Job summary
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) is one of the largest acute hospital Trusts in England serving the populations of Birmingham and Solihull across four main sites: Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Good Hope Hospital and Solihull Hospital.
We are seeking a motivated and experienced individual to join our busy and friendly Clinical Biochemistry, Toxicology and Immunology team. The service provides a high-quality 24/7 diagnostic and monitoring service for routine and urgent investigations.
Clinical Biochemistry laboratories are equipped with Abbott Alinity c and i analysers, while Specialist Biochemistry and Immunology laboratories offer a wide range of tests using specialist equipment and techniques.
This is a full-time post (37.5 hours per week), based primarily at Heartlands Hospital, with cross-site working across UHB expected. The successful candidate will work collaboratively across departments, supporting service development and contributing to the maintenance and continuous improvement of the Quality Management System in line with ISO 15189:2022.
Applicants must hold a BSc in Biomedical Science or equivalent, with a completed IBMS Specialist Portfolio (or equivalent), HCPC registration and experience in Clinical Biochemistry. As this is a senior role, an MSc or IBMS Higher Specialist Diploma is also required.
Clinical Scientists with relevant qualifications, HCPC registration and equivalent experience are encouraged to apply.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will act as Quality Lead for Clinical Biochemistry, working closely with an equivalent Quality Lead based at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Together, they will provide a consistent UHB-wide approach to quality, jointly overseeing the development, implementation and maintenance of the laboratory Quality Management System in line with ISO 15189:2022, Trust policies and regulatory requirements.
The role involves leading quality activities including document control, audit programmes, non-conformance management, risk assessment and continuous improvement. The post holder will coordinate and support internal and external audits and inspections, including UKAS, ensuring effective preparation, response and follow-up actions.
They will investigate quality incidents, errors and complaints, undertake root cause analysis, and implement corrective and preventative actions. The post holder will support method validation, verification and change control processes to maintain compliance and service quality.
The role includes providing expert advice, training and leadership on quality and accreditation requirements to Biomedical Scientists, Clinical Scientists and support staff, promoting a strong quality culture across all sites. The post holder will work collaboratively across the service, contribute to service development, policy review, governance reporting and quality improvement initiatives, and deputise for senior staff as required.
About us
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust strives to have an inclusive culture where everyone feels like they belong, can thrive, knows that they add value and feels valued. We do this by developing compassionate and culturally competent leaders, being values driven in all that we do and by creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace that thrives on the diversity of our people. As such we want to attract and recruit talented individuals from all backgrounds, and for each of you to feel supported for the diversity you bring, to achieve your full potential. For those staff with a disability, including physical disability, long term health condition, mental health or neurodiverse condition, this also means being committed to making reasonable adjustments needed for you to carry out your role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
*Please Note : For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description*
Job description
Job responsibilities
*Please Note : For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description*
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- State registration with the Healthcare Professions Council (HCPC).
- MSc, Equivalent academic achievement ratified by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) OR Equivalent Level 7 Post Graduate Certification or Diploma
- Evidence of continuing professional development and proficiency in accordance with HCPC guidelines.
- Post registration specialty training in accordance with Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) guidelines
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of continuing professional development and discipline specific proficiency for HCPC registration.
- Demonstrate experience at BMS Band 6 post in a specific discipline.
- A specialised knowledge of:
- Fault finding and trouble shooting.
- Quality control and assurance practices.
- Laboratory health and safety.
- Laboratory accreditation standards.
- HCPC and IBMS professional standards, ethics, and proficiencies.
Desirable
- Evidence of supervisory role or experience
- Understanding of accreditation within labs (e.g. ISO 15189, MHRA)
- Evidence of HR and Personnel experience
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Numerate and able to undertake scientific calculations with and without the use of aids.
- Ability to work in and lead a team.
- Manage workload of a sub-section effectively when the workload is unpredictable and there are competing demands (medical emergency).
- Manual dexterity to undertake highly specialised techniques.
- Effective and accurate keyboard and mouse skills.
- Effective communication skills both written and oral.
- Effective interpersonal and motivational skills.
- Demonstrate logical thought processes and the ability to solve problems and plan remedial action.
- Demonstrate good organisational, planning and time management skills.
- Ability to influence and negotiate with all grades of staff.
- Reliable.
- Punctual.
- Ability to work core and noncore hours is an essential element of the role
- Able to participate in Duty Manager Rota for out of hours service as required.
Desirable
- To show how they have introduced a change to improve a service.
- Evidence of project management
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- State registration with the Healthcare Professions Council (HCPC).
- MSc, Equivalent academic achievement ratified by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) OR Equivalent Level 7 Post Graduate Certification or Diploma
- Evidence of continuing professional development and proficiency in accordance with HCPC guidelines.
- Post registration specialty training in accordance with Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) guidelines
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of continuing professional development and discipline specific proficiency for HCPC registration.
- Demonstrate experience at BMS Band 6 post in a specific discipline.
- A specialised knowledge of:
- Fault finding and trouble shooting.
- Quality control and assurance practices.
- Laboratory health and safety.
- Laboratory accreditation standards.
- HCPC and IBMS professional standards, ethics, and proficiencies.
Desirable
- Evidence of supervisory role or experience
- Understanding of accreditation within labs (e.g. ISO 15189, MHRA)
- Evidence of HR and Personnel experience
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Numerate and able to undertake scientific calculations with and without the use of aids.
- Ability to work in and lead a team.
- Manage workload of a sub-section effectively when the workload is unpredictable and there are competing demands (medical emergency).
- Manual dexterity to undertake highly specialised techniques.
- Effective and accurate keyboard and mouse skills.
- Effective communication skills both written and oral.
- Effective interpersonal and motivational skills.
- Demonstrate logical thought processes and the ability to solve problems and plan remedial action.
- Demonstrate good organisational, planning and time management skills.
- Ability to influence and negotiate with all grades of staff.
- Reliable.
- Punctual.
- Ability to work core and noncore hours is an essential element of the role
- Able to participate in Duty Manager Rota for out of hours service as required.
Desirable
- To show how they have introduced a change to improve a service.
- Evidence of project management
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
