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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Principle Job Duties / Main tasks

• To prioritise, plan and organise your own work and the work of BMS staff, trainee BMS staff, MLA’s and AP’s within Histopathology on a daily basis ensuring results are produced in an accurate and timely manner.
• To provide general daily supervision ensuring staff maintain scientific and professional standards and work to departmental policies and procedures.
• To support the Histopathology manager and work with the other Senior BMS staff for the delivery of an efficient laboratory service.
• To liaise with Consultant Histopathologists and Laboratory Manager for the smooth running of the laboratory service.
• To perform bench work to provide the diagnostic service.
• To carry out all work to standards laid down by appropriate professional bodies including the Institute of Biomedical Sciences (IBMS), Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), UK Accreditation Services (UKAS).
• To maintain and promote standards of other laboratory staff.
• To ensure data integrity when entering patient demographics onto the Meditech computer system.
• To professionally deal with telephone enquiries . These may include occasions where callers may have become emotional or irate and on occasion abusive/aggressive, and must be handled with tact, diplomacy and empathy whilst maintaining strict confidentiality. This may include calls referred by other staff.
• To supervise and participate in maintaining a system for the safe and confidential storage and retrieval of records and specimens, both physical and electronic.
• To supervise and participate in the reception, processing, referral and storage of a variety of specimens, including those which may contain high risk organisms.
• To provide advice and assistance to BMS, trainee BMS, MLA’s, AP’s and clerical staff.
• To assist in the collation and retrieval of data using the laboratory Meditech computer system.
• To ensure the safe and correct storage of received goods and the proper and efficient use of equipment and consumables without wastage.
• To document and log reagents and consumables, keeping to appropriate stock control procedures.
• To ensure hazardous chemicals and reagents are handled appropriately and according to COSHH regulations.
• To ensure the moving and handling of heavy objects are undertaken according to Trust manual handling guidelines.
• To supervise and advise junior staff on the use of chemicals and reagents.
• To work flexibly to meet the varying needs of the service. This may include starting work early or finishing late on an occasional basis.

  Management

• To undertake the writing and review of departmental Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in their area of responsibility.
• To contribute to departmental management decisions including participation in departmental meetings.
• To undertake and review risk assessments and COSHH assessments within the department.
• To monitor and review internal quality control and external quality assurance systems, and investigate and correct unexplained trends and results.
• To submit and deal with incidents recorded on the Trust’s system ensuring a comprehensive response and develop corrective and preventative action plans where required.
• To monitor levels of reagents and consumable items and place appropriate orders when stocks are running low.
• To comply with Trust and Departmental Health and Safety policies, including reporting of all accidents, hazards and defects as soon as possible.
• To ensure all equipment and facilities provided within the department are used in a proper and safe manner. This includes the supervision and review of maintenance and incident logs.
• To carry out appropriate maintenance and quality control procedures.
• To participate in the procurement of equipment and services. Liaising with company representatives.
• To be involved in the recruitment of staff, participating in selection and interviews.
• To participate in and conduct annual performance reviews including the development of a Personal Development Plan (PDP).

Skills

• To work unsupervised as a senior Biomedical Scientist.
• To supervise and participate in the operation and maintenance of laboratory equipment on a daily basis.
• To undertake a wide variety of automated and non-automated, complex operations requiring a high level of skill, knowledge and manual dexterity on a daily basis. These operations may be of a specialised nature due to the quality and size of paediatric specimens.
• To assess the suitability and appropriateness of samples received, liaising with medical staff as appropriate.
• To have IT skills to produce reports, spreadsheets and presentations.
• To understand the pathology computer system.
• To oversee and participate in the Digital Pathology program.
• To facilitate the smooth running of a small team.

Research

• To supervise and participate in development/project work within the department.
• To undertake regular audit as required by the departmental management.
• To carry out department audits to comply with ISO standards.

 Education and experience

• To maintain registration with Health Care Professions Council (HCPC).
• To be qualified to degree level or equivalent in a subject recognised by the regulatory and professional bodies (IBMS, HCPC).
• To hold MSc/FIBMS or be able to demonstrate equivalent knowledge , skills and experience in a Histopathology laboratory.
• To participate in and maintain continuing professional development (CPD).
• To keep up to date with current issues and areas of development within Pathology.
• Able to integrate clinical and technical knowledge for the benefit of the patient.
• Demonstrate a specialist knowledge of neonatal and paediatric pathology and paediatric disease processes.
• To foster a positive approach to professional development and the development of others.

Training

• Assist in identifying staff training needs.
• To undertake the training of BMS & trainee BMS staff, MLA’s and AP’s.
• To undergo mandatory training to meet the Trust and departments requirements including Fire, Health & Safety and Manual Handling.
• To participate in the induction and orientation of staff, students and visitors.
• Able to prepare training material for the development of staff.
• Able to present training material.

Communication

• To communicate effectively with peers, junior and senior colleagues and service users.
• To provide advice and assistance to clinical users of the Histopathology service.
• To provide advice and assistance to finance, biomedical engineering and supplies departments about the procurement of equipment and services for the histopathology section.
• To regularly liaise with external users offering advice/ information regarding the use of the histopathology service.
• To liaise with external personnel and organisations for the development of the histopathology service.
• To liaise with external education providers for the development of the Biomedical Science workforce.
• To highlight urgent and clinically important results and ensuring appropriate reporting systems are in place.

Department specific duties

• Performing diagnostic tests that may require clinical intervention.
• To highlight urgent and clinically important results and bring them to the attention of a senior member of staff and/or the appropriate Consultant.
• To check the validity and reliability of analytical processes, maintaining and monitoring satisfactory performance by internal quality control and external quality assessment, troubleshooting as required.
• To operate and maintain equipment on a daily basis including multitasking .
• To review the work of BMS and Trainee BMS offering instruction, guidance and support as appropriate.

Post specific duties

• To supervise the internal Quality Control and external Quality Assurance systems for the histopathology section of the department.
• To ensure stock control including, reagents and consumables, is maintained in the histopathology section of the department in order to allow a continuous.
• To ensure relevant maintenance procedures have been completed on all equipment.
• To produce and regularly review and update Standard Operating Procedure for all techniques used in the histopathology section of the department.
• To ensure adequate training of all staff performing analysis within the histopathology section of the laboratory.
• With support from the Histopathology manager, train BMS staff to a level to enable them to work unsupervised for extended periods.
• To work with the Laboratory Manager and departmental Consultants to introduce new techniques and methodologies to ensure the laboratory test repertoire is relevant to demand.