Biomedical Scientist Haematology/Blood Transfusion, London

Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain's leading healthcare providers.

The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world-class clinical reputation. Having lifted ourselves out of special measures, we now have the impetus and breathing space to chart a fresh course in which we are continually striving to improve all our services for patients.

Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.

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We are dedicated to being an outstanding place to work and will work with you to get the best experience. We know flexible working is not a one size fits all and will mean something different to everyone. We are inclusive, so if you are interested in flexible working, please speak to the recruiting manager.

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the NHS East and South East London Pathology Partnership's (ESEL) Haematology Department.

We are looking to appoint an experienced Haematology and Blood Transfusion Biomedical Scientist with a positive attitude to working in a flexible manner, strong team player and committed to meeting the needs of our patients by participating in a 24-hour Agenda for Change shift system.

The successful candidate will be primarily based at Queen Elizabeth Hospital site (QEH) but may be expected to cover and support other ESEL sites depending on service demand. The ESEL partnership consists of the following hub and spoke sites: Royal London Hospital (hub), St Bartholomew's Hospital, Whipps Cross University Hospital, Newham University Hospital, Homerton Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital (Woolwich) and University Hospital Lewisham.

Main duties of the job

To carry out / supervise technical and scientific work in a section of the laboratory
under the direction of Senior Specialist Biomedical Scientist. Flexible hours
including weekend and bank holiday working will be required within the minimum
37.5 hours per week in accordance with Agenda for Change (AfC) Terms and
Conditions.
The post holder will undertake technical and scientific work under the direction of
appointed line manager and training leads.
The post holder must be able to demonstrate proficiency and competence in
designated work area to an agreed expertise level.
The post holder must be conversant with the technologies and methodologies
specific to the core and specialist sections.
The post holder is required to rotate through the various sections of the laboratory
and work at different laboratories networked within ESEL Pathology Partnership.
The post holder must participate in the either the AfC hybrid (day&night) or
permanent night shift patterns. Where staff work the latter, hours of work will
fluctuate per week as per roster pattern and will attract enhancements.

Working for our organisation

Between 2021 and 2024 the Partnership undertook a complex transformation programme to establish a single network of laboratories, underpinned by a single Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and single Quality Management System (QMS).

The Partnership has a main hub laboratory at the Royal London Hospital and Essential Service Laboratories (ESL) as a minimum at the six other hospital sites served by the Partnership. The Partnership has three operational divisions:

• Blood Sciences including Haematology, Blood Transfusion and Biochemistry

• Microbiology and Virology

• Cellular Pathology and Cancer Diagnostics

The 2024/25 total operating costs across the Partnership were c.£121m per annum with a workforce establishment of circa. 860 WTE.

We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are underrepresented within the Pathology Partnership and Barts Health at this band

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s below.

We are dedicated to being an outstanding place to work and will work with you to get the best experience. We know flexible working is not a one size fits all and will mean something different to everyone. We are inclusive, so if you are interested in flexible working, please speak to the recruiting manager.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy prior to the advertised closing date, once a sufficient number of applications has been received and we regret that we are unable to provide notification if your application is unsuccessful.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• BSc. Biomedical Science or equivalent
• Holder of the IBMS Certificate of Competence, Registration Portfolio.
• Evidence of continuous professional development.
• Registered as a Biomedical Scientist with the Health and Care Professions Council

Desirable criteria

• Further relevant specialist qualifications (eg BBTS certificate, IBMS Certificates)

Experience

Essential criteria

• At least 3 years post HCPC registration diagnostic experience in Haematology&Blood Transfusion.
• Experience with a computerised laboratory information system.
• Previous experience working in a large medical laboratory.
• Experience of working as a team

Desirable criteria

• Experience of a variety of diagnostic techniques in Haematology.
• Experienced using the following named IT systems• WinPath Enterprise (Clinisys).• Q-Pulse
• Demonstrate ability to use own initiative when dealing with patients/staff to solve problems

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Advanced scientific knowledge for relevant discipline
• Detailed understanding of UKAS, Quality Management Systems
• Good understanding of Health&Safety Legislation
• Good understanding of Governance Requirements.
• Detailed knowledge of MHRA legislation

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of Quality Management System and can demonstrate participation in obligatory activities

Skills

Essential criteria

• Competent in basic laboratory techniques and troubleshooting
• Good level IT skills
• Good time management.
• Working knowledge of word processing and spreadsheet packages
• Ability to analyse, interpret, and present routine data/results/concepts.
• Able to communicate effectively (written and verbal).

Desirable criteria

• Good keyboard skills
• Polite, helpful and confident manner.
• Working knowledge of word processing and spreadsheet packages.

Other

Essential criteria

• Reliable, responsible person.
• Able to work as part of a team.
• Able to perform required duties with any appropriate aids or adaptations
• Respects confidentiality.
• Hold no reservations in handling human body fluids, tissue, organs, or infected material in accordance with Health&Safety policies.
• The post holder must be willing to have appropriate vaccinations

Desirable criteria

• Previous NHS experience.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Adaptable and flexible.

Visa Sponsorship Information

This role is subject to UK immigration requirements. Where sponsorship is required, applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for a Skilled Worker visa in accordance with current UK Visas and Immigration rules, including any salary, qualification, and role-specific requirements applicable at the time of appointment. Candidates who require sponsorship will only be considered where the post is eligible and where all sponsorship criteria can be met.Evidence of the right to work in the UK will be required before appointment. Please note that for roles employed under Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions, the High-Cost Area Supplement (HCAS) is not included when calculating the basic salary for the purposes of sponsorship.

We strive to live by our WeCare values and are …