NHSJobs.com

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Band 6 

The department of Microbiology and Virology plays a pivotal role in the provision of diagnostic services, which are essential for the delivery of high quality clinical care, both within the Trust and in Primary Care.

The post holder will act as an experienced and specialist registered Biomedical Scientist to provide comprehensive service as an aid to effective diagnosis and treatment. They will confirm analytical and technical validity of investigations, liaising with medical staff to ensure diagnostically abnormal results are acted upon urgently.

Responsibilities:

• The post holder will rotate through different sections of Microbiology and Virology as required.
• Perform analytical and other laboratory work as directed by senior staff with Microbiology and Virology.
• Ensure data integrity when entering patient demographics and results into the laboratory information system.
• Perform microscopical examinations on a variety of samples, identifying any abnormal results and taking appropriate actions.
• Use judgement and specialist knowledge to decide on possible significant pathogens, identify micro-organisms, perform antibiotic susceptibility tests, validate and report results, add interpretive comments and initiate any further tests that may be required.
• Process blood and serum samples by automated or manual methods, analysing and reporting results and interpretive comments.
• To bring any significant or aberrant results to the attention of the departmental senior staff, Medical staff and Infection Prevention & Control Nurses as appropriate.
• To provide technical advice to Medical and Infection Prevention & Control staff regarding the results obtained.
• Operate subject to manufacturers constraints and laboratory policy, instrument and analysers in the laboratory.
• Troubleshoot, repair and maintain instruments for correct operation, keeping equipment in optimal condition for use, making adjustments as necessary.
• Participate in the department Quality Assurance programmes and to report any non-compliant events to a senior member of staff.
• Adhere to department and Trust Health and Safety policies (including COSHH, Risk assessments and Standard Operating Procedures) and to report any non-compliances.
• Maintain an up to date relevant knowledge of the technical aspects of the laboratory.
• Continually improve service by, when necessary, contributing to the development of SOPs or undertaking evaluations.
• In the absence of the Section Leader supervise work of the section.
• Assist Section Leaders in organisation of work within a subsection of microbiology and virology.
• In the absence of the Section Leader ensure adequate stock of reagents and consumables.
• Supervise, teach and train students, unqualified staff, Specialist Registrars or visitors, and to cover for absent colleagues.
• Participate in relevant audit under the supervision and of guidance of Advanced Biomedical Scientist.
• Participate in Microbiology ‘on-call’ rotas when sufficiently trained. The post holder will be required to provide cover for Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday duties in the department.

Band 5

The department of Microbiology and Virology is made up of several specialist sections as shown in the organisation chart and the post holder will normally rotate between them and participate as part of a team, in providing Microbiology and Virology laboratory support to the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, General Practitioners and other legitimate users of the service.

Procedures will be carried out without supervision under the guidance of an advanced Biomedical Scientist. The post holder will be required to evaluate situations and seek advice from senior members of staff if deemed appropriate.

Responsibilities

• To undertake the reception, sorting, numbering, booking in and preparation of Microbiology and Virology samples for analysis, including interpretation of clinical details and deciding which investigations are most appropriate.
• To inoculate and incubate culture plates, analyse cultures, decide on possible significant pathogens, identify micro-organisms, perform antibiotic susceptibility tests, validate and report results and interpretive comments using judgement in determining and initiating further tests that may be required.
• To perform microscopical examinations on a variety of samples, identifying any abnormal results and taking appropriate actions.
• To process blood and serum samples by automated or manual methods, analysing and reporting results and interpretive comments.
• To bring any significant or aberrant results to the attention of the departmental senior staff, Medical staff and Infection Prevention & Control Nurses as appropriate.
• To provide specialist technical advice to Medical and Infection Prevention & Control staff regarding the results obtained.
• To actively participate in the maintenance and basic trouble shooting of Automated laboratory equipment, report any faults and non-compliances to a senior member of staff and take prompt and appropriate action in response to unexpected situations
• To participate in the department Quality Assurance programmes and to report any non-compliant events to a senior member of staff.
• To work in compliance with local health and safety rules to ensure a safe working environment for you, colleagues and visitors. To adhere to department and Trust Health and Safety policies (including COSHH, Risk assessments and Standard Operating Procedures) and to report any non-compliances to a senior member of staff
• To supervise, teach and train students, unqualified staff, Specialist Registrars or visitors, and to cover for absent colleagues.
• The Registered BMS will participate in Microbiology out of hours rotas when sufficiently experienced. They will be asked to provide cover for Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday duties in the department as required.
• The Registered BMS will be expected to be competent to take part in on-call working, and will be required to provide out of hours cover during the week, at weekends and also Bank Holidays.

Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first month’s pay.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.