Job overview
This is an excellent opportunity to work with our dynamic team and extend your knowledge of Biochemistry, Urgent bench, POCT and Prenatal Screening Laboratory at both King George/Queens Hospitals.
The Biochemistry Department is based at Queen’s Hospital in Romford and King George Hospital Goodmayes. The successful candidate will be expected to work at both acute sites as per service demands.
The department actively encourages participation in Continuous Professional Development (CPD) to develop skills that will assist you in the pursuit of career ambitions.
The department is part of Blood Sciences which plays a vital role in the provision of 26 million diagnostic tests annually for the Trust and primary care services.The successful candidate will work as part of the team in the delivery of the Biochemistry & POCT service across both hospitals.
The successful candidate must be committed to quality and improvement and can demonstrate IT knowledge to enable them to drive the department forward.
The Biochemistry department at QH is equipped with Roche Cobas 8100 automated workflow series, Cobas 8000 analysers (c702/ e801). QH also carries out macroprolactin, sweat tests and Xanthochromia analysis.
The department at KGH is also equipped with Roche Cobas analysers (c702/e801), Roche P612 pre-analytic, Sebia Capillaries Electrophoresis analysers, Phadia 250 analysers for RAST testing, Binding Site Optilite for Serum Free Light Chain assays and Mast for Faecal immune testing.
Main duties of the job
The post holder is required to rotate through Biochemistry, Haematology, Hot Lab, POCT and Blood Sciences Reception, where appropriate.
The post holder must participate in the either the AfC hybrid (day & night) or permanent night shift patterns. Where staff work the latter, hours of work will fluctuate per week as per roster pattern and will attract enhancements.
Working in teams to perform complex analytical investigations on patient samples in order to provide quality and timely diagnostic and monitoring essential for patient care.
Working for our organisation
We’re an organisation that is getting better and better and our improvements are driven by a determination to deliver care we’re proud of and our patients are happy with. We’re no longer in special measures; we’ve opened two new theatres at our Elective Surgical Hub in King George Hospital (KGH); and Matthew Trainer, our Chief Executive, was named the top CEO by the Health Service Journal in 2024.
We operate from two main sites – KGH in Goodmayes and Queen’s Hospital in Romford. We have two busy emergency departments with more than 330,000 people visiting them last year. We’re campaigning to secure the £35m we need to transform the A&E at Queen’s and get rid of corridor care.
Our patients are benefitting from our Women’s Health Hub in Ilford; an Ageing Well Centre in Hornchurch; and Community Diagnostic Centres (CDC) at Barking Community Hospital and at St George’s Health and Wellbeing Hub in Hornchurch.
These CDCs are open 12 hours a day, 7 days a week and are providing an extra 94,000 scans a year.
The majority of our 8,000 staff – who come from 146 different countries - live in the three diverse London boroughs we serve and are from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups. Many can work flexibly and more than 400 of them are on our Ofsted accredited apprenticeship programmes. We’re proud to be a London Living Wage employer.
We’re looking forward to introducing an electronic patient record that will be transformative for our staff and beneficial for our patients.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Prenatal Screening Department based at King George Hospital provides a high-quality screening service for chromosomal disorders, such as Down's syndrome, to antenatal patients at the Trust and to a number of antenatal centres in London and the Southeast.
We operate a 24/7 service on both sites. The Trust is currently exploring an alternative system to accommodate the increasing demand for routine 24/7 testing.
This is a full time post working 37.5 hours per week. A flexible attitude to working hours is essential. The hours are currently within a framework of 08.00–20.00 including weekend & Bank Holiday working. These arrangements are subject to continuing review as the department looks to move towards a shift system.
Both hospitals offer a pleasant working environment and are well served by several bus routes and mainline stations nearby.
For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification.
The person specification listed below is not the full specification requirements for the role.Please ensure you review the full specification on the job description prior to submitting your application.
Applicants are advised to read all the information on the advert and the supporting information before completing and submitting an application. As you complete your application please ensure you clearly demonstrate how you meet the criteria in the person specification for this post by adequately completing the supporting information section of the application form.
All new staff appointed at the Trust are subject to a probationary period.
Person specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. Relevant qualifications in Medical Laboratory Science or Technology, e.g., Foundation degree in laboratory science or overseas degree or diploma which is not acceptable for registration with the Health Care Professions Council.
Skills/Abilities
Essential criteria
2. Can use own initiative & can communicate effectively.
3. Good organisational skills & ability to prioritise work.
Desirable criteria
4. Experience on the Blood Sciences laboratory
Experience/Knowledge
Desirable criteria
5. Experience using Winpath Enterprise and Q-Pulse
6. Knowledge of Quality management system