Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key areas of Responsibility

 Professional

·         Act in a way that promotes patient care and maintains the integrity of the Department.

·         Maintain and promote the professional image of South of Tyne Clinical Pathology Services (SoTWCPS) and Gateshead Health NHS Trust.

·         Maintain patient confidentiality at all times in line with the Trust Information Management and Technology (IM&T) Information Security Policy.

·         Work unsupervised in compliance with the Laboratory Standard Operating Procedures and Health and Safety Policies.

·         May be required to comment on policies and procedures as part of service development

·         Work within the Terms and Conditions of Employment of your Trust Contract.

·         Report incidents, accidents and defects according to Trust and Directorate guidelines.

  Department Service Provision

·         Provide and receive routine information verbally, in writing and electronically to input and monitor the Quality Management System used within Pathology.

·         Plan and organise their work within the demands of the team

·         Maintain good work relations with all members of staff, and to promote effective teamwork

·         Participate in the regular review and update of the Laboratory Standard Operating Procedures as directed by the Assistant Divisional Manager.

·         Provision of information for Multi-Disciplinary Meetings as appropriate

·         Use other Directorate’s equipment and facilities as appropriate

·         Contribute to the provision of materials, advice and support for the Clinical Users of the service.

·         Help maintain archived documentation in conjunction with each departmental archivist.

·         Develop departmental audit calendars with the aid of departmental Quality Managers

·         Monitor all Pathology audits to ensure compliance with calendar.

·         Aid in Project Management of Non-Conformance resolution.

·         Compile documentation for the annual management review

·         Coordinate Departmental audit schedules to be devised

·         Monitor Departmental audit schedules in line with agreed timescales

·         Ensure consistency of audit performance and documentation 

·         Support the departmental Quality Managers to ensure Laboratory compliance with current ISO standards

 Laboratory Informatics

·         Monitor the document control system of the Pathology Department using the Q-Pulse Quality Management Control System ensuring compliance with good work practices required for the standards of UKAS ISO15189 and ISO22870 accreditation.

·         Enter, Monitor and follow up non-conformances raised within the Q-Pulse system to make sure that all incidents are closed within the specified target date

·         Comply with local and national policies for the safe, secure and confidential processing, and storage of patient and other laboratory data.

·         Maintain the integrity and accuracy of the Q-Pulse database

·         Extract, manipulate and statistically analyse data as appropriate

·         Carry out complex IT processes to facilitate the management of the Quality Management Software

·         Enter all action points from Pathology Committee meetings into Q-Pulse

·         Record staff attendance at all Pathology SafeCare meetings in Q-Pulse

·         Enter Departmental audits into Q-Pulse and assign responsibility

·         Enter CA/PAs into Q-Pulse and assign to relevant responsible personnel

·         Monitor outstanding workload information from Q-Pulse and take appropriate action to ensure timely completion in collaboration with relevant departmental Quality Managers

·         Develop/Maintain CA/PA module in Q-Pulse

·         Develop/Maintain Audit module in Q-Pulse

·         Develop/Maintain Documents module in Q-Pulse

·         Develop/Maintain Customers module in Q-Pulse

·         Develop/Maintain People module in Q-Pulse

·         Develop/Maintain Training Courses module in Q-Pulse

·         Develop/Maintain Suppliers module in Q-Pulse

·         Develop/Maintain Assets module in Q-Pulse

·         Develop/Maintain Analysis module in Q-Pulse

·         Develop/Maintain Administration module in Q-Pulse

 Human Resource/Line Management

·         Participates in the training and demonstration of Quality procedures to new or less experienced personnel from within and outwith the department

·         Provide Q-Pulse training to new staff members at Induction 

·         Provide ongoing Q-Pulse training to Pathology staff as required

 Budgetary/Financial Management

·         Observes a personal duty of care in relation to the equipment and resources used in course of work.

 Education, Development and Training

·         Supervision, training, development and competence assessment of all Pathology staff in the use of Q-Pulse software

·         Achieve appropriate levels of competence required by laboratory Competency Assessment Programme.

·         Maintain professional knowledge via Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

·         Act as mentor for Pathology staff as appropriate.

·         Contribute to requirements of non-laboratory staff attending the department.

 Health and Safety

·         Work in line with Trust and Directorate Health and Safety Policies and Procedures.

·         Attend all mandatory Health and Safety training sessions.

·         Keep the workplace and workbenches clean and tidy.

  Nature and Conditions of Work

·         There is a requirement for sitting/standing at equipment, benches and/or Computer/VDU for prolonged periods of time.

·         A high degree of accuracy is required for data entry of important Quality Data.

·         A high level of concentration is required to process the Quality Data.

 Quality Management

·         Understand and adopt the principles of the Laboratory Quality Management System.

·         Coordinate the production and review of Standard Operating Procedures across Pathology.

·         Participate in process and service audits as directed by the Assistant Divisional Manager

·         Provide the role of Pathology Quality Coordinator to maintain current Pathology Accreditation to the ISO 15189 and ISO 22870 standards

·         Coordinate, maintain and develop the Pathology Quality Management System

·         Coordinate and monitor any poor performance in External Quality Assurance schemes

·         Ensure an appropriate Audit schedule covering Departmental Processes that covers all clauses and notes in the ISO 15189 and ISO 22870 standards

·         Member of Pathology Quality Management Committee

 SafeCare

·         Understand and contribute to the Trust and Directorate Clinical Governance initiatives.

·         Participate in clinical audits as directed by the Assistant Divisional Manager

·         Record staff attendance at all Pathology SafeCare meetings in Q-Pulse

 Research and Development

·         Assist in the compilation of information for reports and publications on the work of the department, including research projects as directed by the Assistant Divisional Manager

 Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust employment standards:

 Control of Infection

All staff have a duty to provide a safe environment by considering adherence to infection prevention and control as an integral part of their roles and responsibilities. The individual roles and responsibilities for staff are outlined in the Trust’s Control of Infection policy (IC 1). There should be specific discussion of control of infection within the KSF/Appraisal process and as a minimum all staff must demonstrate good hand hygiene and practice and support the Clean Your Hands Campaign.

 Privacy & Dignity & Respect and Equality of Opportunity

The Trust is committed to ensuring that all current and potential staff, patients and visitors are treated with dignity, fairness and respect regardless of gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, age, marital or civil partnership status, religion or belief or employment status. Staff will be supported to challenge discriminatory behaviour.

 Professional Code of Conduct (if appropriate)

To abide by the Code of Practice of Professional body as published by the relevant regulatory body (if appropriate).

 Code of Conduct for Senior Managers (if appropriate)

To adhere to the Code of Conduct for NHS Senior Managers.

 Confidentiality and Safeguarding Responsibilities

 “Members of staff are expected to:

 prevent harm or abuse through the provision of high quality care;

undertake the appropriate level of safeguarding training relevant to their role and responsibilities;

take action to identify and prevent harm from happening, and respond when it is suspected that abuse has occurred or is at risk of occurring;

protect others by using the appropriate reporting mechanisms within the Trust;

seek advice and guidance where necessary from the named doctor or nurse responsible for safeguarding children or vulnerable adults”.

 This job description reflects the present requirements of the post.  It will be reviewed and revised in consultation with the jobholder as and when duties and responsibilities change.  Such reviews will normally take place at the annual CONTACT Appraisal meeting with the Assistant Divisional Manager.