Pathology Quality Lead

The Pathology Quality Lead will support the North Kent pathology Service (NKPS) and aligned Dartford and Gravesham Pathology services such as Point of Care Testing (PoCT) Services with the development of the Quality Management Systems (QMS), maintenance of quality systems, pathways and quality and risk aspects and functionality of Operational Pathology.

The Quality Lead will work closely with the Laboratory Management Team, and nominated discipline Quality Leads to ensure that NKPS meets existing and future regulatory and accreditation requirements for all accrediting bodies and regulators. Key external bodies include United Kingdom Accreditation Services [UK] Limited (UKAS), the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Modern methods of Quality Management, and of quality and process control, are central to effective Pathology services; they are also vital to clinical governance, health and safety and risk management within those services. Quality lies at the heart of the delivery of Pathology services.

Main duties of the job

As part of the quality team which supports the overall Directorate agenda, the Pathology Quality Lead is central to co-maintaining an approach to excellence and quality ethos within Pathology, and will be required to support the development the quality management system and enthuse other laboratory staff in the use of such systems.

Job responsibilities

1. Ensure Pathology maintains compliance with regulations, guidelines, standards, etc, pertaining to the quality agenda.
2. Ensure own compliance with Professional standards and codes of conduct in relation to the quality agenda.
3. Support departmental managers who are responsible for ensuring departmental Quality Leads are compliant with Professional standards and codes of conduct in relation to the quality agenda.
4. Participate in staff annual review, for themselves and contributing on other members of staff at the request of the Quality Manager or Senior Management Team.
5. Directly responsible for advising the Pathology Senior Team on any applicable quality management service issues. Will occasionally advise the Trust Board on quality issues as required. To liaise with a range of staff including both medical and technical pathology staff, governance staff and quality management staff across both Trusts.

Person Specification

Educational

• Qualified Biomedical Scientist Fellowship of the Institute of Biomedical Science or MSc
• Registered with the Health & Care Professions Council
• Evidence of Quality management training
• Knowledge of software for quality management systems
• In depth knowledge of Pathology quality management system, ISO 15189:2012 and 2022 standards, Clinical governance and risk management
• Aware of existing, new and potential legislation which could impact upon the quality system.
• PC software skills to include Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint

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.