Job responsibilities
Clinical/Patient Care
The postholder will be expected to:
Provide a Principal Clinical Scientist-level Clinical Biochemistry advisory service to the hospital and primary care clinicians, nursing staff, other health professionals and referral laboratories (national and international). This will include the general guidance on selecting tests, interpreting routine and complex results, and selecting further tests or diagnostic procedures/consultations to aid the patient diagnosis and treatment. They will be expected to guide treatment when appropriate. For making complex clinical decisions, they will have access to Consultant Clinical Biochemist/Chemical Pathologist support as and when required.
Following suitable training and competency assessment, undertake clinical validation and authorisation of a range of complex reports and take responsibility for the accuracy, interpretation and timely reporting of test results, and direct scientific staff to undertake further investigations to solve complex diagnostic cases. This will include adding clinical interpretative comments to reports and identifying potentially erroneous results.
Following suitable training and competency assessment, provide clinical advice and interpretation of results and participate in the general clinical support ('duty biochemist') rota. This includes clinical advice and interpretation of highly complex clinical scenarios that require collaboration with other BCPS colleagues (Chemical Pathologists, Clinical Biochemists or Biomedical Scientists) or the service users.
Interpret and, as part of the Clinical Biochemistry team, implement national clinical guidance (e.g., NICE technology appraisals) at the regional level. They will be responsible for good communication of any proposed changes to current practice.
Acquire experience in contributing to clinical discussions and patient management decisions by participating in relevant multidisciplinary clinical meetings, ward rounds or clinics.
Liaise with colleagues in regional and national centres undertaking specialist investigations to ensure that appropriate clinical advice is delivered in a timely manner to the requesting clinician.
With Consultant-level guidance, support or undertake method development which may require dexterity and use of complex laboratory equipment.
Work closely with other Clinical Biochemistry and BCPS team members, clinicians, and other stakeholders to provide a patient-centred, safe, clinically, operationally, and financially effective, equitable, resilient and future-proof Clinical Biochemistry service to all users.
Develop areas of special interest, performing independently a range of complex scientific work and offering an interpretative service.
Leadership and Management
Be clinically and professionally responsible for a section(s) subject to the overall direction of the Clinical Lead, or other Consultant Scientists
Under Consultant-level direction and with support, write and develop clinical guidelines/protocols for testing strategies to be used both within the Trust and in primary care.
Contribute to the development of policies and practices within the department by participating in departmental committees or working groups.
Under Consultant guidance, support development and improve the existing service portfolio by continual review of quality, productivity, and efficiency.
Propose and evaluate potential new services relevant to the section and department.
Comply with health and safety legislation, the Trusts policies, and procedures, standing orders and financial instructions.
Ensure that any health and safety issues are raised through the departmental management structure.
Research, Development and innovation
Guided by Academic Lead the postholder will be responsible for promoting and supporting the research and development culture of the BCPS by proactive support for the BCPS research strategy. This includes:
Supporting and participating in research and development according to the needs of the service and in support of research programmes.
Developing a research interest taking into account service needs and the BCPS research focus.
Under guidance of the Academic Lead, building constructive relationships and strategic alliances with other research-active or interested professional groups internal or external to BCPS to advance the research, development, and innovation agenda.
Equipment and systems
Acquire and maintain a comprehensive and relevant knowledge of equipment, technologies and methods used within Clinical Biochemistry and proactively share it with colleagues.
Assist with evaluating, replacing, and commissioning highly specialised laboratory equipment and instrumentation.
Take responsibility for the operation, training requirements and performance quality of specialised laboratory investigations and instrumentation, including the effective use of quality control systems.
Develop a knowledge of the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) as well as working knowledge of other computer systems (e.g., PAS, QPulse, ICE, Electronic Patient Record) to provide an effective service to the patients and users, taking responsibility for the entry and storage of sensitive data.
Decisions and judgments
Under supervision, interpret complex results and provide an advisory service for screening, diagnostic and prognostic tests.
Know when to seek advice and support when needing to exercise professional judgment e.g. in potentially complex situations such as investigations in neonates or critically ill patients. Be approachable and available when colleagues seek advice and support to exercise their professional judgement.
Effectively prioritise workload.
Acquire data analytics skills required to undertake service data analysis and produce appropriate complex reports independently.
Communication
The postholder will be expected to and will be supported to develop advanced communication skills.
To safeguard the positive reputation of BCPS, partner Trusts, BCWB ICS and the NHS in all communications.
Constructively and effectively communicate with staff of all professional groups and grades within and outside BCPS to positively reinforce the BCPS vision, values and culture and support a safe and effective clinical service.
Effectively communicate with suppliers of technology, regional, superregional and national agencies, professional bodies, and opinion leaders to advance BCPS strategy and positively impact the BCPS brand.
Develop skills to provide complex clinical/scientific reports, advice, reviews and opinions for a range of highly specialised investigations and topics to local, national and international service users, stakeholders and the public.
To support staff with training difficulties, working with the other senior staff to manage the process according to departmental and Trust policies and procedures.
Quality, Governance and Risk Management
Assist in the implementation of quality processes within the department, ensuring that the quality management system functions correctly.
Participate in EQA schemes as required.
Undertake the production, maintenance and implementation of Standard Operating Procedures using the Q Pulse Quality Management System.
Ensure that all audits, critical incidents, and complaints are recorded, and that corrective and preventive actions are made.
When incidents occur, take immediate appropriate action, and ensure incidents are reported as appropriate (Datix and Q Pulse)
Assist in the rectification of non-conformance from Audits etc.
Information Technology
Maintain an advanced working competency in the use of the laboratory information system, the analyser interface system, any software used in the running of analytical equipment, the document management system together with any standard package available on laboratory PCs such as word, Excel, or Power Point.
Provide support and training for other staff members in relation to the above.
Education, Training, Experience and Development
Provide education and training to postgraduate standards to departmental, medical, nursing, and other staff and students as appropriate.
To gain, and maintain, the skills and critical ability required to perform the role of a HCPC Registered Clinical Scientist.
To apply for Higher Specialist Scientific Training (HSST) through the national programme if appropriate.
To work towards obtaining Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists by examination at the first reasonable opportunity.
Ensure that research findings are appropriately disseminated both within and outside BCPS and partner Trust, enabling research outcomes to inform the broader health service agenda and positively impact the BCPS brand.
Maintain expertise in relevant areas to facilitate training other staff in the Department.
