Transplant Officer

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job title: Transplant Officer

Salary: Band 2

Accountable to: Transplant Manager

Contract: Permanent

Location: Home-based or 2 Redman Place, London, E20 1JQ

Introduction

The Human Tissue Authority’s (HTA’s) primary goal is to protect public and professional confidence in the safe and ethical use of human tissue.

The HTA is the national independent regulator for organisations that remove, store and use tissue for research, medical treatment, post-mortem examination, teaching and display in public. We also give approval for organ and bone marrow donations from living people. With the interests of the public and those we regulate at the centre of our work, we aim to maintain confidence by ensuring that human tissue is used safely and ethically, with proper consent.

Established under the Human Tissue Act 2004, we are an Executive Non- Departmental Public Body sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care. The Authority’s Chair and Board are appointed by the Secretary of State for Health. The Chair and half of the Board are lay, with the remainder being professionals drawn from some of the groups who are affected by the legislation. The Authority is supported by an Executive team of 50 staff.

HTA core values

The HTA’s values are our shared beliefs about behaviours that are key to how we deliver against our objectives. Our values help us achieve our vision and strategy, shape the way we deliver our regulatory functions and are integral to the way we interact with each other, professional stakeholders and the public.

Our values:

· Professionalism – the high standards we apply in the conduct of our individual and collective responsibilities.

· Respect – a proper regard for the abilities and perspectives of others.

· Expertise – the skills, knowledge and experience we apply for the benefit of our stakeholders and each other.

· Agility – rapid and positive response to changes in the internal and external environment without losing momentum.

Job purpose

The role has three core responsibilities:

1. Living Organ Donation Approval

· to administer and coordinate the assessment of living organ donation cases;

· to review living organ donation cases and make associated decisions;

· ensure that all relevant HTA standard operating procedures and guidance are followed and that all decisions are evidence-based, proportionate, and in line with the relevant legislation;

· to administer the management of the HTA Independent and Accredited Assessors, including delivery of training and acting as the first point of contact.

2. Providing advice and guidance

· to provide clear, evidence-based advice and guidance to a broad range of colleagues and external stakeholders in a variety of formats (including professional presentations) to a range of audiences, both within the HTA and outside of it;

· to answer all enquiries related to living organ donation;

· to share expertise with HTA staff;

· to manage professional relationships with key stakeholders.

3. Continuous Improvement

· to contribute to the development and implementation of robust systems and processes for the delivery of the HTA’s statutory responsibilities in relation to living organ donation;

· to contribute to the regular review and development of the HTA’s standard operating procedures and quality guidance manuals.

Other responsibilities

· To be a proactive member of the team;

· To support the Transplant Manager and Head of Regulation as required.

Working with the Transplant Manager, the Transplant Officer has day to day responsibility for administering and coordinating the HTA assessment process for living organ and bone marrow / Peripheral Blood Stem Cell (PBSC) donation across the UK, including assigning cases to members of the Living Donation Assessment Team, acting as a first point of contact for Board Members for living donation related queries and answering complex transplant-related enquiries.

The post holder will be required to support and contribute to the development, implementation and administration of living organ / bone marrow and PBSC donation systems and take delegated responsibility for individual projects.

The post holder will develop and maintain constructive relationships with Board Members. The post holder will also work closely professional stakeholders.

Communication and working relationships

External contacts

NHS Blood and Transplant, transplant community and licensed establishments, professional organisations, patient organisations, the general public, media, Parliamentarians, Department of Health and Social Care, devolved assemblies, and other key stakeholders.

Internal contacts

Board Members, colleagues across the organisation.

Key tasks and responsibilities

· Understand the legislation and policy context within which the HTA operates, taking primary responsibility for answering transplant and donation related enquiries and maintaining a robust audit trail of correspondence.

· Take primary responsibility for monitoring report submissions via the online portal to ensure all reports are initially reviewed within one working day.

· Take primary responsibility for administering the HTA panel process for approval of certain types of living donation, and managing cases referred to panel.

· Work with the Living Donation Assessment Team, taking day to day responsibility for allocating, assessing and making decisions on Independent Assessor (IA) reports for living donations of organs and Accredited Assessor (AA) reports for living donations of bone marrow / PBSC.

· Administer and coordinate complex cases, compiling relevant evidence and clarification from transplant units and seeking input from senior colleagues as required.

· Prepare and issue the HTA quarterly newsletters for Independent Assessors (IA) and Accredited Assessors (AA).

· Regularly review and update SOPs related to transplant assessment work.

· Lead in the project management of the annual IA and AA reaccreditation process.

· Coordinate and administer the recruitment of IAs and AAs.

· Lead on the organisation of IA/AA training days. To support the Transplant Manager in facilitating and presenting at the training days.

· Have a proactive approach to ongoing system review and identification of efficiencies / improvements.

· Create and coordinate the Emergency Out of Hours rota, including assisting in delivering training for new members.

· Review and update transplant related information on the HTA website as required.

· Assess and monitor the system for receiving reports of serious adverse events and serious adverse reactions in the organ donation and transplantation sector, to include taking and disseminating minutes.

· Act as a point of contact for external calls including answering enquiries wherever possible or direct them to the appropriate person or team.

Person specification

This role requires the jobholder to be able to quickly acquire technical knowledge, including an understanding of relevant legislation, Codes of Practice and guidance to be able to successfully coordinate and assess living donation cases.

A proven background of being able to work to tight deadlines and the ability to analyse information to make decisions is essential.

The jobholder will be a team player, able to adapt to situations at short notice and work together in a small team, sharing responsibilities and workloads effectively.

The advert and job description gives further details on the job and key criteria for this role.

Person Specification

Knowledge, Skills, Experience

Essential

• Strong analytical skills able to review and analyse large quantities of complex information, from a variety of sources and in various forms, to identify key issues
• Sound judgement
• Decision making skills
• Confident and proactive approach to work, able to use own initiative
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to prioritise tasks to meet deadlines
• Strong administration and IT skills (MS Outlook, Teams, Excel and Word) and the ability to problem solve
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skill with an ability to work with professionals at all levels, as part of a team and independently.

Desirable

• Experience of drafting reports, meeting papers and policy documents
• Good presentation skills in order to provide information / deliver training to a range of audiences
• Experience of organising and supporting meetings / events; servicing meetings as secretary (agenda setting and minute taking)
• Experience of working on projects
• Experience of working in a policy-related environment
• Understanding of the UK healthcare sector or regulation.

Employer details

Employer name

Human Tissue Authority

Address

2 Redman Place

Stratford

London

E20 1JQ

Employer's website

https://www.hta.gov.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)