Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Biomedical Scientist - DCH Blood Transfusion Site Lead

The closing date is 09 September 2025

Job summary

This is a exciting opportunity for progression within Transfusion for a suitably qualified and experienced BMS looking for the next step in their career. The department is well equipped with new BioRad IH-500 analysers and the introduction of the BioRad Banjo Card reader is imminent. There is the opportunity for the successful candidate to lead on the implementation of new methods and modernisation of the Transfusion service.

The post holder will manage and coordinate the day-to-day technical and operational activitiesof the Blood Transfusion laboratory on site, ensuring a timely, high-quality service in line with clinical needs and regulatory standards.

They will act as the Site Lead for Blood Transfusion, deputising forthe Blood Transfusion Laboratory Manager, and will serve as the primary point of contact for Blood Transfusion staff, including other senior Biomedical Scientists.

The Site Lead will ensure the delivery of a safe, efficient, and compliant service, maintaining standards in accordance with MHRA, the Blood Safety and Quality Regulations (BSQR) and UKAS (ISO 15189). They will support and supervise staff, lead quality and compliance activity, and work collaboratively with multidisciplinary colleagues and external agencies.

Main duties of the job

To have delegated responsibility for managing and coordinating the day-to-day technical and operational activities of the Blood Transfusion Laboratory at DCH, ensuring a safe, timely, and high-quality service that meets patient needs.

To act as Site Lead for Blood Transfusion, deputising forthe Blood Transfusion Laboratory Manager; to supervise and serve as the primary point of contact for Blood Transfusion staff, including other senior Biomedical Scientist.

This role is responsible for supervising and supporting the Blood Transfusion Team at DCH, maintaining high standards, and acting as the main technical contact locally. They will report to and liaise regularly with the ODP Blood Transfusion Manager to ensure alignment with overall service goals.

The role also includes responsibility for teaching and developing Transfusion staff, ensuring that current working practices consistently meet the required high standards of quality. The post holder is expected to maintain an up-to-date, thorough knowledge and competency of all aspects of their designated area.

About us

At DCHFT, we pride ourselves on the care we provide for our patients, and on the culture, we are creating for our staff. We work hard to create a fair, inclusive environment for our staff.

Our Mission is to work in partnership to provide high quality, compassionate services and to nurture an environment where people can be at their best. Our vision is healthier lives, empowered citizens, thriving communities.

We are a Trust that celebrates diversity, and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applications from people in all under-represented groups.

We understand that some applicants may choose to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist in preparing their application materials. While this is not discouraged, we kindly remind candidates that all submissions must be truthful and accurately reflect your own experiences and suitability for this role.

Personal integrity and authenticity are central to our recruitment process. We value honesty and appreciate applications that are genuine and representative of the individual behind them.

Details

Date posted

26 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year Per Annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

405-25-HS388SBS

Job locations

Dorset County Hospital

Williams Avenue

Dorchester

DT1 2JY


Job description

Job responsibilities

Our DCHFT Job Description and Person Specification (attached) tells you all about this role, what to expect and what is needed to succeed. When completing your application please make sure to tell us how your experience and skills fit the person specification.

Please contact us at Recruitment@dchft.nhs.uk if you are unable to view or download the attachment.

For all our roles, we are looking for staff who hold our Trust Values of Integrity, Respect Teamwork and Excellence, and who are passionate about providing the best patient care. To read more about our Trust and our Values search Dorset County Hospital online.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Our DCHFT Job Description and Person Specification (attached) tells you all about this role, what to expect and what is needed to succeed. When completing your application please make sure to tell us how your experience and skills fit the person specification.

Please contact us at Recruitment@dchft.nhs.uk if you are unable to view or download the attachment.

For all our roles, we are looking for staff who hold our Trust Values of Integrity, Respect Teamwork and Excellence, and who are passionate about providing the best patient care. To read more about our Trust and our Values search Dorset County Hospital online.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • BSC (Hons) in Biomedical Science or equivalent As assessed for IBMS registration
  • Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Biomedical Scientist registration.
  • IBMS Specialist Diploma in Haematology with Hospital Transfusion Practice and/ or BBTS Specialist Certificate in Transfusion Science Practice
  • MSc in Transfusion Science or Biomedical Science specialising in Transfusion or equivalent
  • Fellowship of the IBMS

Desirable

  • IBMS Higher Specialist Diploma in Transfusion Science
  • Any relevant further qualifications or study e.g. leadership, management, training, health and safety, quality
  • Willing to pursue further qualifications
  • IOSH trained or equivalent

Experience

Essential

  • Comprehensive experience and a minimum of 3 years' experience in a senior or specialist BMS position working within Transfusion in an UKAS accredited laboratory
  • Has experience of and developed specialist knowledge of a Hospital Transfusion laboratory
  • Continuing the learning process through academic and/or practical experience
  • Evidence of problem solving in a calm and efficient manner
  • Evidence of developing people by teaching, training and delegation

Desirable

  • Experience of working out of hours
  • Previous experience at a trauma centre with a large transfusion workload, specialist transfusion centre or similar
  • Management or supervisory experience
  • Any relevant experience in management of staff, training and development of staff, health and safety

Technical Skills Competencies

Essential

  • Ability to organise own workload and the day-to-day organisation and staffing of work section
  • Possess highly developed technical skills and adept at all laboratory procedures
  • Proven training ability
  • Possess good interpersonal and communication skills
  • Ability to interpret diagnostic results and take appropriate action
  • Evaluate and appraise new methods and technologies
  • Appropriate liaising skills
  • A good command of spoken and written English

Desirable

  • Previous experience of analyser and process validation and verification
  • HR & appraisal skills
  • Prepare presentations as part of laboratory training programme

Knowledge

Essential

  • Thorough, specialist understanding of Transfusion Medicine
  • Understands Transfusion and its application in clinical practice and public health
  • Detailed knowledge of theoretical and practical laboratory procedures within the section/department
  • Ability to work within all laboratory areas of the department
  • Comprehensive understanding of quality control/quality assurance and laboratory safety procedures
  • Good working knowledge of the laboratory information system
  • Detailed knowledge of standard IT packages e.g. Microsoft Word and Excel
  • Excellent working knowledge of UKAS and MHRA
  • Knowledge and skill of teaching, training and staff development

Desirable

  • Understanding of the Good Practice Guidelines for blood establishments and hospital blood banks
  • Understanding of basic management practice
  • Knowledge of teaching, training and staff development to MSc level

Other requirement specific to the role

Essential

  • Detailed knowledge of H&S requirements, including COSHH regulations
  • Evidence of experience of compliance with appropriate accreditation bodies

Personal Attributes

Essential

  • Ability to work as part of a team, including leading the team and as an individual
  • Good communication skills
  • Reliable
  • Consistent
  • Professional
  • Innovative
  • Ability to use initiative
  • Ability to concentrate for long periods at technically demanding procedures
  • Willing to work flexibly
  • Motivated, enthusiastic and potential for leadership
  • Demonstrable communication and interpersonal skills

Desirable

  • Ability to lone work to provide an out of hours service
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • BSC (Hons) in Biomedical Science or equivalent As assessed for IBMS registration
  • Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Biomedical Scientist registration.
  • IBMS Specialist Diploma in Haematology with Hospital Transfusion Practice and/ or BBTS Specialist Certificate in Transfusion Science Practice
  • MSc in Transfusion Science or Biomedical Science specialising in Transfusion or equivalent
  • Fellowship of the IBMS

Desirable

  • IBMS Higher Specialist Diploma in Transfusion Science
  • Any relevant further qualifications or study e.g. leadership, management, training, health and safety, quality
  • Willing to pursue further qualifications
  • IOSH trained or equivalent

Experience

Essential

  • Comprehensive experience and a minimum of 3 years' experience in a senior or specialist BMS position working within Transfusion in an UKAS accredited laboratory
  • Has experience of and developed specialist knowledge of a Hospital Transfusion laboratory
  • Continuing the learning process through academic and/or practical experience
  • Evidence of problem solving in a calm and efficient manner
  • Evidence of developing people by teaching, training and delegation

Desirable

  • Experience of working out of hours
  • Previous experience at a trauma centre with a large transfusion workload, specialist transfusion centre or similar
  • Management or supervisory experience
  • Any relevant experience in management of staff, training and development of staff, health and safety

Technical Skills Competencies

Essential

  • Ability to organise own workload and the day-to-day organisation and staffing of work section
  • Possess highly developed technical skills and adept at all laboratory procedures
  • Proven training ability
  • Possess good interpersonal and communication skills
  • Ability to interpret diagnostic results and take appropriate action
  • Evaluate and appraise new methods and technologies
  • Appropriate liaising skills
  • A good command of spoken and written English

Desirable

  • Previous experience of analyser and process validation and verification
  • HR & appraisal skills
  • Prepare presentations as part of laboratory training programme

Knowledge

Essential

  • Thorough, specialist understanding of Transfusion Medicine
  • Understands Transfusion and its application in clinical practice and public health
  • Detailed knowledge of theoretical and practical laboratory procedures within the section/department
  • Ability to work within all laboratory areas of the department
  • Comprehensive understanding of quality control/quality assurance and laboratory safety procedures
  • Good working knowledge of the laboratory information system
  • Detailed knowledge of standard IT packages e.g. Microsoft Word and Excel
  • Excellent working knowledge of UKAS and MHRA
  • Knowledge and skill of teaching, training and staff development

Desirable

  • Understanding of the Good Practice Guidelines for blood establishments and hospital blood banks
  • Understanding of basic management practice
  • Knowledge of teaching, training and staff development to MSc level

Other requirement specific to the role

Essential

  • Detailed knowledge of H&S requirements, including COSHH regulations
  • Evidence of experience of compliance with appropriate accreditation bodies

Personal Attributes

Essential

  • Ability to work as part of a team, including leading the team and as an individual
  • Good communication skills
  • Reliable
  • Consistent
  • Professional
  • Innovative
  • Ability to use initiative
  • Ability to concentrate for long periods at technically demanding procedures
  • Willing to work flexibly
  • Motivated, enthusiastic and potential for leadership
  • Demonstrable communication and interpersonal skills

Desirable

  • Ability to lone work to provide an out of hours service

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).

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.

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

Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Dorset County Hospital

Williams Avenue

Dorchester

DT1 2JY


Employer's website

https://www.dchft.nhs.uk/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Dorset County Hospital

Williams Avenue

Dorchester

DT1 2JY


Employer's website

https://www.dchft.nhs.uk/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Blood Transfusion Laboratory Manager

Helen Slade

Helen.slade3@nhs.net

03000194798

Details

Date posted

26 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year Per Annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

405-25-HS388SBS

Job locations

Dorset County Hospital

Williams Avenue

Dorchester

DT1 2JY


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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