Job Description
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Job Overview
Are you a confident IT leader ready to make a real impact in a fast-paced pathology environment?
We are looking for a Pathology IT Manager to lead our Pathology IT team in supporting and maintaining our Laboratory Information System, order communications, and automated laboratory services. We are seeking a proactive, confident leader who can make sound decisions under pressure and collaborate effectively with colleagues at all levels. While prior experience with Pathology IT systems is advantageous, a strong background in IT more generally will also provide a solid foundation for success in this role.
The position includes participation in the IT on-call rota, providing out-of-hours support to the laboratories on a 1-in-5 basis.
If this opportunity interests you, we would be delighted to hear from you!
Main duties of the job
The Pathology IT Manager plays a pivotal role in shaping and driving the technology that underpins our entire Pathology service. You’ll lead the development, delivery, and optimisation of our Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), digital pathology platforms, and supporting applications—ensuring they are robust, secure, and designed to keep our laboratories running smoothly while enhancing the care we provide to patients.
In this role, you’ll guide and inspire the Pathology IT team, collaborate with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, and take an active role in shaping the department’s digital strategy. You’ll also champion continuous improvement, helping to identify opportunities for innovation and better ways of working across the service.
Working for our organisation
Pathology Services lie at the heart of patient care. Severn Pathology's mission is to provide a best in class, high quality, innovative, value for money pathology service that serves the needs of the healthcare market in the South West region and beyond. In doing so, we will strive to put pathology at the heart of a modern patient pathway, serving an increasingly diverse market.
North Bristol NHS Trust employs over 12,000 staff providing healthcare to the residents of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset from our award-winning hospital building at Southmead. We are the regional Major Trauma Centre, and an internationally recognised centre of excellence in a range of services and major specialities. Our vision is that by enabling our teams to be the best that they can be, we will provide exceptional healthcare, personally delivered.
North Bristol NHS Trust values all people as individuals. We aim to be an anti-discriminatory organisation and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We welcome applicants from all underrepresented groups.
Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities
For a full overview of the Job Description, please refer to the PDF Job Description attached as an additional document to this advert.
* To lead the management of the Pathology IT systems providing advice and guidance on a complex range of facts and situations requiring analysis, interpretation, and comparison of a range of options
* To lead a team of IT specialists ensuring that knowledge is shared between the team and mutual cover is provided to ensure continuity of support and service to the department
* To be proactive in the monitoring of system performance daily for Clinisys Winpath and associated applications
* Lead the development and implementation of IT strategies and digital transformation projects within Pathology
* Provide first and second-line support for LIMS and associated applications
* Be responsible for the monitoring of the systems and measurement of performance against any associated criteria
* Analyse complex problems that may be effecting performance and liaise with appropriate internal or external groups to resolve issues
* Ensure system integrity, data security, and compliance with IG standards
* Liaise with suppliers, Trust IT services, and stakeholders to coordinate installations, upgrades, and troubleshooting
* Testing of new systems and upgrades. Develop and maintain business continuity and disaster recovery plans
* Provide training and documentation for system users
* Act as the focal point for all IT-related communications within Pathology
* Support for UKAS ISO: 15189 accreditation and validation activities within the pathology laboratories
Person specification
Work experience
Essential criteria
* Experience of working in a Pathology environment
* Previous involvement in the implementation of IT projects
* Experience of interfacing to external systems and electronic messaging
Desirable criteria
* Experience in staff management, training, and development.
Knowledge/skills/abilities
Essential criteria
* Experience with LIMS (e.g., WinPath), OrderComms, digital pathology systems and interfacing to external systems
* Ability to write and undertake customised database searches using Clinisys pathmanager and/or SQL as required
* Proven experience managing NHS Pathology IT systems and delivering IT projects
* Ability to represent the department effectively in its relations with other departments, stakeholders and suppliers
Education/Training/Qualifications
Essential criteria
* Degree or equivalent in Biomedical Science, or related field
Desirable criteria
* HCPC registration within a Pathology discipline
* MSc or equivalent in Biomedical Sciences or Computer science.
If you apply for this vacancy and have not received a communication from North Bristol NHS Trust within three weeks of the closing date, please assume that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful.
Please note that North Bristol NHS Trust does not reimburse travel expenses relating to interview attendance.
If you feel you meet the requirements of the Disability Act / Two Ticks scheme and require further support/advice, please contact us on tel 0117 414 1151.
North Bristol NHS Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
The successful applicant(s) will normally commence at the minimum of the scale unless they have previous NHS service at the same band. Progression through the scale is by annual increments.
At North Bristol Trust (NBT), we know diverse and inclusive environments lead to happier and healthier teams and improved patient care and outcomes. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are currently underrepresented in NBT’s workforce at Band 8a and above. These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people and LGBTQIA+ people.
Please note that stringent pre-employment checks are undertaken on all successful applicants prior to commencement in post.