Job summary
We are looking
to recruit an enthusiastic and dedicated Consultant Clinical Scientist into our
Consultant Leadership team for Specialist Laboratory Medicine within the
Pathology Clinical Service Unit at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT).
This is a permanent post based primarily within the protein laboratory; the
post-holder will be responsible for scientific and clinical leadership
of laboratory services in this area, acting as an expert in the
field and adhering to best practice guidance within this field.
Experience of
reading and reporting immunoglobulin, electrophoresis and immunofixation
results is essential, as well as experience of providing an analytical
and clinical interpretive service for protein chemistry and immunoassay.
You will also
participate in a Duty Biochemist rota providing a Clinical Biochemistry
advisory and liaison service for primary and secondary care, there may also be
opportunities to participate in the clinical validation service for specialist
biochemistry.
You must be HCPC
registered and hold Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists (or
equivalent) in Clinical Biochemistry.
Whilst
experience of working as a Consultant will be an advantage, it is not essential
and support will be provided as necessary. The most important characteristics
are a passion for laboratory medicine, an enthusiasm for quality improvement
and team working and an ability to lead a progressive and highly
patient-focused laboratory service.
Main duties of the job
The
protein laboratory provides an analytical and clinical advisory service to
primary care, to tertiary and secondary clinical services within LTHT and the
West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT) and beyond. Tests performed
include both automated and more specialised manual assays.
You
will be expected to provide clinical and strategic leadership of the laboratory
and support all aspects of the protein clinical laboratory service including
clinical liaison, clinical audit, service review, quality improvement,
teaching, training and maintenance of a clinical competency framework for our
UKAS-accredited service.
You
will be responsible for clinical governance of the protein laboratory service,
working closely with the operational lead for Immunology and the clinical lead
for Specialist Laboratory Medicine to identify, report and manage risks and
patient safety incidents within the protein and paraprotein laboratory service.
You
will apply and maintain highly specialised knowledge in the area of protein
analysis, including the Paraprotein clinical laboratory service, acting as an
expert in the field and adhering to best practice guidance within this field.
You
will work closely with all users of our services, forging and developing
partnerships with local, regional and national healthcare providers, commercial
partners and the R&D community in order to deliver a patient-centred
service with the most effective and efficient use of resources.
About us
You
will be joining a friendly and supportive team in our Specialist Laboratory
Medicine Department. This is an exciting time to work at Leeds Teaching
Hospitals NHS Trust, as we move into a new custom-built laboratory. We are one of the largest Trusts in the UK
with a wide and diverse testing repertoire. We are working closely with our
neighbouring Trusts within the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts
Network on a WYAAT-wide new LIMS and a new managed service contract.
Leeds
is a vibrant city in the heart of West Yorkshire with a very diverse social,
art and cultural history. With excellent road and rail networks, getting into
the beautiful surrounding suburbs is easy. A buzzing city centre has
excellent restaurants, bars, museums and galleries, beautiful parks and
gardens. For those who love getting out into the countryside, the Yorkshire
Dales and North Yorkshire Moors are just a stones throw away.
Leeds
Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk'
members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts
are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove
adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the
shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this
process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any
questions.
Job description
Job responsibilities
This
post is a Consultant Scientist (Biochemistry) role within the Immunology
Laboratory which sits in Specialist Laboratory Medicine at Leeds Teaching
Hospitals.
The
post holder will need to provide and maintain highly specialised knowledge in
the area of protein analysis, including the Paraprotein clinical laboratory
service.
The
post holder will take responsibility for scientific and clinical leadership
of the provision of laboratory services in this area, acting as an expert in
the field and adhering to best practice guidance within this field.
The
postholder will be expected to represent the laboratory at weekly Myeloma
service meetings with the Consultant Haematologists and maintain close
working relationships with the Consultant Haematologists.
The
postholder will be expected to attend the monthly Immunology Clinical
Strategy Group meetings with the Clinical Immunology Scientific team and the
Consultant Immunologists and maintain close working relationships with both
the Immunology scientific team and the Consultant Immunology team.
The
postholder will be responsible for the clinical governance of the protein
laboratory service, working closely with the operational lead for Immunology
and the clinical lead for Specialist Laboratory Medicine to identify, report
and manage risks and patient safety incidents within the protein and
paraprotein laboratory service.
Job description
Job responsibilities
This
post is a Consultant Scientist (Biochemistry) role within the Immunology
Laboratory which sits in Specialist Laboratory Medicine at Leeds Teaching
Hospitals.
The
post holder will need to provide and maintain highly specialised knowledge in
the area of protein analysis, including the Paraprotein clinical laboratory
service.
The
post holder will take responsibility for scientific and clinical leadership
of the provision of laboratory services in this area, acting as an expert in
the field and adhering to best practice guidance within this field.
The
postholder will be expected to represent the laboratory at weekly Myeloma
service meetings with the Consultant Haematologists and maintain close
working relationships with the Consultant Haematologists.
The
postholder will be expected to attend the monthly Immunology Clinical
Strategy Group meetings with the Clinical Immunology Scientific team and the
Consultant Immunologists and maintain close working relationships with both
the Immunology scientific team and the Consultant Immunology team.
The
postholder will be responsible for the clinical governance of the protein
laboratory service, working closely with the operational lead for Immunology
and the clinical lead for Specialist Laboratory Medicine to identify, report
and manage risks and patient safety incidents within the protein and
paraprotein laboratory service.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists or other qualification externally assessed as equivalent
- Registered as a clinical scientist with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Masters Degree or assessed equivalent level of knowledge and expertise in the speciality of clinical biochemistry
- First Degree or assessed equivalent level of knowledge and expertise
Desirable
Experience
Essential
- Experience of providing detailed scientific and clinical interpretive information for serum and urine protein electrophoresis and immunofixation results
- Experience of providing detailed scientific and clinical advice regarding appropriate investigations for the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with paraprotein mediated disease
- Able to perform clinical risk assessments and resolve issues or investigate complaints relating to the service as part of Clinical Governance
- To be fully aware of the requirements and constraints of Clinical Governance, Patient Confidentiality and Patient Safety and to ensure that the service operates within these values
- Able to support non-consultant clinical scientist and medical staff members in addressing clinical and scientific enquiries which require interpretation of highly complex information
- Extensive knowledge of national professional and NHS guidelines relating to service provision and quality
- To understand the role of the department in the Trust and relationships with other medical specialities and Clinical Commissioning Groups
- A very high level of knowledge, coupled with excellent judgement, is required in both general and highly specialised areas of clinical biochemistry
- To have an extensive knowledge of routine and specialised analytical methods, quality assurance and problem solving
- To have a good knowledge of managerial processes within the Trust and NHS
- Involvement in service planning and development, with a focus on the most appropriate use of available resources
- To have attained a good record of achievement in research, development and audit activities, through presentations at national or international conferences and publication in peer reviewed journals
- To be fully aware of the procedures in the Trust for investigating complaints and errors and to ensure that appropriate action is taken to minimise future occurrence
- To have completed a substantial period of time in post as a Registered Clinical Scientist of which 2 yrs should have been at advanced practitioner level
- To have developed an expertise in one or more specialised analytical or clinical areas to a point of acting at an expert level
Desirable
- Knowledge by experience of national committees of profession or NHS or international groups.
- Able to lead on service development beyond the department. Able to develop national guidelines and policies.
- Experience of leading on cross-discipline or cross-network initiatives for service development
- Experience of presenting as plenary speaker to national and international conferences
Skills & Behaviours
Essential
- Excellent oral and written communication skills and an ability to listen to undertstand
- Able to maintain self-control in difficult and challenging situations and to take control of situation when more junior staff are in difficulty.
- Confident and able to challenge established medical opinion by the application of specialist knowledge and expertise in reference to published, peer-reviewed evidence
- To be an autonomous practitioner capable of dealing professionally with clinical colleagues including medical and nursing staff
- Able to maintain intense concentration despite frequent interruptions.
- Able to challenge with confidence established scientific views using reasoned argument, personal knowledge and research findings
- Able to establish and maintain effective networks with professional, clinical and managerial colleagues within and beyond the Trust.
- Able to develop and take responsibility for professional guidelines and policies impacting across the Trust and Health Community
- Detailed awareness of current and developing NHS and healthcare issues and guidelines.
- Able to provide leadership within the department, across the Trust and beyond, within the context of service planning and development
- Able to advise senior medical staff, nursing staff and other healthcare professionals on the appropriate investigation and interpretation of biochemical test results
- Able to provide leadership and guidance in the development and selection of complex analytical methods and maintain full awareness of their limitations and causes of interference/error
- Able to initiate, direct and co-ordinate R & D activities
- Able to lead and co-ordinate audit activities and authorise corrective action
- Able to use and manipulate laboratory computer systems and standard software packages.
Desirable
- Experience of supervising and creating training plans for individuals on STP and HSST clinical scientist training programmes
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Good hand eye co-ordination for fine manipulation of instrumentation.
- Able to provide effective backing to junior colleagues and provide counselling for performance or attitude problems.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists or other qualification externally assessed as equivalent
- Registered as a clinical scientist with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Masters Degree or assessed equivalent level of knowledge and expertise in the speciality of clinical biochemistry
- First Degree or assessed equivalent level of knowledge and expertise
Desirable
Experience
Essential
- Experience of providing detailed scientific and clinical interpretive information for serum and urine protein electrophoresis and immunofixation results
- Experience of providing detailed scientific and clinical advice regarding appropriate investigations for the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with paraprotein mediated disease
- Able to perform clinical risk assessments and resolve issues or investigate complaints relating to the service as part of Clinical Governance
- To be fully aware of the requirements and constraints of Clinical Governance, Patient Confidentiality and Patient Safety and to ensure that the service operates within these values
- Able to support non-consultant clinical scientist and medical staff members in addressing clinical and scientific enquiries which require interpretation of highly complex information
- Extensive knowledge of national professional and NHS guidelines relating to service provision and quality
- To understand the role of the department in the Trust and relationships with other medical specialities and Clinical Commissioning Groups
- A very high level of knowledge, coupled with excellent judgement, is required in both general and highly specialised areas of clinical biochemistry
- To have an extensive knowledge of routine and specialised analytical methods, quality assurance and problem solving
- To have a good knowledge of managerial processes within the Trust and NHS
- Involvement in service planning and development, with a focus on the most appropriate use of available resources
- To have attained a good record of achievement in research, development and audit activities, through presentations at national or international conferences and publication in peer reviewed journals
- To be fully aware of the procedures in the Trust for investigating complaints and errors and to ensure that appropriate action is taken to minimise future occurrence
- To have completed a substantial period of time in post as a Registered Clinical Scientist of which 2 yrs should have been at advanced practitioner level
- To have developed an expertise in one or more specialised analytical or clinical areas to a point of acting at an expert level
Desirable
- Knowledge by experience of national committees of profession or NHS or international groups.
- Able to lead on service development beyond the department. Able to develop national guidelines and policies.
- Experience of leading on cross-discipline or cross-network initiatives for service development
- Experience of presenting as plenary speaker to national and international conferences
Skills & Behaviours
Essential
- Excellent oral and written communication skills and an ability to listen to undertstand
- Able to maintain self-control in difficult and challenging situations and to take control of situation when more junior staff are in difficulty.
- Confident and able to challenge established medical opinion by the application of specialist knowledge and expertise in reference to published, peer-reviewed evidence
- To be an autonomous practitioner capable of dealing professionally with clinical colleagues including medical and nursing staff
- Able to maintain intense concentration despite frequent interruptions.
- Able to challenge with confidence established scientific views using reasoned argument, personal knowledge and research findings
- Able to establish and maintain effective networks with professional, clinical and managerial colleagues within and beyond the Trust.
- Able to develop and take responsibility for professional guidelines and policies impacting across the Trust and Health Community
- Detailed awareness of current and developing NHS and healthcare issues and guidelines.
- Able to provide leadership within the department, across the Trust and beyond, within the context of service planning and development
- Able to advise senior medical staff, nursing staff and other healthcare professionals on the appropriate investigation and interpretation of biochemical test results
- Able to provide leadership and guidance in the development and selection of complex analytical methods and maintain full awareness of their limitations and causes of interference/error
- Able to initiate, direct and co-ordinate R & D activities
- Able to lead and co-ordinate audit activities and authorise corrective action
- Able to use and manipulate laboratory computer systems and standard software packages.
Desirable
- Experience of supervising and creating training plans for individuals on STP and HSST clinical scientist training programmes
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Good hand eye co-ordination for fine manipulation of instrumentation.
- Able to provide effective backing to junior colleagues and provide counselling for performance or attitude problems.
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).
