Job summary
Senior Biomedical Scientist
Department: Cellular Pathology
Band 7: £46,148 - £52,809 pa
Hours: 31.5 hours per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working
The Cellular Pathology department is seeking to recruit an enthusiastic, proactive, and experienced individual to take up the post of Senior Biomedical Scientist in our professional and friendly team.
The individual will be a key member of the Cellular Pathology management team assisting in the day-to-day operational delivery of the Cellular Pathology service, working closely with the Cellular Pathology Operational and Laboratory Managers and Consultant Histopathologists.
Suitable candidates must be HCPC registered and possess an MSc in an appropriate discipline. The successful candidate will be a professional with strong technical, troubleshooting, and decision-making skills and the ability to communicate confidently and effectively with staff at all levels. The suitable candidate will assist in directing a team of scientific and support staff to deliver a diagnostic service that meets accreditation & regulatory requirements to deliver effective patient care and resource management.
Shortlisted applicants will be required to deliver a short, verbal presentation at interview. The title will be provided with the invite to interview.
Interview date: 18th - 19th March 2025
Main duties of the job
1. To lead on the delivery of a high quality, responsive and comprehensive Cellular Pathology service for the trust and its users.
2. In conjunction with other Senior Biomedical Scientists, assist in the provision of the day-to-day operational management of the Cellular Pathology Laboratory ensuring staff, equipment and materials are managed to deliver a high-quality laboratory service.
3. Have detailed knowledge and experience of ISO 15189 standards and quality management systems.
4. To work with the laboratory management and technical team to ensure compliance with regulatory standards including those of ISO 15189, the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) and screening programmes.
5. To lead on quality improvement and manage change.
6. Help the Cellular Pathology team to meet departmental, trust and national KPI's.
7. To ensure that all staff work in accordance with trust health and safety policy, HR and departmental policies to deliver a safe, high-quality service for its users.
8. To comply with clinical governance and risk management policies and ensure appraisals and mandatory training are completed in accordance with trust guidelines.
9. Lead on training and education activity.
10. Support the provision of a 7/7 laboratory service.
11. The post holder will deputise for the Chief BMS/Operational Manager as required.
12. Support the growth in maturity of the South 4 Pathology Partnership.
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Job description
Job responsibilities
1. In conjunction with the other Senior Biomedical Scientists
2. Leadership/Management
3. To establish effective and collaborative working relationships with key staff.
4. Lead by example.
5. Always maintain a professional approach to work behaving courteously and with professional and emotional maturity.
6. To be accountable for your own professional actions and maintain high personal standards of work.
7. Organise your daily duties to ensure provision of a timely, quality service.
8. Effective time management and daily triage and prioritisation of departmental workload.
9. Generation of work rotas.
10. Clinical/Scientific/Technical
11. Maintain a high level of specialist Cellular Pathology knowledge. To include experience of troubleshooting and microscopic interpretation skills.
12. To undertake analytical, technical, and administrative troubleshooting to ensure reliable service delivery.
13. To use experience, knowledge, and judgement to make decisions on laboratory results. Interpret complex multifactorial results.
14. Maintain essential embedding and microtomy skills.
15. Perform quality control of the H&E stain and troubleshoot when required.
16. Perform quality control of the special stains and troubleshoot when required.
17. Perform the cryo-microtomy of rapid frozen sections when required.
18. Lead and support the delivery of the BMS dissection service for Category A-D specimens in accordance with laboratory policies and procedures.
Training & Education
1. Provide leadership for training and education activity within the laboratory.
2. Develop and maintain training programs for all laboratory staff.
3. Assist the Operational Manager to ensure that the IBMS training requirements for Biomedical Support Staff, Pre-Registration and Post Registration are met.
4. Provide training and mentorship to Support Trainee, Apprentice and Biomedical staff.
5. Maintain records of staff training and competency; ensuring they met requirements of BS ISO 15189.
Quality Management
1. Support the Laboratory Manager and Operational Manager to ensure maintenance of the Quality Management System.
2. Produce and maintain documentation to standards as required by accreditation/regulatory bodies under the authority of the Pathology Quality Manager (QM) and Operational Lead.
3. Assist the Laboratory Manager and Operational Manager in planning & organising internal inspections (audit). Participate in internal audit and implement corrective/preventative actions identified.
Professional
1. Be personally responsible for obtaining and maintaining HCPC state registration.
2. Take all necessary measures to keep up to date with CPD in the discipline.
3. Be able to work independently and manage own workload working to local and national standards within the HCPC professional code of conduct.
4. Possess strong technical, troubleshooting, and decision-making skills and the ability to communicate confidently and effectively with staff at all levels.
5. Be responsible for ensuring that consistently high standards of customer service are delivered.
6. Adhere to all relevant local and organisational policy/procedures.
Information Technology & Governance
1. Manage and maintain the integrity and accuracy of specialised databases in the laboratory computer system.
2. Support the implementation of the S4 joint LIMS system to include User Acceptance Testing and training of staff.
3. Comply with organisation information governance requirements and ensure that patient confidentiality is maintained.
Health & Safety
1. Adhere to service Health and Safety Code of Practice and organisation policy/procedure to ensure regulatory and statutory requirements are met.
2. Take reasonable care to prevent injury to themselves or others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.
3. Immediately report any shortcomings in health and safety procedures and practice.
Please refer to the job description for further details.
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
1. HCPC registered Biomedical Scientist
2. BSc Biomedical Science or equivalent in a relevant field
3. MSc or equivalent postgraduate qualification in a relevant Biomedical Science field
4. Comprehensive specialist scientific knowledge in Cellular Pathology to underpin the technical aspects of service delivery
5. Extensive knowledge of ISO 15189 standards for medical laboratories
6. Knowledge of laboratory training and competency requirements
7. Knowledge of quality assurance
8. Knowledge of professional Health and Safety legislation / requirements
9. Knowledge of GDPR requirements
10. Evidence of relevant continued professional development
Desirable
1. Membership of the IBMS
2. Management qualification
3. Awareness of wider NHS/Pathology initiatives
Experience
Essential
1. Post HCPC registration experience as a Specialist Biomedical Scientist (Band 6) within Cellular Pathology
2. External assessment by UKAS
3. Experience as a trainer / mentor
4. Experience in quality audits
5. Incident investigation
Desirable
1. Experience as a team leader at Band 7
2. Histological dissection Categories A-D
Skills
Essential
1. Ability to manage conflicting priorities and complete tasks within given timeframes
2. Be able to organise the workload of the laboratory
3. Excellent practical and technical skills in Cellular Pathology laboratory techniques
4. Ability to troubleshoot problems under pressure
5. Ability to manage difficult situations and pressures
6. Proficient IT skills including the use of MS Office software.
7. Use of QMS tools e.g., QPulse
8. Technical and scientific troubleshooting skills
9. Change control / management skills
10. Ability to analyse complex laboratory results and provide appropriate advice to service users
Personal and people development
Essential
1. Proven leadership / management skills
2. Motivational skills
3. Self-motivated and patient focused
4. Ability to work under pressure
5. Be confident, diplomatic and have personal & professional maturity.
6. Flexible approach
7. Enthusiastic
8. Demonstrate reliability and commitment
9. Commitment to service development and quality improvement
Desirable
1. Forward thinking
2. Perform annual joint review
Communication
Essential
1. Good communication skills including a clear command of written and spoken English
2. Good interpersonal skills
3. Effective listening skills
4. Effective trainer, modifying the approach as appropriate
5. Able to present complex information to colleagues with differing knowledge and ability levels
Desirable
1. Effective communication with auditors
2. Customer care / service user skills
Specific requirements
Essential
1. Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.
Employer details
Employer name
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Histopathology (Dept)
Milton Keynes
MK6 5LD
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