Job responsibilities
Duties and Responsibilities
Communication and Key Working Relationships
To effectively liaise with clinical staff and other healthcare workers to provide advice on the appropriate use of the clinical biochemistry service.
To work and communicate effectively as part of a team.
To promote and maintain close links with appropriate clinical departments and teams including if appropriate attendance at ward rounds and MDT's.
To develop and strengthen existing links between Clinical Biochemistry and its users by providing, receiving and acting on information that may be highly complex.
Planning and Analytics
Technical
Depending on training needs you will spend time in all areas of the SPS Laboratories pertinent to Clinical Biochemistry to allow competence to be achieved in the following:
To safely handle blood, urine, faeces, other body tissue, and hazardous chemicals.
To ensure that appropriate preventative maintenance is carried out on laboratory instruments and equipment in the specialist sections prior to them being used for patient investigations.
To ensure that reagents are prepared, stored and used according to manufacturer and laboratory procedures.
To perform complex manual, semi-automated and fully automated laboratory investigations.
To be responsible for monitoring quality control of the analytes measured in the specialist sections and ensure that appropriate action is taken where required.
To measure and monitor the accuracy and imprecision of laboratory investigations using appropriate quality control procedures.
To undertake validation of the results from laboratory investigations to ensure accuracy and precision as specified by laboratory quality procedures and protocols.
To investigate and take corrective action when quality control or assurance procedures indicate loss of performance of the laboratory instruments or methods.
In the event of a service failure to take appropriate action to safeguard patient sample integrity, to identify priority work and where necessary to seek alternative arrangements for service provision.
To troubleshoot faults in complex laboratory instrumentation.
Scientific
To provide appropriate scientific and clinical advice relating to the work of the Department
To assist in the review, amendment and formulation of policies and protocols.
To participate in the evaluation of new assays, equipment and procedures introduced into the sections.
To be able to develop and perform novel and or complex assays for routine or specialist patient investigation under the supervision of the section head and ensure that others in the section are fully trained in their use.
To assist in monitoring the quality assurance, including external assessment and internal monitoring and taking corrective action where the need is identified.
To participate in the development of the service under the supervision of the Consultants, with reference to National Guidelines, best clinical practice and research findings.
To provide clinical and scientific advice to clinicians on the appropriateness and choice of biochemical investigations and their interpretation.
Health and Safety
To be familiar and competent with procedures for dealing with the safe handling of biological and chemical materials of all types in a laboratory environment.
To be familiar and competent with procedures to deal with biological, chemical and radioactive spillages in a safe manner.
To be familiar with and to comply with the Health and Safety policies of the department and the Trust to maintain a safe working environment for all.
To observe and adhere to local and national health and safety policies e.g. COSHH.
Quality Standards
To understand and perform all work in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures.
To ensure compliance with all local and national standards of work practice e.g. UKAS ISO 15189
To comply with Trust policies pertinent to Clinical Governance and Risk Management.
Education and Training
To facilitate and contribute to the departments teaching and further educational activities at a level appropriate to the post
To review with the Consultants personal development, educational and training needs required for Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists.
To maintain State Registration with the Healthcare and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
To develop and improve scientific expertise, which may be via CPD within an appraisal programme.
To maintain a portfolio of CPD activities as required by the Health Professional Council.
To participate in appropriate training activities outside the department by arrangement with Consultants.
To be involved in the planning, organization and delivery of teaching for medical and scientific staff
To assist in the training of more junior (STP) Clinical Biochemists
Organisation
To ensure that records are kept up to date and stored safely to ensure compliance with good work practices required for the standards of UKAS ISO 15189
To comply with all appropriate departmental Standard Operational Procedures.
To ensure that all results are reported within the agreed turnaround time, and to take appropriate action, for example communicating any problems to colleagues and managers.
To deal with all personal and telephone enquiries to the department in an appropriate manner.
Clinical Duties
To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of general Clinical Biochemistry, in order to give scientific and clinical advice to other scientists and clinicians from within and outside the Trust.
To review abnormal results from both general and specialist areas and where appropriate to append clinically relevant interpretive and advisory comments to the computer record and to request or suggest further investigations. When necessary to immediate patient management, to discuss results with the requesting clinician.
To participate in the departmental Duty Officer rota, including the authorisation of abnormal biochemistry tests and the requesting or suggesting of further investigations or referral as appropriate.
To discuss urgent, markedly abnormal or unexpected results with the requesting clinician or other appropriate person in a timely manner.
To verify any unexpected results and to ensure that the correct pre-analytical procedures were performed and to request repeat collections where appropriate.
Policy, Service, Research & Development Responsibility
Research & Development
To participate in research and development appropriate to the service and appropriate to training needs, under the direction of the Consultant team.
To assist in the development of new technologies and methods within the specialist section and Clinical Biochemistry department as required.
Strategic
To participate in the implementation of agreed planning policies pertinent to the department and to the provision of specialist services throughout the organisation.
To contribute to, and be a part of, the relevant departmental and Trust wide and SPS management structure as appropriate to the post.
Risk Management and Quality Improvement
Respond to complaints against the department
Report on and to close clinical incidents. There may be a requirement to present incidents at the SPS/Trust Incident review groups
Participate in and also lead laboratory audits in line with the Quality Management System.
Undertake clinical audit and Quality improvement projects. To present such audits at local Pathology audit meetings and to implement recommendations.
Assist in ensuring that the Quality Management system is maintained with direct responsibility for a number of clinical documents.
Review laboratory EQA reports and follow up on poor performance where appropriate.
Responsibility for Finance, Equipment & Other Resources
To assist in recording, monitoring and reporting on all statistical information required by the department, Trust, Department of Health and other bodies as directed.
Responsibility for Supervision, Leadership & Management
To deputise for a more senior colleagues for short periods if appropriate.
Information Resources & Administrative Duties
To be familiar with and proficient in the use of appropriate information technology systems within the department.
To use the Laboratory Information System according to the authorised protocols.
To keep up to date with any changes in the operation of the Laboratory Information System.
To contribute to the development of systems and processes for recording and storing laboratory information. Including the deployment and operation of remote monitoring and maintenance systems for analytical devices.
To analyse and interpret highly complex data under the supervision of the Consultants
To be competent in word processing, spreadsheet, database and presentation software to an advanced level.
To comply with local and national policies for the safe, secure and confidential processing and storage of patient and other laboratory information.
Any Other Specific Tasks Required
Effort, Skills and Working
Physical Skills A combination of sitting, standing and walking with good technical ability and manual dexterity
Physical Effort Able to concentrate on complex work/meetings for long periods with frequent interruptions and including the use of information technology
Mental Effort There is a frequent requirement for intense concentration
Emotional Effort Occasional exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances
Working Conditions Occasional exposure to unpleasant working conditions
