, selection and staff planning

Training and competency assessment

Staff appraisal and professional performance monitoring

Probationary reviews

Lead departmental meeting or delegate where appropriate

Direct appropriate CPD in accordance with reflective practice, career development and succession planning.

Deliver a clinically appropriate Clinical Microbiology service in accordance with all relevant Clinical Governance procedures and bodies:

Responsible for the delivery of a full diagnostic Clinical Microbiology service on behalf of the Health and Social Care Committee

To prepare and maintain departmental standard operating procedures and policies using the Q-Pulse governance platform. Ensure all work is carried out in accordance with these procedures and where necessary ensure dissemination to the wider organisation and service users. Where policy or procedure does not exist act independently using knowledge and experience and provide leadership to colleagues in accordance with professional codes of conduct.

Regularly participate in all aspects of the Clinical Microbiology service.

Ensure that the working environment is safe for all staff.

Ensure that all equipment and materials are available for scientific staff to carry out specimen analysis and interpretation.

Ensure that all specialist equipment is regularly maintained along with supporting documentation.

Troubleshooting of faulty specialist equipment to ensure continuity of service

Responsible for operation and maintenance of Clinical Microbiology Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). This facilitates availability of diagnostic test results to the wider organisation and other key stakeholders.

Interpret complex results and make technical recommendations to clinical colleagues where a range of options may be available.

Ensure provision and support the delivery of a robust paediatric post mortem service.

Responsible for off-island referral for specialist testing. This involves suitable choice of service provider, transport, tracking, local reporting and audit of these cases.

Deal with complex complaints to the Clinical Microbiology department.

Deal with complex clinical incidents involving the Clinical Microbiology department

Develop policy and strategy for the Clinical Microbiology department:

Engage with service users and act with freedom and autonomy to promote the department. This may involve face to face meeting or written communication.

Monitor technical developments within the field of Clinical Microbiology and make recommendations where appropriate for service changes and/or enhancements.

Production of detailed business cases for various interested groups exercising judgment to balance clinical, fiscal and technical competing demands.

Present strategy and business cases to large groups including, corporate management and finance where responses may be hostile for contentious issues such as transformational initiatives.

Undertake appropriate research to underpin the implementation of new policies or tests

Implement policy and strategy for the Clinical Microbiology department:

Manage and implement appropriate quality assurance schemes to ensure accuracy of clinical reporting frameworks. Maintain quality documentation for Clinical Microbiology department in conjunction with this activity.

Oversee and ensure continuous development of diagnostic testing portfolio/repertoire.

Validation of new tests.

Educate staff and service users on technical developments within the department.

Where implementation of departmental policy and procedure impact other operational areas, provide direction and training oversight.

Develop and maintain multifaceted relationships with all key service stakeholders.

These relationships require the ability to provide detailed information and may require; negotiation, persuasiveness, motivational and reassurance skills:

Provide information and training in an appropriate format, (written reports, verbalpresentations, information leaflets etc...) to all key service stakeholders ensuring that complex and difficult technical information is understood.

Monitor the demands on the service and provide regular updates to the chief scientist, senior management team (director level) and key stakeholders.

Provide advice and technical interpretation of sensitive and complex results.

Provide advice and guidance to healthcare practitioners on appropriate testing where testing is contentious or complex provide certainty and reassurance.

Attend and contribute to Pathology leadership and governance meetings.

Be responsible for the operational budget and physical resourcing of the department:

Hold budget for Clinical Microbiology consumables.

Negotiate and set target budgets for service taking into account all aspects of service delivery including through business case development.

Negotiate internally for capital procurement.

Balance stock against budget.

Authorise direct reports out of hours (on-call) and expense claims.

Authorise appropriate use of overtime where necessary.

Contribute to the wider goals of Pathology as part of the Pathology management team:

Contribute effectively and assist the Chief Scientist to develop policy and strategy for Pathology.

Promote the wider Pathology department with internal and external stake holders.

Attend wider leadership meetings and strategic policy groups for HSC as requested.

Maintain a strong working partnership with numerous departments and support the Multi-Disciplinary Team:

Provide clinical and epidemiological data to the Public Health directorate as required. The data must be produced in usable formats and with technical interpretations where required.

Monitor local disease and antibiotic resistance trends and report to IPACT and PH on a regular basis and during times of increased concern such as Influenza season.

Work out of hours as part of the Pathology on-call service:

Work independently across different disciplines within pathology.

Deal with high pressure situations where specimen analysis is urgent to patient care

Communicate effectively with other professional colleagues. The nature of emergency services is likely to involve highly stressful situations requiring the ability to prioritise workloads and report results in an accurate and timely manner.

Provide and receive complex and sensitive information and if appropriate provide guidance/recommendation on reflex testing.

Personal training and development:

Maintain a high level of personal CPD including evidence of reflective practice in accordance with HCPC and IBMS guidelines. Link with annual appraisal & objectives.

Monitor technical developments within the field of Clinical Microbiology and contribute to laboratory meetings with ideas and suggestions for development