Senior Biomedical Scientist

Job content

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to progress in your Biomedical Scientist career and undertake a Senior role? Have you been acting up recently or are you an experienced Senior Biomedical Scientist looking for a new challenge?

This fixed term Senior Biomedical Scientist post offers an exciting opportunity to further develop your knowledge and skills in Clinical Biochemistry, whilst managing a team of BMS’s and MLAs.

You will be part of a team that provides a highly specialised laboratory service using the latest technologies in the Biochemical Sciences Department at St Thomas’ Hospital. The department comprises four laboratories; New born Screening Laboratory for the South East Thames region, Reference Chemistry, Purine Research Laboratory and the Inherited Metabolic Disease Laboratory.

This post is based in the Inherited Metabolic Diseases Laboratory. The successful candidate will join a small team of Senior BMS’s that manage the laboratories. The Biochemical Sciences department is equipped with tandem mass spectrometers, UPLC and HPLC analysers, as well as other analytical platforms.

The post will involve working with highly qualified staff and motivated scientists. Within this role you will also work closely with our clinical teams providing a unique insight into the management of patient.

Applicants must have HCPC registration and a higher level qualification.

The Biochemical Sciences Department is an ISO 15189 accredited laboratory.

The Biochemical Sciences Department is an ISO 15189 accredited laboratory comprised of a team of approximately 60 Scientists and Support Staff.

As a Senior Biomedical Scientist, the post holder will be responsible for the management of the Inherited Metabolic Diseases Laboratory, which include Medical Laboratory Assistants, Associate Practitioner and Biomedical Scientists. The focus of this role is to ensure the efficient delivery of high quality screening and diagnostic services to achieve the objectives of efficient and effective patient care and resource management within the hospital. This role seeks to achieve this by the effective line management of a team of Biomedical Scientists, Associate Practitioner and Medical Laboratory assistants.

The post holder will:
Be required to train and motivate staff to meet service requirements and turnaround times

Line manage a number of staff of varying grades

Be required to communicate with Senior Staff and Clinicians

Undertake analytical, technical and administrative duties, including troubleshooting to ensure reliable service delivery.

Be required to undertake their responsibilities to meet all required national standards e.g. UKAS.

When necessary, the post holder may be required to deputise for a more senior colleague.

Your development and learning :
You will have a suite of learning opportunities available through The Synnovis Way Development programme, the Scientific Learning and Development Fund and the Synnovis Academy through which you can receive funding / support for advanced qualifications.

Through our Innovation Accelerator Fund, you can apply for finance to get that new innovative scientific project off the ground, and participate with the wider scientific community through symposiums, conferences and other peer group meetings.

At Synnovis, we are currently shaping the future of pathology services by creating a world-leading Hub and Spoke pathology network with our NHS partners. A large part of this modernisation will involve moving 70% of our services to a purpose built, state of the art Hub laboratory in the heart of London. For now, the job you are applying for will be based at one of our hospital sites however, from 1 April 2024 our people and services will start to move to our Hub laboratory in Blackfriars, Southwark, SE1, with some work remaining in refurbished essential services laboratories across our hospital network, focusing on the rapid turnover of urgent tests. Please do ask your recruiting manager if you wish to find out more.

The Core Responsibilities of the role are summarised below :
Technical

To safely handle blood, urine, faeces, other body tissue and hazardous chemicals.

To ensure that appropriate preventative maintenance has been carried out on laboratory instruments and equipment prior to them being used for patient investigations.

To ensure first line trouble shooting of complex analytical equipment or methods is carried out, to arrange for engineer service visits and to supervise and if necessary participate in the resolution of equipment or method failures.

To ensure that reagents are prepared, stored and used according to manufacturer and laboratory procedures.

To perform manual, semi-automated and fully-automated laboratory investigations.

To measure and monitor the accuracy and imprecision of laboratory investigations using appropriate quality control procedures.

To undertake technical validation of the results from laboratory investigations to ensure accuracy and precision as specified by laboratory quality procedures and protocols.

To take corrective action when quality control or assurance procedures indicate loss of performance of the laboratory instruments or methods.

To take appropriate action when there is a situation which may or has caused a service delivery failure. E.g. liaise with affected/involved clinical staff to ensure that priority work is identified and/or make alternative arrangements for analysis to be done.

To train and develop the competence of Medical Laboratory Assistants, Trainee Clinical/Biomedical Scientists, Biomedical Scientists, Clinical Scientists and Specialist Registrars in the procedures for which the post holder is responsible.

Scientific

To undertake method and laboratory instrument evaluation as directed by the Operations Manager/Section Lead.

To participate in research and development as directed by the Operations Manager/Section Lead.

To participate in the introduction of new equipment or methods to the department

To keep up to date with current scientific and technical developments including through participation in scientific meetings if appropriate.

Clinical

To interpret laboratory results and take appropriate actions in line with laboratory policies and procedures. E.g. authorisation of results, ordering relevant follow-up laboratory procedures, adding technical and approved pre-defined clinically relevant comments, referring results for clinical interpretation or opinion, informing the requestor of clinically significant results.

Provide approved departmental information and advice to other healthcare professionals, patients and the public and to refer on to appropriate specialists requests for information out with their area of responsibility.

To participate in clinical & Laboratory based audits.

Laboratory Informatics

To comply with local and national policies for the safe, secure and confidential processing, and storage of patient and other laboratory information.

To use the Laboratory Information System according to the authorised protocols.

To maintain the integrity and accuracy of laboratory databases.

To develop systems and processes for recording and storing laboratory information.

Management

To supervise the ongoing operation of the section for which you are responsible.

To ensure compliance with good work practices in accordance with ISO 15189.

To monitor and control the efficient use of financial, material and staff resources in the section and to take corrective action in consultation with the Operations Manager and Lead Clinical Scientist.

To prepare and review laboratory policies and procedures following national and local quality system guidelines.

To ensure that all results are reported within the agreed turnaround time, and to take appropriate action, for example communicating with colleagues and managers, arranging alternative provision in the event of a situation arising preventing timely reporting of results.

To ensure that training logbooks are kept up to date and signed off at on a regular basis as competence is achieved.

To supervise the work and monitor performance of Medical Laboratory Assistants, Trainee Clinical and Biomedical Scientists, Biomedical Scientists and Specialist Registrars in the procedures for which the post holder is responsible.

To manage staff including appraising staff and monitoring annual leave, sickness absence and performance.

To be responsible for the organisation and delivery of effective stock control of reagents and consumables in the section and to arrange alternative means of obtaining reagents from other sources if necessary.

To assist the Section Leader prepare and monitor management and operational performance data, for example turnaround times, workload and materials consumption, plan and take corrective action if required.

To take the notes of the monthly staff meetings and Team Briefs for the section of the laboratory as required.

To troubleshoot issues and problems relating to or arising from the EPR system and liaising with clinical staff when required.

To participate in the selection and recruitment of Biomedical Scientists and support staff.

The post holder must maintain a flexible approach to the post in order to rapidly assimilate changes in work load, patterns and requirements, and will undertake any other duties commensurate with the post as required by the Operations Manager and Lead Clinical Scientist

General

To comply with the policies and procedures of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust and Synnovis.

To observe and adhere to local and national risk management and health and safety policies.

To maintain good work relations with all members of staff, and to promote effective teamwork.

To treat everyone associated with Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital NHS Trust and Synnovis with dignity, courtesy and respect.

To observe national and local guidance on patient and commercial confidentiality.

Keep appropriate records of all communications.

To ensure compliance with all local and national standards of work practice e.g. UKAS.

To maintain and promote the professional image of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital NHS Trust.

Be proactive in escalating any possible issues that may impact on service delivery to senior colleagues

Ensure workplace and workbench areas are kept at laboratory standard

Build and maintain working relations with all members of staff, and promote effective teamwork

Undertake mandatory training as required by the employer and Synnovis

To maintain and promote the professional image of Synnovis

Synnovis is a pathology partnership between SYNLAB UK and Ireland, and the NHS, including sites, Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, to deliver and transform pathology services across South East London.

The partnership provides services to 1.7 million people living in South East London, as well as to hundreds of thousands of patients from outside the region who use local healthcare services.

The partnership provides diagnostics, testing and digital pathology for hospital trusts, GP services and other healthcare providers.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital Foundation Trust is a major emergency and specialist teaching Trust which has all the specialties associated with a fascinating and career defining case load including: Women’s Services, Fetal Medicine, Haematology, Oncology, Transplantation, and is also home to the Evelina Children’s Hospital and the Cancer Centre on the Guy’s site.

You will be close to the vibrant Borough Market and the South Bank, which are exceptional London locations; perfect places to work and relax next to such iconic venues as Big Ben, The London Eye and The Shard!