Head Biomedical Scientist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Communication and working relationships

• Accountable to the Consultant Pathologist Head of Department and thence to the Clinical Director of Laboratory Medicine
• Good lines of communication should be encouraged between staff within the Pathology Department, colleagues employed in other Pathology laboratories and other members of Trust staff as appropriate
• External communications between GP surgeries and other laboratories are also required
• Chair laboratory and mortuary meetings

Planning and organisation

• Attendance / performance of mandatory training
• Maintain an up to date knowledge of professional matters by attendance at meetings, conferences where possible
• To complete staff annual appraisal and to monitor staff mandatory training to meet quality objectives
• Organising outsourcing of samples as required by the needs of the service
• Escalation of risks via Datix and attendance at directorate meetings
• Input with the design and roll out of a potential new Laboratory Informatics system
• Input with the design of a new laboratory and transfer of service by winter 2024/25

Responsibility and accountability

Responsible for:

• External Quality Assurance (EQA) membership of the department and monitoring its performance, ensuring External Quality Assurance material is handled appropriately by relevant staff

• Maintaining the Quality Standards as laid down by ISO15189 UKAS

• The compiling, production, review and implementation of departmental protocols and standard operating procedures in accordance with UKAS and HTA standards, legislative and NHS regulatory/ legislative frameworks principally using Q Pulse
• Compiling quality objectives and annual management review
• Correct and secure storage of documentation
• Ensuring that all reagents / consumables / equipment used for the provision of the histology service are checked and monitored according to UKAS guidelines
• Liaison with a wide range of contacts in other areas of the hospital and external agencies
• Assessment, evaluation of new procedures / reagents in the section including COSHH and Risk Assessments and their implementation
• Design and undertaking of audits across the range of procedures, protocols and activities within histology and in conjunction with other departments in the trust, analyse report, act and implement the results
• Performing and preparing for staff development review for departmental staff
• Work planning and the allocation of staff within the department including recruitment, professional supervision and appraisal and performance management, liaising with senior laboratory management as appropriate
• Ensuring staff training is performed including attendance / performance of mandatory training as appropriate and maintenance of attendance records
• Ensuring staff competency/training logs are reviewed regularly and kept up to date
• Supervision of biomedical scientists and medical laboratory assistants
• Ensuring user maintenance is performed on departmental equipment in accordance with manufacturers instructions and departmental protocols
• Identifying equipment for replacement and the testing/assessment and recommendations as to possible / preferred replacement
• Overall stock control within the department
• Ordering and authorising consumable purchasing up to £5,000 per transaction
• Troubleshooting procedures and equipment when expected results are not achieved
• Maintenance of a safe working environment with Health and Safety legislation, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health and Risk Assessments

Responsibility for supervision, leadership and management

• Responsible for staffing of the department involving recruitment, selection, training, annual appraisal, performance reviews and target setting
• Managing annual leave and sickness
• Managing any staff performance issues

Responsibility for finance, equipment and other resources

• Responsible for the assessment, selection and recommendation to the Medical Equipment Procurement Committee of equipment in excess of £5000 for the department
• Responsible for management of the departmental budget against expenditure (value of budget £800,000 excluding consultant salaries)
• Responsible for the management of consumable purchasing up to £15,000 per order

Human Tissue Authority (HTA) duties

Responsible for:

• Service provision in line with HTA standards

• Correct and secure storage of documentation relating to autopsies performed in the Trust
• Ensuring laboratory compliance with the consent requirements for human tissue samples from autopsies
• Completion and authorisation of Mortuary procedures including inquest details, consent, storage details and documentation within the Pathology computer system
• Provision of autopsy and tissue retention data to HTA on an annual and as requested basis

Technical

• Assisting in the department when staffing levels are low or when workload is higher than expected
• Performance of dissection of all surgical specimens in groups A and B (Royal College of Pathologists)
• Performance of dissection of designated specimens in groups C and D
• Performing those duties that are performed by technical or clerical staff in their absence

Person Specification

Qualifications and training

Essential

• oHCPC registered
• oMSc approved by the Institute of Biomedical Sciences and/or Fellowship of the IBMS or IBMS Higher Specialist Diploma
• oGood numeracy and literacy

Desirable

• oSubstantial experience as a Chief BMS (Band 8a)
• oManagement/leadership qualification
• oChartered Scientist

Knowledge and experience

Essential

• oWide knowledge of histopathology techniques, including Health & Safety, legal and administrative requirements
• oGood knowledge of laboratory informatics systems
• oPossess financial and budgetary awareness
• oGood communication and interpersonal skills

Desirable

• oUse of the Winpath LIMS (laboratory information management system)
• oPrevious involvement in design and roll out of laboratory informatics system
• oKnowledge of mortuary procedures
• oKnowledge of cytology procedures
• oExperience in equipment selection and preparation of business cases

Specific skills

Essential

• oAbility to organise and prioritise workloads
• oTechnical problem solving e.g. equipment failure, quality control failure
• oEvidence of involvement in laboratory redesign and lean workflow
• oAbility to work as an effective team leader to facilitate the smooth running of the department

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Torbay Hospital

Lowe's Bridge

Torquay

TQ2 7AA

Employer's website

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