Biomedical Scientist Section Lead - Histology

Biomedical Scientist Section Lead - Histology

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

We are looking for an enthusiastic, motivated, senior specialist BMS to join our friendly team in Histology at Blackpool. The successful candidate will contribute towards the departmental commitment to provide an efficient, cost effective, timely and high quality fit-for-purpose Cellular Pathology service to the Trust.

The post holder will oversee the operations and staff, and provide leadership, expertise and troubleshooting in our new Histology laboratory; including specimen reception, tissue dissection, processing, sectioning, routine staining and tinctorial staining. The post holder will work with the Cellular Pathology Management team to maintain quality and governance standards across all of cellular sciences. The post holder will also be expected to participate in development projects within the department, which includes Digital Pathology implementation and a new Pathology LIMS.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will oversee the operations and staff, and provide leadership, expertise and troubleshooting in Histopathology; including specimen reception, tissue dissection, processing, sectioning, routine staining and tinctorial staining. The post holder will work with the Cellular Pathology Management team to maintain quality and governance standards across all of cellular sciences. The post holder will also be expected to participate in development projects within the department, which includes Digital Pathology implementation and a new Pathology LIMS.

About us

Pathology is a clinical support service. Medical and scientific staff within Pathology provide diagnostic and clinical advice to surgeons and clinicians within the Trust and to General Practitioners within Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre area. The department has UKAS accreditation and is also accredited to train Biomedical Scientists and Junior Doctors. The department has a strong user focus and a proven track record in developing new services to meet the changing demands of our clinicians and patients. This focus, allied to the regional specialist services, gives real opportunities for staff to train and develop in a supportive and educationally challenging environment.

We recommend that all individuals employed in patient facing roles, or those located on a ward or department where patients receive a service should be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Job responsibilities

Responsible for ensuring the planning, organising and performing of highly specialised procedures within the allocated section of work, using specialised/complex automated and manual techniques, to meet prescribed standards of quality and service delivery. To oversee the planning and prioritisation of the workload of the section according to service needs and pressures, and the needs of individual clinicians and outside agencies. To communicate and co-operate with colleagues to ensure efficient and effective delivery of service. To be first point of contact for junior staff within the section in the event of issues or unexpected outcomes, provide guidance to junior members of staff and take decisive action in order to maintain standards, accuracy and safety. To act as technical expert in the allocated section, to perform or oversee the more advanced and technically complex aspects of the work, and provide expertise, advanced skills and trouble shooting. To have the depth of knowledge and required skills to correctly and safely process high risk specimens, hazardous materials, complex instrumentation & specialist equipment, and complex or specialist procedures, according to defined protocols, including managing unexpected outcomes. To take first lead in evaluation and implementation of new or improved methodology, techniques, and equipment, and to recommend changes or remedial action when necessary. To undertake approved research and audit programmes. To ensure the accurate data entry and text/data processing of all information and to help collate and provide data/information for managerial or clinical purposes. To undertake Internal and External Quality Assurance Schemes, interpret reports, recommend modifications to procedure, and ensure compliance with all governance & accreditation schemes, and service requirements. To ensure the safe storage and respectful disposal of specimens in accordance with Trust and professional policy & guidelines. To carry out laboratory policies, Risk Assessments and Standard Operating Procedures, contribute to their formulation, and recommend modifications and contribute to future developments. To maintain a personal up to date knowledge base relevant to best practice and maintain a personal compliance in respect of statutory and professional personal development. To disseminate technical and procedural information to staff and service users when the need arises. To monitor the day to day provision and functioning of facilities, instrumentation and consumables to ensure efficient and effective functioning of the section.

Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details.

Person Specification

Qualification and training

• HCPC Registration
• BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science or equivalent
• Specialist Diploma in Cellular Pathology
• MSc Biomedical Science or equivalent to enable eligibility for Fellowship of the Institute of Biomedical Science e.g. Higher Specialist Diploma
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Membership or Fellowship of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences
• Evidence of managerial training/advanced technical expertise

Experience & Knowledge

• Experience in supervision, training and management of staff
• Extensive knowledge of Microsoft systems, LIMS systems
• Working as a member of a team
• Ability to demonstrate a broad level of specialist laboratory experience in Histology
• Understanding the principles of staff appraisal
• Experience and understanding of audit & QMS
• Experience of troubleshooting complex diagnostic laboratory tests
• Health and Safety skills and knowledge of legislation
• Extensive knowledge of highly specialised histology procedures and instrumentation
• In depth knowledge of accreditation/licensing/governance requirements particularly ISO 15189
• Knowledge and Experience of Quality Control and Assurance
• Experience of writing complex documents with clarity and precision for use as SOPs
• Experience of and ability to manage and prioritise the work of the Histology laboratory and direct staff accordingly
• Experience of Trust administrative procedures

Skills and Ability

• Ability to organise own work and to do so under pressure
• Excellent manual technical skills
• Ability to problem solve
• A good motivator of staff of mixed abilities
• Team player
• Completes and finishes tasks
• Evidence of comprehensive and specialist diagnostic theory

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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 (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust