Senior Specialist Biomedical Scientist

Job overview

The Microbiology Department is based at the John Radcliffe Hospital and is part of the South Four Pathology Partnership Network. The department provide services to the Oxford University Hospitals NHSFT, ICS BOB Primary Care, Oxford Health NHS, South 4 Pathology Partnership, other NHS providers, private care, UKHSA, Oxford University and research trials.

The department undertakes bacteriology, mycology, parasitology, serology, and molecular microbiology. Combining manual and automated methodology, as well as highly specialised tasks that require a high level of concentration, knowledge, experience, and skills.

The laboratory holds UKAS accreditation (ISO 15189:2022) and is accredited with the IBMS for pre and post HCPC registration training.

The laboratory is a 24/7 service and successful applicants will participate in all shifts required to deliver service and patient care pathways. The shifts include working core day, evenings, night, weekend & bank holiday sessions. The post is full time, average working hours over the shift pattern 37.5 hours.

The department is equipped with numerous automated platforms, including (list not exhaustive) BD BACTEC FX, BD MGIT, BD MAX, BD COR, BD Kiestra, BD Phoenix, BD Auto-preps, Bruker MALDI-TOF, Menarini SediMAX, Abbott Architect i2000SR / Alinity i, DiaSorin Liaison XL, Abbott Alinity m, ELITe InGenius, ELITe BeGenius, BioFire TORCH and Cepheid GeneXpert.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will act as a Specialist HCPC registered Biomedical Scientist in relevant sections of the microbiology department (bacteriology, mycology, parasitology, serology, and molecular microbiology). You will undertake manual and automated processes, interpretation, and report generation to aid clinicians in patient care pathways. You will demonstrate a high standard of quality in your work, as well as maintaining up to date knowledge of current working practices within diagnostic microbiology. In addition, you will supervise sections and have additional managerial responsibilities to ensure the department runs and works effectively.

The successful applicant will support teaching and development of all staff groups, as well as participate in all aspects of quality management to assist UKAS accreditation. You will need to demonstrate the ability to lead and supervise teams and the daily responsibilities associated with staffing, workflow, innovation, change management.

Applicants must be HCPC registered, experienced Specialist Biomedical Scientist.

Successful candidates must be highly motivated with excellent organizational skills to support, maintain and improve service, as well as good supervisory and communication skills, presentation skills, team working, leadership skills and demonstrable OUH values of behaviour / conduct.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Managerial Responsibilities

• Supervises and manages laboratory staff working in area of responsibility.  Staff groups include trainee and HCPC Registered BMS, Associate Practitioners, Laboratory Support Workers, and training Medical Staff.
• Monitors the performance of staff working in own area of responsibility, rectifying any errors and reporting to the Chief BMS as necessary.
• Prioritises and plans the activities of the section, using own initiative, to ensure that the workload is processed in a timely, efficient, and accurate manner.  Works in co-operation with departmental clinicians, consultants, BMS staff of all grades, nurses, and support staff.
• Is responsible for the efficient use of resources.  Manages stock levels, rotation, storage conditions, batch numbers and expiry dates in own area of responsibility, thus ensuring the viability of the reagents used.  Orders stock /do call off as required.  Liaises with manufacturers to ensure that supply problems are avoided / resolved.
• Is proactive in the evaluation of new methodologies, automation and working practices and implements these where appropriate, in conjunction with Chief BMS and clinical staff.  To include changes to the laboratory IT process.
• Supports the Chief BMS in the delivery of the service and in their absence performs delegated functions such as the preparation of workstation rotas and staff deployment.
• In sole charge of certain sections/sub-section within rotation, reporting to BMS3 as required.
• Performs appraisals on Biomedical Scientists and Support Worker staff, according to the Trust Policy, in the timeframe specified.
• Attends departmental operational and management meetings and produces reports when relevant.

Scientific and Clinical Responsibilities

• Analysis potentially infectious samples using highly specialised laboratory procedures, either manual or automated, to produce results of a quality consistent with excellent patient care.  Undertakes these duties in all areas of the Department.
• Performs highly complex investigations requiring the use of specialised knowledge, skills and experience.
• Ensures that UKAS, ISO 15189-2022, and other professional standards within own area of responsibility are maintained, including the preparation and revision of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
• Ensures the validity of results using appropriate calibrators and control materials, applicable to both manual and automated systems in the laboratory.
• Ensures laboratory equipment is appropriately used, maintained, monitored and that records are kept.
• Carries out troubleshooting and repairs on complex, costly (>£35,0000) automated systems, liaising with Trust and external service engineers as necessary.
• Accepts clinical samples into the department, working with staff from transport and porter services.  Assesses such samples for suitability and takes appropriate action in cases of non-compliance.
• Matches samples with request forms and inputs patient and test information into the laboratory computer system, requiring complete accuracy.

Analytical and Interpretative Responsibilities

• Exercises individual skills through the observation/interpretation of clinical material/data requiring extensive, specialised clinical knowledge and a high degree of prolonged concentration.  To include cases referred by less experienced staff.
• Assesses the validity of the results generated by automated and manual systems.  Is aware of the limitations of these techniques and can identify and correct anomalous results.
• Complies with work process by the validation of results and report generation.  This involves the interpretation of clinical data and requires an in-depth theoretical knowledge of the relevant discipline in its clinical context.  In some instances, this may dictate the final course of clinical action.
• Provides clinically relevant scientific information through the application of interpretative comments, according to laboratory SOP, which have been agreed with laboratory medical staff.
• Recommends additional tests and provides clinically relevant scientific information, in accordance with SOP to assist the requesting clinician in the diagnostic or treatment process.

Role Responsibilities

• Is fully conversant with departmental policies, ensuring that personal performance complies with ISO 15189-2022 and other professional standards.
• Practices in accordance with the professional, ethical, and legal codes of the Health Care Professions Council and the Trust’s protocols and guidelines.  Is accountable for own practice and maintenance of HCPC Registered status.
• Develops own skills taking responsibility for Continuing Professional Development and performance.
• Complies with the requirements of internal and external/national quality assurance schemes along with internal requirements for audits and competence assessment to meet national quality standards.
• Works to maintain competencies across the repertoire of the department as appropriate to grade.
• Provides supervisory cross over in related sections of the laboratory when required.
• Demonstrates proficiency in the assessment, planning and prioritisation tasks.
• Displays sound analytical and critical thinking ability in complex and rapidly changing situations.
• Communicates effectively with other staff groups, both internal and external.  To include healthcare professionals, patients and their representatives, external agencies, commercial suppliers, service engineers and visitors to the laboratory.
• Provides and receives complex scientific and clinical information to and from colleagues and service users.  Is aware of barriers to understanding and can present information accordingly.
• Displays and maintains an appropriate level of IT skills.
• Has awareness of the requirements of Clinical Governance, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) and local Health and Safety Policies, acting as appropriate and reporting problems, errors, or breaches via the appropriate mechanism.
• Assists in improving departmental quality by challenging and questioning practice, contributing ideas as appropriate and participating in the change management process, in conjunction with Chief BMS staff.
• Ensures that sample preparation for referral to reference laboratory complies with current guidelines for despatch.  Liaises with specialist laboratory when required.
• Maintains laboratory filling/retrieval systems in area of responsibility.

Teaching Training and Research Responsibilities

• In co-operation with the Departmental Training Officer and following the Departmental Training Programme, is responsible for the training of BMS staff, Support Workers, and clinical staff, in area of responsibility.
• Proactive in training to ensure staff achieve competence to the standard required.
• Proactive in supporting and assessing work required for educational qualifications of staff undertaking IBMS Certificate of Competence, IBMS Specialist Diploma or BSc / MSc projects.
• Assesses the knowledge and proficiency of staff working in area of responsibility, highlighting training needs as appropriate and reporting to the Chief BMS as necessary.
• Participates in Research & Development initiatives, including clinical research in conjunction with the Chief BMS and/or clinical staff as appropriate.
• Participates in departmental audit programmes.

This job will also have additional responsibilities attached - please refer to job description for a full overview.