Clinical Scientist - Biochemistry

NHS; Chester; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job description

Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

This is an exciting opportunity to join our friendly, ambitious, and enthusiastic team. The post will assist in the provision of a comprehensive clinical and diagnostic service to COCH with additional collaboration with Wirral University Teaching Hospital (WUTH).

The post offers excellent training and career development opportunities. The successful candidate will join the existing team members consisting of two Consultant Chemical Pathologists, two Consultant Clinical Scientists, two Principal Clinical Scientists, a Trainee Clinical Scientist, and a Chemical Pathology registrar. The post holder will play an important role in supporting the clinical team to move forward with Cheshire & Merseyside Pathology Network (CPMN) transformation.

The post holder will work across COCH and WUTH with a predominant focus on the COCH service.

This 12-month post is the 1st step to releasing this potential. COCH is situated north of the beautiful and historic cathedral city of Chester. COCH consists of a 600 bedded large district General Hospital, which provides its services on the Countess of Chester Health Park, and a 64 bedded Intermediate Care Service at Ellesmere Port Hospital. WUTH is one of the largest and busiest acute Trusts in the Northwest of England. The area is easily accessible to major airports and has excellent transport links and within easy reach to the major cities of Liverpool, Chester and Manchester.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will be expected to integrate into the clinical team consisting of two consultant chemical pathologists, two consultant clinical scientists, two principal clinical scientists and a clinical scientist leading WUTH Point-of-care. In addition, COCH have a Scientist Training Programme (STP) trainee and a Chemical Pathology speciality registrar.

About us

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:

• The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds
• Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility
• Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.

The Trust employs over 6258 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 407,000. This includes 357,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.

The Trust is a busy district general hospital and in 2022/2023, there were more than 503,342 patient attendances (inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery. This is an increase of nearly 10,000 compared to the previous year when there were 494,387 patient attendances.

Job responsibilities

See Job Description for further details.

Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs will be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies.

New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.

Good luck with your application.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• BSc in Biochemistry/Chemistry or closely related Science
• MSc in clinical Biochemistry
• HCPC registered clinical scientist
• PhD in relevant speciality

Knowledge and Experience

• Experience of working in NHS Biochemistry department
• Specialist knowledge of clinical biochemistry and laboratory medicine
• Experience in quality management and audit
• Evidence of CPD
• Experience of audit, method/equipment appraisal and evaluation
• Experience of research and development
• Expert knowledge in a specialised area of clinical biochemistry

Skills and abilities

• IT literate including knowledge of QMS software
• Knowledge of quality, regulatory and accreditation systems
• Awareness of clinical governance and risk management
• Familiar with COSHH and other health and safety regulations as applied to the clinical laboratory
• Ability to work effectively when workload is unpredictable or there are competing demands
• Experience of teaching or involvement in supervision of staff/students
• Ability to work autonomously

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.