Job responsibilities
Communication
To liaise successfully and effectively with individuals at all levels within RB&HH and other health care organisations
To attend and participate in local management meetings, POCT Committees and sub-POCT meetings, decision making and policy implementation
To provide summary reports of POCT activities for POCT Committees and periodic and annual management reviews of the POCT.
To effectively present and provide guidance and training, as required.
To communicate with users regarding their needs to implement new POCT, formulating acceptance processes and clinical application.
To attend Trust and external meetings relevant to POCT activities.
Where appropriate, to attend meetings of Directorates using POCT equipment
To ensure that there is a standard organisational protocol and format for the documentation of results from each type of device, and that there is clear guidance on action to be taken in the event of significantly abnormal results
To investigate the relevance of Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) alert bulletins and communicate these as appropriate.
To review Radar incident reports where POCT devices have been implicated.
To present information to diverse groups of professionals relating to the implementation, management and performance of POCT equipment.
To defer to experts within the Trust regarding aspects of POCT.
To discuss technical POCT issues with manufacturers when dealing with faults or substandard performance. Some issues will be controversial requiring careful presentation of facts that may be in dispute
To communicate with staff regarding equipment use, faults, hazards, training or technical issues.
Patient/customer care (both direct and indirect)
To ensure that all POCT activities in the Trust are patient focussed and are performed effectively, efficiently and without compromising patient safety.
To ensure that all POCT activities in the Trust are performed in accordance with all relevant Organisational policies and professional and regulatory standards.
To ensure that POCT is carried out only when and where deemed appropriate, such that it improves patient care, giving carers rapid access to results, while maintaining the safety, accuracy and cost effectiveness of the tests.
To ensure POCT is carried out following standard operating procedures.
To ensure that a staff training programme with defined competencies exists for each type of device, that staff training records are up-to-date, and that a register is maintained of competent staff who are authorised to use each device.
To work closely with managers of staff designated to use POCT equipment to ensure staff training is re-validated and to help where there is a failure of competence or where use of such equipment is not in accordance with Trust policies.
To ensure systems are implemented to certify measurements made on POCT equipment are within the expected accuracy for the device, such that clinical decisions based on POCT are safe and appropriate. Measures will include quality control and quality assurance, log books for QC and maintenance, and user training programmes
To promote positive patient identification and the use of bar-coded wristbands in POCT
To co-ordinate the investigation of adverse incidents related to POCT equipment and provide advice to users on prevention of further occurrences
To maintain records of adverse incidents relating to the use of POCT, and to ensure that these are reported to the relevant POCT Committee, reported via Radar, and, if appropriate, to the MHRA.
To conduct regular audits of POCT processes and activities in conjunction with the designated Quality Managers and Quality Coordinators
Policy & Service development
To produce, review and update POCT SOPs and the organisational POCT policy and to ensure they comply with the relevant national standards and are distributed to users.
To ensure manuals and instructions for use of POCT are subject to document control and readily available to users.
To ensure that all Organisational and Departmental policies and procedures are implemented within areas of responsibility including the Organisational POCT policy.
To oversee the performance and operation of the fleet of POCT equipment by audit and ensure it meets the requirements of the POCT policy in conjunction with the Laboratory Medicine Quality Manager
To inform other policy-making groups on technical and legislative matters regarding POCT technology to ensure safety, effective usage, and minimum training standards
To design safe working practices and procedures for new POCT equipment types in the absence of suitable national guidelines
To be familiar with all Organisational and Laboratory Medicine policies and to abide by them
To be aware of scientific and technical POCT developments
To participate in evaluation of POCT devices under the direction of the Consultant Clinical Scientist and Consultant Haematologists and to provide assistance to clinical users in preparation of business cases for POCT service developments
To help with the procurement process through a knowledge of clinical users requirements, clinical benefits, device specifications, whole life cycle costs and new developments
To report on the evaluation of new POCT equipment and to participate in its selection
To participate in the development, assessment and introduction of new techniques, working practices and equipment
To maintain an up-to-date knowledge and a comprehensive understanding of the appropriate accreditation standards for the POCT service.
To assist in maintaining all systems to appropriate standards and requirements, including UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service), to ensure that diagnostic departments continue compliance within a total quality managed service.
To ensure that records are kept up to date and stored safely to ensure compliance with good work practices required for external bodies.
To maintain an up-to-date knowledge and a comprehensive understanding of CQC, Clinical Governance, Audit and Risk Management procedures.
To undertake and report on internal audits against defined quality performance measures and ensuring that effective, immediate and follow up actions are taken.
To instigate follow up and actions required following external inspections, verifying the completion of corrective action as required by the reports of the assessors.
Manage the Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) process and the collection of Performance Metrics for monitoring the suitability and effectiveness of the Quality System.
To be responsible for the quality assurance of the POCT service, including external quality assessment and internal monitoring and instigating corrective action and improvement where the need is identified.
To identify areas where there is the potential for improvement of quality to the benefit of the service provided by the department.
To be responsible for the day to day operation and supervision and assist in the direction of all quality management procedures within the POCT service under the overall responsibility of the Laboratory Medicine Quality Manager and/or Departmental Managers.
To regularly review and update POCT risk and COSHH assessments
Resource management
Responsible for managing consumable and reagent stock supplies associated with POCT.
Assist in the implementation, development and evaluation of new and existing techniques.
Responsible for the maintenance and calibration of equipment when working autonomously.
To identify opportunities for managed service delivery of POCT
In conjunction with the Laboratory Medicine and Supplies department select suppliers of managed service POCT systems via the appropriate tendering mechanisms in accordance with the standing financial instructions and directorate policies and procedures for the use of supplies and equipment
People management
To participate in Synnovis appraisal schemes
To ensure that a staff training programme with defined competencies exists for each type of POCT device.
To ensure service/ward managers are aware of the training their staff require, that staff training records are up-to-date, and that these are reviewed at annual appraisal.
To maintain a register of competent staff who are authorised to use each device, and where technically possible limiting access to POCT to trained users by automatic means.
To work closely with service/ward managers of staff who use POCT equipment to ensure staff training is re-validated and to help where there is a failure of competence or where use of such equipment is not in accordance with Trust policies.
To carry out the duties and responsibilities of the post having due regard to the Synnovis Diversity policy and other appropriate Human Resources policies.
To be familiar with and adhere to the Synnovis and Departmental health and safety policies to ensure that a safe working environment is maintained for all employees and visitors.
Information management
To ensure that interfacing and network connections are available to facilitate electronic transfer of patient demographic information and result data from POCT devices.
To assist with implementation and maintenance of all data management systems in the POCT service in conjunction with IT personnel
To regularly audit the recording process for POCT results to ensure that this is achieved safely and accurately.
