Failsafe Officer - Antenatal and Newborn Screening

Job overview

Previous Applicants Need Not Apply

There are 6 NHS Antenatal and Newborn Screening programmes which aim to detect conditions that are present in either the mother or baby that could have adverse effect on health and wellbeing. Pregnant women and newborn babies are offered screening tests as an integral part of their care in pregnancy and postnatal period. Optimal screening programmes require effective team working across a number of professional groups, departments and organisations. Are you looking for a challenge working administratively within the screening team?

The role of the Failsafe Officer is to facilitate the implementation, monitoring and to maintain safe and quality assured National Antenatal and Newborn (ANNB) Screening programmes. The purpose is to carry out failsafe activities that ensure the screening national standards are met, reducing the risk of harm or missed screening for mothers and babies.

• Interview date: Thursday 3 July 2025
• 18 hours 45 minutes/week
• You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy.  Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy.

NO AGENCIES PLEASE

Main duties of the job

- Establish and effectively manage and maintain screening databases.

- Implement and maintain failsafe systems by ensuring the eligible population have an outcome recorded for each relevant screening programme. This will require the potholder to follow up where data is missing and to request repeat samples where required.

- Assist with activities aimed at maintaining and improving relevant key performance indicators for the Antenatal and Newborn screening programmes.

- Work closely with the multidisciplinary teams to ensure timely screening is offered.

- Entered relevant screening results into the patient electronic records.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• The post holder will provide support to the Antenatal & Newborn (ANNB) Screening Team who are responsible for the coordination of the six national antenatal and newborn screening programmes, in accordance with Department, Trust and National standards. • Perform the daily monitoring and management of local and national screening failsafe systems (SMART4NIPE and Newborn Bloodspot Failsafe System), to ensure that national screening standards are met, and areas of concern identified, with remedial action taken in a timely manner.
• Maintain an accurate screening database and provide accurate statistical information. • The postholder will carry out failsafe activities that ensure the screening loop is closed, thereby meeting national standards and most importantly reducing risk of harm or missed screening to mothers and babies for which The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust are responsible. • Collation of data to inform the nationally required Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and annual data submissions is a key component of the role as is assistance with screening audits to inform service provision. • The role also involves the collection and reporting of data for immunisations in pregnancy and for Hepatitis B for eligible babies. • The post holder is accountable to the Antenatal and Newborn Screening Coordinator and will work closely with the ANNB Screening deputy. • Ensure that Trust policy regarding Data Protection is adhered to. • Provide administrative support when needed. • Organise and prioritise the designated workload in relation to identified needs.

Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first month’s pay.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.