Employer Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Location Chester, United Kingdom Salary Competitive Closing date 16 Apr 2025
Job summary
Working hours: 37.5 hours per week including 24/7 shift cover
Band 5/6 - Dependent on experience
The Blood Sciences department has an exciting vacancy for a Biomedical Scientist, Band 5 or 6, dependent upon previous experience. We would like to recruit a BMS specifically with Clinical Biochemistry experience into this post.
The role includes working as part of a multidisciplinary trained BMS team primarily within Clinical Biochemistry. The role includes the expectation that the post holder will take part in the 24/7 cover provided by the laboratory, including rotation on days, nights and weekends. The successful post holder will also be required to undergo basic multidisciplinary training within Haematology.
The laboratory utilises Beckman Coulter automation across Blood Sciences, and an equipment refresh is due later this year within Clinical Biochemistry for both mainline and immunoassay platforms. Currently the laboratory has AU5811 mainline analysers, and DxI800 and DXI9000 for immunoassay testing. Sebia technology is employed for protein electrophoresis.
Ideally you will currently be working within a UKAS accredited NHS Blood Sciences laboratory as a HCPC registered Biomedical Scientist. To be eligible for the role at Band 6 level, you must have completed the IBMS Specialist Diploma in a Blood Sciences subject, or have a minimum of 2 years experience working on a Blood Sciences out of hours shift rota.
Main duties of the job
1. To ensure the work within Blood Sciences is processed to the required standard, within agreed turnaround times and appropriate action is taken when necessary following departmental procedures.
2. To perform equipment maintenance and quality control of test procedures to agreed schedules within assigned area.
3. To ensure quality compliance to maintain laboratory accreditation to ISO 15189:2022, including participation in audits.
4. To monitor and maintain equipment, to undertake basic trouble shooting and inform section leader of any non-conformities.
5. To contribute to providing reports in a timely manner to contribute to patient care and treatment.
6. Under strict protocols, validate and authorise routine and specialist results, or refer to Blood Sciences clinical staff for release to users where appropriate.
7. To participate in the rotation through, and maintain competency in, all relevant departments of the Blood Sciences laboratory.
8. To assist with laboratory stores and maintenance of consumable stocks.
9. To suggest ways to improve working practices.
10. To assist with verification of assays or equipment when required.
About us
The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:
* The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds
* Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility
* Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.
The Trust employs over 6258 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 407,000. This includes 357,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.
The Trust is a busy district general hospital and in 2022/2023, there were more than 503,342 patient attendances (inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery. This is an increase of nearly 10,000 compared to the previous year when there were 494,387 patient attendances.
Job description
Job responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs will be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
* HCPC Registration
* IBMS Accredited Biomedical Sciences Degree or equivalent
Desirable
* Membership of IBMS
Knowledge and experience
Essential
* Be proficient in the use of information technology, in particular lab computer system.
* Be fully competent with the use of standard laboratory analysers across the various disciplines (Transfusion, Haematology and/or Biochemistry)
* Demonstrate professional and technical judgement.
Desirable
* Multidisciplinary experience within Transfusion, Haematology and Biochemistry
* Experience with fully automated Blood Sciences systems
* Able to assist in instructing and training other staff after a suitable length of experience
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. For further information visit the .
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
Employer details
Employer name
Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Countess of Chester Hospital
Liverpool Road
Chester
CH2 1UL
Employer's website #J-18808-Ljbffr