Associate Practitioner Biochemistry

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Duties:

To perform accurate preparation, analytical and post-analytical procedures as defined by departmental procedures.

To undertake manual, semi-automated and fully automated analysis of specimens including high risk samples

To identify and expedite urgent and priority samples.

To prioritise and plan own workload and communicate own work priorities within the team.

To supervise junior members of staff where appropriate.

To be able to accurately enter and retrieve data from the laboratory information system and manual record systems where appropriate.

Liaise with other Pathology departments, wards, GPs and other service users regarding non analytical problems with samples.

To carry out routine maintenance, calibration, quality control and operation of analysers within the laboratory and in point of care locations.

To act as a first line problem solver for the analysers in the laboratory, both automated and manual, and in point of care locations to ensure correct functioning, and to complete appropriate log sheets and record remedial action taken.

Work autonomously, to participate in the maintenance, evaluation, staff training and documentation of all point of care testing equipment under the guidance of an HCPC registered BMS.

Contribute to the validation and verification of new analytical equipment, automated, semi-automated and manual.

To exercise judgment when dealing with enquiries from other Pathology Departments and users of the laboratory.

To train other hospital staff, where appropriate, including doctors, nurses and HCAs, keeping accurate records of trained staff and issuing barcodes and competency certificates as required.

To use agreed processes and competency measures when assessing staff in training.

To prepare and pack samples for dispatch to other laboratories ensuring packaging meets current regulations.

To monitor the quality of samples arriving in the laboratory.

To prepare, store and use chemical reagents required for laboratory investigations.

To ensure departmental resources and used efficiently, with correct handling and storage of goods upon receipt in the laboratory.

To monitor stock levels of reagents, consumables and requisition supplies and contribute to an efficient and effective inventory management system. This will include recording precise data on stock items detailing expiry and date delivered.

To order agreed consumables from manufacturers to agreed financial values

To undertake general laboratory house keeping as specified in the SOPs and monitoring of the temperature of refrigerators, freezers and incubators.

To develop and maintain good working relationships with internal staff and external groups such as patients, GPs, Community Care workers, Health Care Providers and other relevant organisations as required.

Contribute to research and development projects including processing and storing of samples for research projects.

Attendance at any off-site training courses considered appropriate to the role.

General Duties:

To adhere at all times to the departments Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in carrying out analyses.

To propose changes to procedures and policies that could improve efficiency and effectiveness

To ensure quality of work by performing pre and post analytical checks including initial scanning of results for technical validity.

To liaise with senior staff on matters of quality to ensure a high quality diagnostic service.

To undertake all internal and external quality control/assurance procedures and advise senior staff of performance procedures affecting quality control.

To highlight any problems contributing to sample analysis and any sources of error that could impact on service delivery.

Under supervision, carry out audit and risk management duties to highlight improvements in processes.

To participate in any initiatives or developments within the department such as introduction of new equipment or methodologies.

Ensure maintenance of CPD and awareness of scientific and technical developments applicable to own role.

Compliance with mandatory training requirements.

Understands the importance of the quality management system

Is aware of all types of documentation within the laboratory organisation.

Maintain high standards, working within defined codes of conduct.

Books leave in accordance with departmental policy

Reports personal absence to senior member of staff, according to trust policy

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• 12 months minimum experience in a clinical NHS laboratory

Desirable

• Previous experience working with scientific instrumentation in sample analysis.

Knowledge and skills

Essential

• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Good organisational skills
• Produce accurate and timely work
• Able to write simple procedures and reports, audits, error logs
• Able to record results accurately and communicate complex laboratory results where appropriate
• Able to follow written instructions, complex operating procedures and analytical processes.
• Able to supervise junior staff with allocation of tasks.
• Able to organise the work of a laboratory section, to prioritise work and meet deadlines.
• Able to train laboratory and other hospital staff where appropriate.
• Understanding of patient confidentiality and Caldicott principles
• Basic understanding of NHS Pathology laboratory work, procedures and techniques
• An understanding of the principles of calibration and quality control with reference to scientific instrumentation.
• Ability to manage the efficient use and stocks of reagents, disposable and stationery items.
• Requisition of reagents, disposable and stationery items as required.
• Responsible for complex analytical equipment trouble shooting, maintenance, repairs

Desirable

• Comprehensive knowledge of Health and Safety issues within the laboratory.
• An understanding of the normal physiology and pathology of disease

Qualifications

Essential

• Foundation Degree in a Science related degree or equivalent.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Charles Hastings Way

Worcester

Worcestershire

WR5 1DD

Employer's website

https://www.worcsacute.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)