Job summary
Working Full Time: 37.5 hours per week
Please can we draw your attention to a permanent Senior Biomedical Scientist in Immunology (Band 7) post at the Countess of Chester NHS Trust (COCH). This is an ideal opportunity for a candidate with proven Immunology experience to develop their career. There may be opportunity to develop skills within the wider Blood Sciences department (Clinical Biochemistry and Haematology).
This is a rare and exciting opportunity to join our friendly and enthusiastic team. The post will assist in the provision of a comprehensive clinical and diagnostic Immunology service at COCH.
The department is equipped with Phadia, Sebia and Sprinter automation. The analysers are interfaced via Beckman Coulter middle wear (Remisol) and the hospital system (LIMS) is Cerner.
The post offers excellent training and career development opportunities.
Advert
- To support the Laboratory Managers to provide a safe and efficient service from the Immunology laboratory.
- To assist in the management of the staff.
- To provide expert knowledge and advice on the technical aspects of Immunology.
- To work closely with the Laboratory Managers and the Pathology Sciences Manager to ensure agreed strategy and departmental policies are implemented and complied with.
- To provide a supervisory role for laboratory service.
Main duties of the job
The Immunology and Blood Sciences team provide essential services both within the Trust and the wider health care community. The Immunology department offers a service that covers all of the testing for both the Countess of Chester Hospital and Wirral University Teaching Hospital. You will work as part of a team of Advanced Specialist Biomedical Scientists (Band 7) Blood Sciences Department. Each Advance Specialist will take the lead for a specific aspect of the departments senior functions.
There will be discipline specific duties and rotation throughout the department where required. You will supervise the day to day processing of samples within your assigned laboratory area. You will ensure that tests are processed to the required quality and within agreed turnaround times. Report any factors affecting performance to the laboratory managers. You will take an active role with ensuring compliance with the department's quality management system to ensure UKAS accreditation. You will assist the Departmental Managers to ensure the departmental objectives are achieved.
About us
The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:
- The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds
- Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility
- Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.
The Trust employs over 6258 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 407,000. This includes 357,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.
The Trust is a busy district general hospital and in 2022/2023, there were more than 503,342 patient attendances (inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery. This is an increase of nearly 10,000 compared to the previous year when there were 494,387 patient attendances.
Job description
Job responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £23 (standard) or £43 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first three months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £13 per year applies.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application.
Job description
Job responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £23 (standard) or £43 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first three months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £13 per year applies.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree or equivalent in Biomedical Science.
- State registration with HCPC, with a minimum 5 years post registration experience.
- MSc in Biomedical Science or related subject (eg Haematology) or equivalent experience.
- Highly specialist knowledge and experience at Specialist BMS level within the discipline.
Desirable
- Quality, Management or Training qualification (eg IBMS Certificate of Expert Practice).
- Other specialist certificate in related area (eg BBTS certificate for Transfusion).
- Fellow of the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS).
Experience
Essential
- Show a wide experience of modern techniques including Laboratory Automation.
- Appropriate IT skills commensurate with laboratory management.
- Good working knowledge of laboratory computer system(s).
- Proven departmental specialist subject expertise is essential.
- Problem solving abilities.
- Ability to interpret test results and act appropriately on findings.
Desirable
- Participation in service development and implementation of change
- Previous Band 7 experience
- Multidisciplinary experience and knowledge.
Skills
Essential
- Team leadership and organisational skills
- Excellent communication skills
Desirable
- Ability to teach and impart knowledge to others (eg IBMS portfolio mentor)
- Ability to give presentations to staff
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree or equivalent in Biomedical Science.
- State registration with HCPC, with a minimum 5 years post registration experience.
- MSc in Biomedical Science or related subject (eg Haematology) or equivalent experience.
- Highly specialist knowledge and experience at Specialist BMS level within the discipline.
Desirable
- Quality, Management or Training qualification (eg IBMS Certificate of Expert Practice).
- Other specialist certificate in related area (eg BBTS certificate for Transfusion).
- Fellow of the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS).
Experience
Essential
- Show a wide experience of modern techniques including Laboratory Automation.
- Appropriate IT skills commensurate with laboratory management.
- Good working knowledge of laboratory computer system(s).
- Proven departmental specialist subject expertise is essential.
- Problem solving abilities.
- Ability to interpret test results and act appropriately on findings.
Desirable
- Participation in service development and implementation of change
- Previous Band 7 experience
- Multidisciplinary experience and knowledge.
Skills
Essential
- Team leadership and organisational skills
- Excellent communication skills
Desirable
- Ability to teach and impart knowledge to others (eg IBMS portfolio mentor)
- Ability to give presentations to staff
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).
