Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Specialist Biomedical Scientist to join our Haematology and Transfusion Department.
Specialist BMS carry out analyses on blood, body fluids, tissues, and cells to determine the presence or absence of disease; this enables diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of the effectiveness of treatment. Biomedical Scientists also carry out population screening for inherited or malignant disorders.
Specialist BMS generally work without guidance or supervision to complete delegated tasks involved in the delivery of a clinical pathology service that enables high standards of patient care. Specialist BMS work as autonomous practitioners to provide a Pathology service for the Trusts outside routine working hours.
Main duties of the job
Specialist BMS rotate throughout the department and are able to carry out the full analytical repertoire of tests and will have gained a greater depth of knowledge in specific areas. The post holder is required to participate in the 24 hours shift pattern. Cross-Training in other traditional disciplines may also be required and will be expected to work on any site where Pathology is provided by St Helens and Knowsley NHS Teaching Trust (STHK) and Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust (SOHT).
Specialist BMS are good problem solvers and as a member of a team are required to be good communicators to ensure effective continuity of the service.
Working for our organisation
Mersey & West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust delivers acute hospital care, intermediate care, community, and primary care services to a population of over 600,000 people with a combined workforce of around 9000 dedicated and skilled staff from 17 locations including Whiston, Southport & Formby, St Helens, Ormskirk and Newton hospitals. The Trust provides regional services for burns, plastic surgery and spinal injuries to more than 4 million people across Mersey and West Lancashire, Cheshire, the Isle of Man and North Wales.
Our Vision is to deliver 5 Star Patient Care: CARE that is evidence based, high quality and compassionate; SAFETY that is of the highest standards; COMMUNICATION that is open, inclusive and respectful; SYSTEMS that are efficient, patient centred and reliable; PATHWAYS that are best practice and embedded, but also respect the individual needs of patients.
Our achievements include:
* Trust rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
* Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
* Awarded National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for our Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme
Please see our Wellbeing & Benefits booklet for more information on our staff benefits. Accessible version available upon request.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
KEY DUTIES
Technical
* Undertake manual, semi-automated and fully automated laboratory investigations on a rotational basis through all sections within the Department as required.
* Follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and participate in the regular review and update of SOPs.
* Ensure that equipment is used in accordance with Departmental policies and suppliers’ instructions.
* Undertake routine and more complex maintenance procedures on the analysers within the Department and maintain maintenance records.
* Plan and organise their work within the demands of the team.
* Undertake technical validation and authorisation of the complex results from laboratory investigations ensuring accuracy and precision as specified by laboratory protocols.
* Measure and monitor the accuracy and precision of laboratory investigations using appropriate quality control procedures.
* Carry out corrective action when quality control procedures indicate loss of performance. Inform senior staff as necessary.
* Prepare reagents to specification.
* Monitor laboratory and satellite blood fridges and take remedial action in the event of failure to secure stock viability.
* Assist medical staff in bone marrow biopsies.
* Report any instance or event that may cause service delivery failure.
* Have occasional direct patient contact for example performing sweat test analysis on children referred from the Paediatric Consultants, and to deliver relevant information to parents/guardians. To be aware of trust policies regarding working with children.
* Check the integrity of patient samples and note any interfering factors before initiating analysis.
* Take responsibility for selection of correct blood and blood products from laboratory stock, as requested for patients following standard operating procedures.
* Ensure best use of stocks in component selection, and maintenance of adequate stock of blood and products in accordance with pre-determined stock levels, and order patient specific products as required in accordance with SOPs from local NBTS.
* When required, take technical responsibility for the daily running of a section.
* Monitor performance of equipment and methods, identifying to Senior staff any concerns. Undertaking equipment repair as required and seeking any necessary advice from equipment manufacturers.
* When available, provide technical support and advice to out of hours staff by telephone, and attend the department out of hours if required.
Use interpretive skills to determine the clinical significance of results of laboratory tests, for example, by:
* Preparing, examining, and reporting on examination of specimens.
* Performing molecular diagnostic tests and electrophoresis.
* Performing diagnostic tests by various methods including Biochemical, Immunological, Electrophoretic, Chromatographic and Fluorescence Microscopy Techniques.
* Microscopy, for example in the reporting of blood film morphology, malaria screening, transfusion compatibility testing, Kleihauer-Betke testing.
Interpret diagnostic laboratory results and take appropriate actions for example:
* Authorisation of results.
* Adding technical comments and suggest further investigations.
* Referring results for a second opinion using professional judgement.
* Informing the requestor/medical staff of clinically significant results.
* Communicate patient results by telephone.
* Carry out the analysis of serum, whole blood, urine and other body fluids and tissues utilising automated, semi-automated and manual techniques.
* Operate multi-channel, high throughput, micro-processor controlled analytical instruments for the routine and emergency analysis of patient samples.
* Carry out more specialised assays using a range of dedicated analysers and manual techniques.
* Access on-board reagent supply logs and select reagents and consumables that require replenishment before commencing analysis.
* Inspect calibration and quality control data on these instruments and program calibration for those parameters that require it to ensure optimal performance.
* Technically validate and report individual results in electronic form and to ensure that results are released in a timely manner in accordance with Quality Control policy.
* Deal with abnormal, problem and critical results and initiate what action needs to be taken regarding checking the validity of results and informing senior BMS staff, clinicians and/or Consultant Pathology staff.
* Perform External Quality Control and be aware of the External Quality Control performance for the section.
Out of Hours Working
* Demonstrate competency in order to work autonomously out of hours.
* Complete regular training exercises in order to maintain relevant skills in Clinical Biochemistry, Haematology, Blood Transfusion as appropriate to enable unsupervised participation in the laboratory out of hours service.
* Initiate re-analysis, dilution, reflex tests and validation of abnormal results.
* Technically validate results for the clinical staff on the wards and inform the appropriate Pathology Consultant of abnormal results outside pre-set action limits.
* Be aware of security and health and safety issues appertaining to the out of hours situation.
* Act as the first point of contact for service users out of hours. Advise service users about appropriate use of the laboratory service. Act as a liaison between service users, Pathology Consultants and other laboratory personnel as appropriate.
Health and Safety
* Adhere to Trust and departmental Health & Safety protocols and Fire regulations.
* Identify risks, and to be aware of risk assessments affecting the workplace. Report clinical incidents to the Blood Sciences Service Lead. Report any defects or required maintenance in the building / services to the Blood Sciences Service Lead.
* Adhere to current Control of Substances Hazardous to Health legislation (COSHH). Ensuring the preparation, safe handling, storage, and disposal of reagents is carried out in accordance with departmental policy and COSHH legislation regarding hazardous materials and chemicals.
Communications
* Communicate results to persons authorised to receive them in a clear and concise manner following appropriate policies and procedures.
* Provide advice and information to laboratory, ward, GP staff and patients regarding samples and sample handling including information on appropriate tests and collection conditions for in-house, referred and infrequently requested tests.
* Deal with result and test queries where information may be conflicting and difficult to understand- appropriateness of test or explanation of results.
* Initiate major incident cascade within Pathology in the absence of senior staff and liaise with National Blood Service over blood stock levels.
* Communicate any relevant information to laboratory colleagues within the section and inform effectively at hand over.
* Actively participate in departmental meetings, team briefings, educational and audit meetings as appropriate.
* Ensure effective communication is maintained within the department.
* Maintain good working relations with all members of staff and promote effective teamwork.
Other Duties
* Take part in outpatient clinics, collecting biological samples from patients and carrying out Point of Care Testing investigations.
* Contribute to and attend Annual Management Review if required.
* Keep the workplace and work benches clean and tidy.
Qualifications
* Registration with Health and Care Professions Council
* A recognised Biomedical Science degree with honours which is acceptable to the Health Professions Council
* Membership of the Institute of Biomedical Scientist
* Willing to pursue further qualification
Knowledge & Experience
* Detailed working knowledge of laboratory information and management computer systems and standard IT packages e.g. word processing and spreadsheets.
* Experience of CPD by portfolio
* Ability to work within all areas of department
* Understands theoretical and practical laboratory procedures
* Understand basic quality control procedures
* Ability to organise own workload and that of subordinate staff
* Show understanding of Health & Safety requirements, including COSHH regulations
* Experience of presentations
* Familiarity and compliance with UKAS Accreditation requirements
* Exhibit competency to work alone out of core hours
Skills
* Possess good interpersonal and communication skills
* Willing and able to learn new skills
* Ability to use initiative
* Problem solving
* Possesses highly developed technical skills
Other
* Personable, friendly demeanour
* Well organised
* Willing to work flexibly
* Ability to work with minimal supervision
* Ability to work alone to provide an out of hours service
Our Values
* We are Kind
* We are Open
* We are Inclusive
The Trust may contact you during the recruitment process for your feedback on your experience. We always aim for continuous improvement in our practice.
The Trust is a non-smoking organisation across all sites. For more information, see the Smoke Free NHS website.
You will be expected to undertake the Trusts' commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Following the recent update on UK immigration policy for those on a Health and Care Visa or Skilled Worker Visa, please check eligibility before applying as sponsorship may not be provided.
eVisa Update
For successful candidates on selected work and study visa routes, who have completed and paid for their applications will no longer receive a visa vignette in passport as evidence of their permission to enter the UK. Instead, you will be issued with an eVisa only, which is accessed by creating a UKVI account.
Before travelling to the UK, we advise applicants to:
* Understand how to generate an eVisa share code
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
If this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions. Applicants may be required to pay for DBS checks. If applicable, enrol for the DBS Update Service.
Flexible Working
We actively support flexible working patterns. All employees have the right to request flexible working from day one of employment, with no limit on the number of requests.
At MWL, we will consider requests for flexible working and encourage discussion at interview.
Working for Team MWL
Staff recognition is important; we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offers a variety of services.
The Trust is non-smoking across all sites. You will be expected to uphold safeguarding commitments.
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
We actively cultivate a professional environment of fairness, equality, dignity, and respect for all individuals. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and value the skills, perspectives and experience you bring. We are committed to offering an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job.
We also commit to offering an interview to all armed forces veterans who meet the minimum criteria for the job. The Trust operates anonymous shortlisting and uses equality monitoring information to review recruitment practices.
You may be invited to complete online adjustments if required. For visa-related information, see the details above.
How to apply
If you have difficulty completing an online application, contact Recruitment@merseywestlancs.nhs.uk.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people and is subject to DBS checks.
Name: Ana Martins, Job title: Haematology Operational Manager, Email: ana.martins@merseywestlancs.nhs.uk, Telephone: 01514302360
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