Job summary
Fixed term contract/secondment opportunity until 1st April 2024
The Eastern Pathology Alliance is a Hub-and-Spoke Network encompassing the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital (Hub), the James Paget University Hospital (spoke), and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn (spoke).
The service comprises Clinical Biochemistry, Toxicology, Endocrinology, Haematology, Blood Transfusion, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, collectively known as Laboratory Medicine. The NNUH Hub Laboratory is responsible for the delivery of all community work for the Norfolk CCGs. In addition, Laboratory Medicine is responsible for the delivery of the JPUH and QEH 'cold' work, including toxicology, endocrinology and immunology.
If you are considering applying for this post on a secondment basis, please discuss with your Line Manager prior to applying to ascertain whether this could be supported.
Main duties of the job
The Toxicology and Endocrinology sections of the NNUH Clinical Biochemistry department have been merged to become a large Analytical and Specialist Chemistry section:
The Toxicology sub-section provides a wide range of analytical services, including urine drugs of abuse (for clinical users, employment screens, and post mortem work, including for the Norfolk Coroner's Office), immunosuppressant drug monitoring, trace element analysis, urine metadrenalines & 5-HIAA, and 25-OH vitamin D. These analyses require the use and maintenance by the Biomedical scientist (BMS) staff of a variety of different methods and analysers, including tandem mass spectrometry, HPLC, and immunoassay.
The Endocrinology sub-section also provides a wide range of analytical services, utilising several immunoassay analysers from various manufacturers (Siemens, Roche, IDS, Perkin-Elmer). The test repertoire includes routine and esoteric endocrinology (e.g. testosterone, oestradiol, DHEAS, SHBG, ACTH, etc.), tumour markers, CSF oligoclonal bands, and is the site of the Supra-regional Assay and Advice Service (SAAS) for Calcium and Bone Metabolism Markers. The section provides the 1st trimester maternal serum screening service (MSS) for Down's, Edwards', and Patau's syndromes for Norfolk.
About us
Join us at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and be part of a workforce of over 10,000 staff!
The NNUH is one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK, providing first-class acute care for around one million people, living in Norfolk and surrounding areas. We are a teaching and research hospital, at the forefront of innovation, home to state-of-the-art facilities, such as the Quadram Institute. We are pleased to work closely with the University of East Anglia, providing teaching opportunities for our staff and placement opportunities for their students. We attract some of the best and leading professionals from across the country and are proud that our workforce represents 94 countries from across the world.
We are a friendly, collaborative hospital, working with local services and home to N&N Hospitals Charity
We can offer you the full range of NHS benefits/discounts and in addition:
- Flexible working hours
- Fast Track Staff Physiotherapy Service
- Multi Faith prayer room
- Discounted gym memberships
- Excellent pension scheme and annual leave entitlement
- Wagestream - access up to 40% of your pay as you earn it
- Free Park & Ride service direct to NNUH site
- Free 24-hours confidential counselling support
- On-site Nursery
- On-site cafes offering staff discounts
- Support in career development
- Flexible staff bank
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars, Cycle to Work scheme and home electronics
Job description
Job responsibilities
As a Biomedical Support Worker in the ASC section you will be expected to work alongside the Biomedical Scientist (BMS) staff assisting in the day-to-day running of the analysers, and sample preparation, as required. The main focus of this role is to provide assistance to the BMS in the MSS and SAAS areas, this will include; logging patient information, pre-analytical processing of patient samples, and contacting service users for further information when required.
- Electronic transfer of patient details and requests via bar-code scanning into the Pathology IT system.
- Manually inputting of patient details and test requests into the laboratory computer system.
- Scanning requested forms into the laboratory information system database.
- Labelling and preparing patients blood, urine, and other fluids for analysis utilising aseptic techniques.
- Sample centrifugation, separation of serum from red cells and pipetting serum aliquots for analysis ensuring that the minimum volume is available for the range of investigations requested.
- Determination of urinary volume by weight and aliquoting into labelled secondary container as part of the basic requirement for 24 hour urine biochemical tests.
- Preparation of Danger of Infection samples for analysis in accordance with Health & Safety regulations.
- Required to resolve problems with mislabelled and/or mislaid samples from users. Informs users if additional or replacement samples are required for testing.
- Answers telephone inquiries from pathology users, patients and patient carers about test results and provide information that is complex concerning methodologies and service requirements, seeking advice as required.
- Deal with enquiries from patients and visitors to the department.
- Managing and maintaining specialised databases in laboratory computer systems and patient storage databases.
- Amending and updating patient data and results, which includes other colleagues work.
Please see the attached job description for full details.
Job description
Job responsibilities
As a Biomedical Support Worker in the ASC section you will be expected to work alongside the Biomedical Scientist (BMS) staff assisting in the day-to-day running of the analysers, and sample preparation, as required. The main focus of this role is to provide assistance to the BMS in the MSS and SAAS areas, this will include; logging patient information, pre-analytical processing of patient samples, and contacting service users for further information when required.
- Electronic transfer of patient details and requests via bar-code scanning into the Pathology IT system.
- Manually inputting of patient details and test requests into the laboratory computer system.
- Scanning requested forms into the laboratory information system database.
- Labelling and preparing patients blood, urine, and other fluids for analysis utilising aseptic techniques.
- Sample centrifugation, separation of serum from red cells and pipetting serum aliquots for analysis ensuring that the minimum volume is available for the range of investigations requested.
- Determination of urinary volume by weight and aliquoting into labelled secondary container as part of the basic requirement for 24 hour urine biochemical tests.
- Preparation of Danger of Infection samples for analysis in accordance with Health & Safety regulations.
- Required to resolve problems with mislabelled and/or mislaid samples from users. Informs users if additional or replacement samples are required for testing.
- Answers telephone inquiries from pathology users, patients and patient carers about test results and provide information that is complex concerning methodologies and service requirements, seeking advice as required.
- Deal with enquiries from patients and visitors to the department.
- Managing and maintaining specialised databases in laboratory computer systems and patient storage databases.
- Amending and updating patient data and results, which includes other colleagues work.
Please see the attached job description for full details.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Basic English Literacy and Numeracy to GCSE level or equivalent
Skills
Essential
- Has experience or demonstrate an ability to work in a diverse, high pressure environment
Desirable
- Has a working knowledge of the activities performed within the laboratory service
Attitude, aptitude
Essential
- Effective role model, demonstrating NNUH's PRIDE values of People focussed, Respect, Integrity, Dedication and Excellence
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Basic English Literacy and Numeracy to GCSE level or equivalent
Skills
Essential
- Has experience or demonstrate an ability to work in a diverse, high pressure environment
Desirable
- Has a working knowledge of the activities performed within the laboratory service
Attitude, aptitude
Essential
- Effective role model, demonstrating NNUH's PRIDE values of People focussed, Respect, Integrity, Dedication and Excellence
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).
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).
