Senior Biomedical Scientist Microbiology

Job summary
We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated individual to join our busy, friendly team to work in our Microbiology laboratory. Applications are invited from experienced HCPC registered Specialist Biomedical Scientists.

The laboratory is based at Worcestershire Royal Hospital and is ISO 15189 and IBMS training status accredited.

The vacancy is for a Band 7 senior Microbiologist (Full time 37.5 hours) including Weekend and Bank Holiday shifts. There may also be the requirement to work some late (12-8pm) early (8-4pm) and on call shifts.

The successful applicant will be appointed as a Training Officer and will be expected to lead, coordinate, and support training activities within the department. Whilst holding responsibility for training and service development, the post holder will also be expected to remain visible within the Microbiology laboratory and participate in bench duties to support operational service demands and maintain their own technical competence. The post holder will be expected to work collaboratively with managers, senior staff, and external stakeholders to ensure high-quality training and workforce development.

The successful candidate will have a positive and proactive approach to the role. They will be able to demonstrate resilience and have proven leadership skills. The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to seek opportunities for continuous improvement whilst ensuring compliance in a highly regulated service.

Main duties of the job

• Daily supervise routine and specialised diagnostic investigations on potentially infectious patient and environmental samples using manual and automated techniques.
• Daily supervises and co-ordinates the day-to-day operations of a section or sections of the laboratory, solving complex analytical problems to ensure a high standard of work that is completed in a safe and timely manner.
• Knows how to proceed in the event of a technical / analytical non-conformance and when to inform the Quality Manager and Laboratory Manager.
• Completes non-conformance record forms and submits to the Senior BMS/Quality Lead and / or Quality Manager.
• To co-operate with the Laboratory Manager and Quality Manager in the evaluation and implementation of new equipment and Standard Operating Procedures as required.
• Develop, maintain, and review Standard Operating Procedures in collaboration with the Laboratory Manager and the Quality Manager.

About us
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.

The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester.

Our workforce is more than 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.

We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us. Our values, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.

• Being open and honest
• Ensuring people feel cared for
• Showing respect to everyone

We are committed to developing a culture of continuous improvement by embedding the principles of our Improvement System.

We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.

DBS Checks and Costs
Any applicants who are offered posts requiring a DBS check as part of their employment check will have the cost of this check (at the current rate) deducted from their salary. Please see link in Supporting Information section for more details on DBS checks and costs.

Job responsibilities
Job purpose

• Daily supervise routine and specialised diagnostic investigations on potentially infectious patient and environmental samples using manual and automated techniques.
• Frequently handles potentially highly infectious and known highly infectious material in order to perform subjective interpretation of diagnostic investigations and be responsible for the validity of results.
• Daily record and report results, in electronic form and / or verbally, to persons authorized to receive them. Informs Medical staff of significant / urgent results.
• Daily perform technical validation of electronic reports using DSE prior to release to Medical Microbiologists.
• Frequently offer specialist technical advice to Medical staff, patients and other service users on validity of results including reference ranges, appropriate specimens / sampling and turnaround times.

Additional responsibilities

• Departmental Training Officer: liaise with the BMSs responsible for IQA to determine training needs and organise training workshops as required.
• Co-ordinate the external assessment process for the IBMS Certificate of Competence Portfolio for Trainee Biomedical Scientists (BMSs).
• In collaboration with the Laboratory Manager, develop and maintain training programmes for Trainee BMSs, MLAs and co-ordinate the delivery of training.
• Maintain equipment logs for the General Bacteriology Section, including maintenance and repair.
• Develop and maintain the continuing professional development (CPD) programme within the department.

Person specification
Essential experience

• At least 5 years experience in an NHS Microbiology Laboratory post Specialist Portfolio
• Supervisory experience.
• Training, mentoring and staff development experience

Essential qualifications

• Registration with HCPC
• IBMS Specialist in microbiology or equivalent
• IBMS approved Masters [MSc] degree or IBMS Higher Specialist Diploma
• Member of the IBMS

Desirable

• Experience in the recruitment of staff.
• Understanding of Health and Safety issues within a microbiology laboratory setting
• Awareness of accreditation requirements and quality management systems.
• Certificate of Expert practice: Training (or equivalent knowledge acquired through experience and CPD)
• ILM Level 3 or above (or equivalent)

Contact
Microbiology Manager: Ruksarna Hussein-Jackson, ruksarna.hussein-jackson@nhs.net, 01905760192

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 to check for any previous criminal convictions. Applicants must have current UK professional registration.