Job Overview To be responsible for the day-to-day supervision of the Specimen Reception Team, ensuring an efficient and effective service is provided to all departments. To participate, when required, in the provision of an efficient and effective service to all users of the Pathology department. To ensure the rapid and timely turnaround of Pathology samples by receiving, labelling and entering onto the Pathology computer system. To be responsible with dealing with quality duties. This merged Department provides a service for both Frimley Park and Royal Surrey County Hospital. The post holder will be primarily based at Frimley Park Hospital. Main duties of the job To communicate on a regular basis with the Specimen Reception staff regarding operational procedures. To hold regular staff meetings. To communicate on a regular basis with staff regarding the department’s objectives, plan and business development. To attend the Support Services Senior Staff Meetings on a regular basis. Support department with quality duties. To ensure the Pathology Support Services Site Manager is informed of any anticipated problems regarding delivery of the specimen reception service in a professional and timely manner. To develop and maintain effective working relationship with other staff in the department and the Trust, ensuring a professional and seamless service is provided. To maintain a professional and efficient relationship with external users of the Pathology service both over the telephone and face-to-face regarding incorrect sample or information and advise on turnaround times or correct sample collection method, under the guidelines of the Pathology Handbook. To refer as appropriate to the relevant Speciality for guidance and information. Respond to telephone callers and/or visitors (Patients, Consultants, GPs, external laboratories, etc.) promptly and courteously, identifying their needs, providing information, or referring them as appropriate to the relevant person or discipline. To follow established procedures and demonstrate appropriate behaviour in dealing with awkward or aggressive visitors and/or callers. Working for our organisation There’s never been a more exciting time to build your career at Frimley Health, one of the country’s largest and most respected trusts Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust (FHFT) has an outstanding reputation and a proud record of achievement. We have an ongoing commitment to improving the health and care services for the 900,000 people we serve across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and south Buckinghamshire. We continue to invest in our services and facilities, including a £10 million upgrade to the hospital maternity unit as well as £49m major new Emergency Assessment Centre on our Wexham Park site. The opening of a brand new £100m state of the art hospital which replaced the existing hospital facility at Heatherwood and are planning to invest further in diagnostics and inpatient capacity at Frimley Park. We have also made significant investment in our quality improvement and digital programmes to support our vision and we will ensure that we achieve our aim of providing the highest quality healthcare to our patients. Our new EPR – Epic – went live in June and we are already beginning to reap the benefits of this ambitious investment. Our three core values, and the behaviours that support them, guide everything we do and set out what we expect of our staff in the way they treat patients, visitors, service users and each other. If you have a passion for clinical excellence, patient care and your own career development, you’ll feel at home at Frimley Health. Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities Communication To communicate on a regular basis with the Specimen Reception staff regarding operational procedures. Support department with Quality Duties. To hold regular staff meetings. To communicate on a regular basis with staff regarding the department’s objectives, plan and business development. To attend the Support Services Senior Staff Meetings on a regular basis. To ensure the Pathology Support Services Site Manager is informed of any anticipated problems regarding delivery of the specimen reception service in a professional and timely manner. To develop and maintain effective working relationship with other staff in the department and the Trust, ensuring a professional and seamless service is provided. To maintain a professional and efficient relationship with external users of the Pathology service both over the telephone and face-to-face regarding incorrect sample or information and advise on turnaround times or correct sample collection method, under the guidelines of the Pathology Handbook. To refer as appropriate to the relevant Speciality for guidance and information. Respond to telephone callers and/or visitors (Patients, Consultants, GPs, external laboratories, etc.) promptly and courteously, identifying their needs, providing information, or referring them as appropriate to the relevant person or discipline. To follow established procedures and demonstrate appropriate behaviour in dealing with awkward or aggressive visitors and/or callers. Staff Supervision To supervise staff on a daily basis ensuring the effective organisation and provision of reception staff services. To ensure that the set standards within the department are known and adhered to. To ensure that staff are aware of externally set standards and timescales, that they are adhered to, and corrective action is taken if necessary, to meet such standards. In the absence of the Site Manager to ensure that up to date personnel records are maintained for all staff in line with Trust Policies and Procedures e.g. annual leave, sick leave. To approve annual leave within the department ensuring that Trust procedures are adhered to and appropriate cover is maintained to meet workload demands. To assist with the induction of new staff to the department. To ensure that both new and existing staff receive appropriate training to enable them to perform their duties (including rotation through various sections where appropriate). To set objectives for staff and to appraise staff at least once annually. To discuss expected outcomes of training and development activity with staff prior to attending training events. To discuss outcomes with staff after attending training and development activity and to assist staff to transfer, develop and use new skills acquired. To regularly monitor staff performance, immediately bringing to the attention of the Support Services Site Manager, any areas of concern. In conjunction with the Site Manager and set performance improvement plans and reviews. Information Technology Responsible for the day-to-day supervision of Specimen Reception staff, and to participate when required, in the data entry of patient details and tests required onto the Pathology computer system. To ensure that the results of tests performed at other laboratories are accurately typed onto the Pathology computer system. To ensure that request forms, reports and other records are filed according to laboratory needs so that retrieval of information is quick and effective. To assume responsibility for the smooth operation of the air-tube system, investigating and recording faults where necessary. General Duties To ensure workload statistics and key performance indicators in the agreed protocol are supplied to the Site Manager. In the absence of the Site Manager, to ensure that workload statistics and key performance indicators are supplied to the Operational Manager in the agreed protocol. To plan and organise own work schedule with the use of appropriate planning aids, demonstrating good time management and ensuring anticipated difficulties in meeting deadlines are promptly reported. Working with the team, to improve working practices, to the benefit of the team and users of the service. To help develop and expand the service in order to respond to increasing demands under the direction of the Pathology Support Services Site Manager. In conjunction with the Pathology Support Services Site Manager to assist in new projects. To maintain the high standards of the department by contributing towards individual and team objectives. Clinical Duties To participate, when required, in those procedures necessary for sample preparation and storage, including use of pipettes to separate or add solution to samples. The use and maintenance of all relevant equipment including centrifuges. To ensure that a record is kept of all maintenance and housekeeping duties following the relevant Health and Safety and Pathology procedures and protocols. To participate, when required, in the performance of simple designated tests, including those performed on Point of Care analysers. To ensure Specimen Reception staff follow laboratory procedures to condemn inadequate or mislabelled samples. To ensure samples for clinical trials are processed and stored appropriately. IiP To maintain the high standards of the department by contributing towards individual and team objectives. Health & Safety The Trust recognises and accepts its responsibility to provide a safe and healthy working environment for employees, patients and visitors. As an employee, you also have a duty to take reasonable care of your own health and safety. This includes ensuring that you are aware of and follow all Trust health and safety and infection control procedures relevant to your work and participate in relevant mandatory training and annual control of infection control updates. You will be expected to consistently follow high standards of infection control practice and this includes hand cleansing and aseptic techniques for clinical staff. Person specification Skills Essential criteria Ability to work to deadlines Organisational skills Customer Care skills Knowledge of quality duties KEY TASKS Essential criteria Manage staff to ensure appropriate training, competency, maintaining local expertise, rostering and annual appraisals are required. Experience doing rostering and annual appraisals Helping manager with performance evaluations and disciplinary actions. Experience as a Supervisor/Team Leader Familiar with CRM procedures Essential Criteria Essential criteria Experience providing training Experience as a Supervisor Experience as an MLA Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust (FHFT) has an outstanding reputation and a proud record of achievement. As a well performing, well led and ambitious Foundation Trust, we have exciting times ahead of us. We have an ongoing commitment to improving the health and care services for the 900,000 people we serve across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and south Buckinghamshire. We are proud of the ambitions laid out in our strategy, Our Future FHFT, including our vision to be a leader in health & wellbeing, delivering excellence for our communities. We continue to invest in our services and facilities, including a £10 million upgrade to the hospital maternity unit as well as £49m major new Emergency Assessment Centre on our Wexham Park site. The opening of a brand new £100m state of the art hospital which replaced the existing hospital facility at Heatherwood and are planning to invest further in diagnostics and inpatient capacity at Frimley Park. We have also made significant investment in our quality improvement and digital programmes to support our vision and we will ensure that we achieve our aim of providing the highest quality healthcare to our patients. Our new EPR – Epic – went live in June and we are already beginning to reap the benefits of this ambitious investment. Our three core values, and the behaviours that support them, guide everything we do and set out what we expect of our staff in the way they treat patients, visitors, service users and each other, Committed to Excellence, Working Together and Facing the Future. Apply online now