Job summary
- Main area
- Histocompatibility and Immunogenics
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 4
- Contract
- Permanent: Participation in 24/7 on call rota required.
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Participation in 24/7 on call rota required.)
- Job ref
- 216-CB-C7057978
- Employer
- University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Derriford Hospital
- Town
- Plymouth
- Salary
- £26,530 - £29,114 Per Annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 15/06/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Associate Practitioner in H&I
NHS AfC: Band 4
Job overview
The post holder will work together with senior staff and support staff in the H&I Laboratory to produce a timely, high quality, accurate and cost-effective service.
The post holder will ensure the timely processing of patient samples, typically 7500 a day, serving all those patients attending PHNT, PCTs representing 100 General Practices and specialist assays referred to us from other Trusts within the Peninsula. The department performs 4.7 million tests annually and employs 123 wte.
***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***
Main duties of the job
- To undertake basic laboratory and technical laboratory duties in Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (H&I) Laboratory in order to facilitate the smooth running of the service.
- To provide a technical service by performing routine and specialist analytical testing on a range of biological samples.
- To participate in the 24/7 on call technical rota for H&I in support of the regional renal transplant programme and the National deceased donor typing programme.
- To maintain and run specialist equipment up to a value of £1 million.
- To undertake general administrative tasks.
Working for our organisation
We are a people business – where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment team on 01752 432100. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- To process biological samples including blood, urine, cerebral spinal fluid and other tissues, taking personal responsibility for the quality of the results, which are used in the diagnosis, treatment and management of disease.
- The post holder will demonstrate the high level of skill to perform complex manual, semi automated and automated analytical techniques as applicable, meeting turnaround times with prompt reporting of results used in the diagnosis and treatment of disease.
- The post holder will be required to provide complex information relating to test results, which may be sensitive in nature.
- To prioritise work and perform urgent analyses, reporting results to senior H&I scientist.
- Identify abnormal or unexpected results and ensure prompt reporting to Biomedical/Clinical Scientist,
- To understand the principles underlying the analytical processes used in your area of work so as to maintain their operation and quality of results.
- To receive requests forms and accompanying samples, to book those into the Path Computer system, to prepare the samples (including centrifugation) for analysis, to load and unload samples from analysers, to sort into racks and transfer for storage on completion.
- Answer telephone enquiries regarding general laboratory issues and ensure prompt reporting to Biomedical/Clinical Scientists.
- To operate analytical equipment within H&I section, within your discipline and within the department, some of which will be highly complex and require specialist training.
- To perform front line troubleshooting and repairs of analysers of highly complex, expensive automated equipment e.g. multichannel analysers, used in the day-to-day function of the laboratory.
- To participate in and understand the quality assurance programs of the department, both internal and external i.e. NEQAS (National External Quality Assurance Schemes).
- To observe all departmental, Trust, national and European Health & Safety regulations relevant to the service, ensuring attendance at the annual departmental H&S update. In addition, all staff must sign the departmental H&S policy to acknowledge understanding and compliance.
- To continually update their knowledge and skills whilst documenting this in their Continual Professional Development folder.
- To ensure contemporaneous completion of your induction and training records.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- NVQ Level 3 in a relevant subject, and/or Advanced level qualification (A-Levels) in relevant subject or equivalent demonstrable experience
Desirable criteria
- First or second-class honours degree in a relevant subject or assessed proven knowledge.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria
- Awareness of the work performed in histocompatibility and Immunogenetics laboratory, including transplant immunology and disease association studies.
- Understanding the importance of clinical research.
- Understanding the importance of laboratory quality control and audit activities.
- Proven knowledge of general and specialised analytical methods, quality assurance and problem solving.
Desirable criteria
- Proven evidence of a special interest complementing the current clinical and laboratory activities of the department.
- Laboratory demonstrable experience.
- Demonstrable experience in molecular methods.
- Broad range of IT skills.
- Proven knowledge and demonstrable experience of Laboratory information systems & electronic Order Communication systems.
Aptitude & Abilities
Essential criteria
- Well-developed technical skills.
- Ability to identify and initiate problem solving.
- Ability to undertake audit activities and implement corrective action.
- Well-developed awareness within and beyond the context of own specialty.
- Ability to recognise patterns of abnormality and relate them to clinical situations and initiate appropriate action.
- Ability to take personal responsibility for own decisions and advice and for those of more junior staff.
- Awareness of personal limitations.
- Ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
- Ability to work alone.
Desirable criteria
- Ability to undertake additional professional responsibilities.
Disposition / Attitude / Motivation
Essential criteria
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to develop effective working relationships with staff from all disciplines and at all levels within and outside the organisation.
- Confidence, motivation and innovation.
- Ability to demonstrate our organisation values and behaviours.
- Willingness to travel between sites as required by the role.
- Ability to work out of hours and participate/share the H&I technical on call rota.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 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.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Olivera Gjorgjimajkoska
- Job title
- Consultant Clinical Scientist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01752 792390
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