Job responsibilities
The post holder will play a key role in all IT matters across Cellular Pathology Services.
The post holder will lead on the business intelligence support for the Directorate to ensure data is readily available, accurate and usable.
The post holder will support data performance gathering for income contracts as well as supplier contracts held within the Department.
The post holder will provide technical support for service developments to ensure smooth and seamless transition to the adoption of new technologies within Cellular Pathology.
The pathology IT system is a highly important component for the efficient functioning of the laboratory and the post holder is responsible for its on-going maintenance and development.
The post holder will support quality management and improvement, timely and up-to-date IT services to the Trust, other hospitals and General Practitioners ensuring full compliance with Data Protection, GDPR and Information Governance legislations.
KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:
Internal: Directorate Manager, Clinical Directors, Operations Manager, Pathology IT, Divisional leads, Laboratory Managers, Training Leads, Quality Leads, Transport, Estates, Finance, HR, Clinical Governance, Procurement, Trust H&S Leads.
External: General Practitioners, and Consultants, Practice Managers, Medical Secretaries and laboratory staff from other hospitals, relatives and patients, Suppliers, Commercial Representatives, IT systems staff, Referral Laboratories, Maintenance Engineers, ICS, Training Leads, Universities, Colleges, Schools.
RISK ASSESSMENT:
Works with display screen equipment for prolonged periods
Sitting for prolonged periods
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
System Support
To maintain and develop key aspects of Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) to ensure the timely and accurate reporting of diagnostic results to support efficient clinical patient care, both in the Acute Trust and Primary Care.
To provide advice and technical support for information technology issues for the following departments; Cellular Pathology and Mortuary
To provide technical support for the maintenance of equipment and adequate stocks of consumables.
Provide specialist advice to senior managers, medical and nursing staff on IT issues related to Cellular Pathology Services.
Attend regular meetings where Cellular Pathology IT is expected to participate.
Help to interpret national IT strategies and guidance and analyse their impact at a local level and where appropriate conduct an option appraisal with the Cellular Pathology Services Manager to advise on the best way forward as appropriate.
In consultation with Cellular Pathology Manager, Deputy laboratory manager and/or Pathology IT Manager, take timely and effective decisions in response to changing circumstances to maintain service provision, e.g.IT or equipment failure, staffing shortages or medical emergencies.
Contribute to the development of departmental policies and good quality management practices and quality improvement.
Technical
The post holder will provide technical support and advice on all Cellular Pathology IT matters to the Cellular Pathology Services Manager, Clinical Service Leads, Biomedical Scientists, trainees and Medical Laboratory Assistants to ensure that policy and procedural compliance is maintained.
To advise the Cellular Pathology Services manager on the IT impact of new service developments, service reconfigurations and introduction of new technologies. This includes advice on data management, interfacing and reporting.
To co-ordinate and install (as appropriate) IT hardware across all departments of the service or liaise with Service Providers appropriately.
To maintain aspects of the Document Scanning and Archive system. This includes trouble-shooting and repair in the event of system failures.
Review IT related Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and policies to ensure compliance with good working practices required for UKAS standards ISO 15189.
Conduct appropriate trouble-shooting and take corrective action in the event of a systems failure and ensure that the IT Manager, Cellular Pathology Services Manager, Directorate Manager and/or Clinical Service Lead are made aware of these circumstances.
Organise and co-ordinate engineer on-site visits as appropriate.
Laboratory Informatics
To maintain the system on daily, weekly and monthly basis. To take a role in any new initiatives or upgrades.
To audit the system and the security of logins and personnel.
Maintain patient information data (PID) links with the Trusts PAS.
Maintain Results link to trusts Result Browser.
To maintain all cross-discipline dictionaries (e.g. GPs, Consultants, Locations etc).
To attend any meetings or user groups pertaining to IT and undertake actions from those meetings as required.
To produce timely Cellular Pathology recharge data for external and internal activity.
To produce activity data reports for Directorate Manager / Operations Manager or appropriate in order to monitor performance for WAHT, particularly against Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
To develop databases and reports to support the business and clinical functions of the department e.g. produce monthly monitoring reports of performance against Service Level Agreements.
To support NHS Digital in delivering national projects.
To represent Cellular Pathology on any Divisional and Trust meetings when delegated to do so by the Cellular Pathology Services Manager/ Deputy Laboratory Manager.
To comply with local and national policies for the safe, secure and confidential processing, and storage of patient and other laboratory information, to comply with the standards required for the standards of UKAS Standards ISO 15189, MHRA and other relevant regulatory bodies.
To use the Laboratory and Trust computer systems according to the authorised protocols for example data and result entry, data retrieval and data manipulation.
To use, and ensure that others use, the Laboratory Information System according to the authorised protocols to record analyser results and patient data.
Resource Management
To notify section supervisor of any resource issues (consumables, stock, personnel) that could impact on the service.
Quality
Ensure that all IT downtime and problem logs are regularly reviewed and reported to the Manager.
Ensure the process of incident reporting is followed when IT failures occur.
To investigate all complaints associated with IT failures and provide reports for the Cellular Pathology Services Manager.
To undertake document control, record keeping & corrective actions on behalf of the laboratory Quality Management System.
To initiate and undertake internal audits appropriately and follow through any actions identified or relevant pertaining Pathology IT Services
Management and Training
Training, Education and Development.
To assist with and monitor any IT training plans for members of the team.
Assist training officers, to ensure full compliance with all statutory responsibilities for staff training, education and continuing professional development.
Deliver in house training and tutorial support to biomedical scientists, trainees, medical laboratory assistants, Clinicians and visiting professionals and students from within the Trust and from external organisations.
Communication
On a daily basis communicate patient information that is of a sensitive, highly complex and technical nature.
To ensure that all changes in policy and/or procedure are disseminated to all relevant staff in a timely manner.
To attend relevant meetings as and when required.
To represent the Directorate Group at national meetings organised by NHS Digital when delegated to do so by the Cellular Pathology Services Manager.
Health and Safety
To be familiar with and ensure compliance to national, Trust and departmental Health and Safety policies, procedures, rules and regulations, for example, the Trust and departmental health and safety policys, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health, Risk Assessment, and manual handling.
Review and update IT risk assessments/register and report to the Manager.
To contribute to the maintenance of a safe working environment for all members of staff and visitors.
Research and development
Scientific and Professional
To undertake the assessment of the IT impact of certain new method and laboratory instrument evaluations as requested.
To advise the service manager on the IT requirements in the development of service and instrument specifications and undertake aspects of the evaluation of tender responses.
To co-ordinate the evaluation, procurement and implementation of new equipment e.g. office or laboratory-based equipment.
Provide IT support for research and development projects as directed by the Service Manager, Deputy Laboratory Manager and/or clinical service lead. Adhering to SOPs
Standard Trust Clauses:
Standard Trust Clauses apply to this role and can be viewed in the associated Job Description Document
