The place to work in pathology We are looking for top talent to join the UK’s leading and fastest growing pathology company – a scientific organisation with a clinical purpose. Working in partnership with our service partners, Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospitals, King’s College Hospital and Princess Royal University Hospital we aim to set the standard for the future of pathology. Job overview We are seeking an enthusiastic individual preferably with some previous medical laboratory experience. Successful applicants will work as part of our friendly team to provide good service delivery to our pathologists and surgeons alike GSTT Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital Foundation Trust is a major emergency and specialist teaching Trust which has all the specialties associated with a fascinating and career defining case load including Women’s Services, Foetal Medicine, Haematology, Oncology, Transplantation, and is also home to the Evelina Children’s Hospital. At the Guy’s Hospital site, you will be rotated to work in the newly opened Cancer Centre building, where you will be close to the vibrant Borough Market and the South Bank, which are exceptional London locations; perfect places to work and relax next to such iconic venues as Big Ben, The London Eye and The Shard! To learn more about this opening, please see contact details below or simply apply through the application process. Main duties of the job Compliance with local and national policies for the safe secure and confidential processing, and storage of patient and other laboratory information within the compliance of SOPs and the GSTS Quality Management system Post holder to be able to organise own day to day duties with ability to identify / prioritise urgent tasks Maintain integrity and accuracy of laboratory database where appropriate Be proactive in escalating any possible issues that may impact on service delivery to senior colleagues Participate in audits of laboratory process and procedures Ensure workplace and workbench areas are kept at a clean standard Build and maintain working relations with all members of staff, and promote effective teamwork To adhere to equality and fairness in working relations To maintain and promote the professional image of Viapath Analytics and Synlab partnership To assist in training new MLA staff within the Department and provide advice to less experience MLA and clerical staff Undertake a period laboratory training and competence assessment Maintain knowledge and skills as identified by the appraisal cycle To participate in an annual appraisal cycle and be assessed against competences of the role. Observe and adhere to local and national health and safety policies Working for our organisation Your development and learning You will have a suite of learning opportunities available through The Synnovis Way Development programme, the Scientific Learning and Development Fund and the Synnovis Academy through which you can receive funding / support for advanced qualifications. Through our Innovation Accelerator Fund, you can apply for finance to get that new innovative scientific project off the ground, and participate with the wider scientific community through symposiums, conferences and other peer group meetings. The department provides a wide range of services including routine histology, immunocytochemistry and Moh’s micrographic surgery techniques. We are computerised, fully accredited and process 14 000 surgicals per year. The department is progressive and swiftly moving forward in the challenging of automation and is actively involved in research and devolopment in a diagnostic setting. This is an opportunity to gain expertise in a specialist area of histology at one of the country’s largest NHS Trusts. The laboratory services for dermatology are split across two sites Guy’s and also St. Thomas’ Hospitals. The Routine diagnostic and immunocytochemistry service is carried out on the St. Thomas’ site. The Mohs micrographic surgery is performed in the newly built Guy’s Cancer Centre. The Mohs service is one of the largest centres in the UK and operates 5 days per week, with a case load of between 40-50 patients a week. We also offer an expanding Slow Mohs service too. The 22-laboratory staff include a full range and grades of personnel from band 3 to band 8 staff grades. The laboratory service is UKAS accredited across both sites. The successful applicant will be trained in all routine histological investigations and will work in all areas of laboratory provision and will rotate across the service areas. Detailed job description and main responsibilities At Synnovis, we are currently shaping the future of pathology services by creating a world-leading Hub and Spoke pathology network with our NHS partners. A large part of this modernisation will involve moving 70% of our services to a purpose built, state of the art Hub laboratory in the heart of London. For now, the job you are applying for will be based at one of our hospital sites however, from 1 April 2024 our people and services will start to move to our Hub laboratory in Blackfriars, Southwark, SE1, with some work remaining in refurbished essential services laboratories across our hospital network, focusing on the rapid turnover of urgent tests. Please do ask your recruiting manager if you wish to find out more. Organisational and Administrative To work under the supervision of Histopathology sub-specialist leads in the day-to-day running of the department To give and seek scientific and sensitive information as part of the scientific and communication process of service provision To attend departmental meetings as required To maintain monthly stock levels of operational areas and to participate in the annual stock take and to assist with the ordering of supplies and reagents To maintain laboratory databases including environmental readings and operational performance management system (OPMS) Update standard operation procedures where applicable under the direction of the senior Biomedical Scientist Diagnostic To assist in the assessment of the relevance and importance of diagnostic test requests, work in progress and test results. To assist in the assessment of the clinical importance and urgency of test requests and results which impact on patient care To use interpretive and technical skills to assist in determining the pathogenic and clinical significance of results of assessments laboratory tests, for example, by aiding the evaluation of trichogram assessments Assisting with histological specimen cut up procedures and assisting in all aspects of diagnostic specimen cut up Maintaining processing and staining machine monitoring Cutting and staining tissue samples for diagnostic interpretation and reporting by pathologists Assisting with a wide range of tinctorial and immunocytochemical demonstration techniques To participate in clinical audits, trials and research projects in collaboration with laboratory management. Line Management To participate as an appraisee in the laboratory Appraisal scheme. To participate in the day-to-day supervision and training of new MLA staff Scientific and Technical To work as part of a team producing technical histopathology work within the department under supervision. This will include assisting in all aspects of clerical data entry, specimen cut-up, slide and block filing To ensure that test procedures are carried out according to SOPs and participate in their regular review and update. To assist in the planning and organisation of work flow and work in any sections of the routine histopathology laboratory including immunocytochemistry and Mohs laboratory as directed, and be conversant with and skilled at any required diagnostic test procedures and duties performed within it. To maintain professional competency and dexterity in specialist/physical tasks and maintain delivery of a quality service To ensure the safe use of laboratory equipment and monitor laboratory consumable stock levels To perform manual, semi-automated and fully automated-laboratory investigations. To prepare reagents required for laboratory investigations. To measure and monitor the accuracy and precision of laboratory investigations using appropriate quality control procedures. To highlight the need for corrective action to AP (band 4) and senior staff when quality control procedures indicate loss of performance. To undertake routine operative maintenance schedules on laboratory instruments. To report any instance or event which may result in a service delivery failure? To contribute towards a culture of quality in the department and to comply and promote the quality initiatives within the department consistent with maintaining laboratory accreditation. To aid in trouble shooting errors and problems and escalate to relevant section leaders Laboratory Informatics To use information systems, specialist ( Epic and Cerner Pathnet) and general software, in data entry and the collection and interpretation of information to assist in the provision of laboratory services Health and Safety To assist, in conjunction with the Departmental Safety Officer, in the development and maintenance of the departmental Health & Safety policies, in accordance with good laboratory practice, the Health and Safety at Work Act, COSHH regulations and recommended national guidelines and procedures (including CPA) To ensure all members of staff and visitors are aware of departmental health and safety policies and that they comply with them To undertake all tasks that requires repetitive, mental and/or physical effort within the boundaries of health and safety policies To monitor frequent exposure to hazardous environmental and chemical substances, and follow safe working practices that limits the daily exposure to biological hazards To comply with departmental health and safety regulations Quality To assist all staff in maintaining high scientific and quality standards within the section To maintain laboratory equipment as per departmental policies and procedures Maintain error log in operational area under the guidance of the Quality Officer Training and Development To be committed to achieving KSF outlines. To develop specialist expertise and build on the theoretical and practical specialist knowledge gained and apply this to assist in the development of new staff To comply with departmental Training Support policies To participate in an annual joint review Responsibilities Specific to the Post Holder To be responsible for the issue of laboratory coats to staff and maintaining stock To assist in maintaining stocks levels of laboratory consumables To assist in monitoring the filing location of blocks and slides General If required to work supervised out of hours; competency to demonstrate tasks is necessary in order to meet the criteria. To acquire and maintain an up to date knowledge base of Cellular Pathology developments. To ensure that the workplace and work benches are kept optimally organised and maintained in accordance with agreed Health and Safety policies. To act at all times in a professional and courteous manner to colleagues, fellow healthcare professionals and other users of the service and to maintain good work relations with all members of staff and to promote effective teamwork. To promote at all times equality of opportunities for staff and patients in accordance with Viapath Analytics and SynLab policies and procedures, to ensure that no person receives less favourable treatment than another on the grounds of sex, marital status, race, religion, creed, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation or disability, with due regard to the promotion of diversity in the workplace. To comply with Trust No Smoking and dress code policy. To undertake such duties as may be required from time to time as are consistent with the responsibilities of the grade and the needs of the service. This job description is not an exhaustive document but reflects the current position. Details and emphasis may change in line with service needs after consultation with the post holder. Synnovis is a pathology partnership between SYNLAB UK and Ireland, and the NHS, including sites, Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, to deliver and transform pathology services across South East London. The partnership provides services to 1.7 million people living in South East London, as well as to hundreds of thousands of patients from outside the region who use local healthcare services. The partnership provides diagnostics, testing and digital pathology for hospital trusts, GP services and other healthcare providers. GSTT Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital Foundation Trust is a major emergency and specialist teaching Trust which has all the specialties associated with a fascinating and career defining case load including Women’s Services, Fetal Medicine, Haematology, Oncology, Transplantation, and is also home to the Evelina Children’s Hospital and the Cancer Centre on the Guy’s site. You will be close to the vibrant Borough Market and the South Bank, which are exceptional London locations; perfect places to work and relax next to such iconic venues as Big Ben, The London Eye and The Shard! Over the last 170 years, King’s has delivered nothing but world class service to all its patients from deprived communities as well as some of the wealthiest in London. easy access to the vibrant South Bank and local amenities Person specification Qualifications Essential criteria Good all-round education to GCSE standard NVQ 2 plus previous experience in a Lab or equivalent level of education or NVQ3 Desirable criteria IBMS accredited degree in the study of sciences and/or Human Biology Experience Desirable criteria Previous hospital working experience Skills & Knowledge Essential criteria Good communication and interpersonal skills Good command of spoken and written English Keyboard and Mouse Numeracy Basic use of Microsoft Word and Excel Ability to work as part of a team Accuracy and attention to detail Competent and polite telephone manner Ability to work systemically and under pressure in a busy environment Undertake tasks which require repetitive, mental or physical effort within the boundaries of health and safety policy e.g. there will be frequent periods of pro-longed sitting or standing May be required to undertake data entry which requires post holder to spent prolonged periods in a restricted position May be required to undertake data entry which requires frequent periods of concentration There may be a physical requirement for the post holder to lift, carry, push and pull objects weighing up to 25 kilos for several short periods during their shifts Applications are welcomed from applicants with a disability. We can make reasonable adjustments and offer support and advice in a variety of ways throughout the application process. All applicants are welcome to apply regardless of age, disability, gender, marital status, race, nationality or ethnic origin, religion, or sexual orientation. Equality of opportunity is our policy. Our Bank workers enjoy competitive market rates and flexible contract assignments across all of our sites, dependent on your availability and location. For our Permanent workforce w e offer a competitive benefits package. All employees are entitled to: Contributory pension scheme Generous annual leave entitlement Ground breaking development opportunities Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. All employees have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in the course of their daily duties and for ensuring that they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role. Please apply for this post on-line. If you have problems with using the online process, or need any assistance, please email [email protected] Your e-mail address is important to us. We communicate to all job applicants via the e-mail address which has been provided on the application form. Please ensure that you check your e-mail on a regular basis. Due to the high volumes of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close any adverts before the published closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications. If you decide to apply for this post but do not hear back from us within three weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been short-listed on this occasion. Thank you for your interest in Synnovis. Further details / informal visits contact Name Guy Orchard Job title Consultant Biomedical Scientist Email address [email protected] If you have problems applying, contact Address Synnovis Open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm Telephone 01629 702340