Healthcare Scientist Practitioner

Location

This role is being offered as lab based at our Scientific Campus in Colindale, London.

Salary

Civil Service: Executive Officer (EO) - £32,624 - £37,737 per annum, pro-rata

Job overview

External Quality Assessment (EQA) Services is part of UKHSA Quality and Regulatory Assurance directorate and provides EQA schemes (also known as proficiency testing (PT) schemes) for food, water and clinical microbiology laboratories throughout the United Kingdom, and worldwide. Results reported by microbiology laboratories often play a significant role in health protection and managing public health incidents; tools such as EQA/PT is essential to enable laboratories demonstrate that their results are accurate, reliable and reproducible.

The Healthcare Scientist Practitioner will:

• Work within the laboratory team
• Assist in the preparation of EQA specimens for UK NEQAS for Microbiology. This involves applying knowledge of clinical microbiology in the design, quality control and stability testing of these specimens using routine methods commonly applied in clinical diagnostic microbiology
• Take part in the data transfer and validation of participants' results and data entry of in-house test results onto computer databases
• Work as a member of a team liaising closely with colleagues from the same team, and with other teams working on common activities
• Participate in quality assurance audits and maintain up to date records in QPulse daily
• Work to GLP and GMP in compliance with ISO 17043 accreditation

This is a full time role, with the possibility of condensed hours over a 4 day week.

This role involves performing substantial volumes of manual pipetting for sample preparation.

Main duties of the job

• Technical/Scientific Duties
• Communication and key working relationships
• Personal & People Development
• Service Improvement
• Health, Safety & Security
• Quality
• Information & Knowledge

Communication and key working relationships

The post holder will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal and external to UKHSA. This will include:

Internal

• Required to liaise with other technical, scientific and administrative staff in UK NEQAS and across EQA Services
• Plan daily work activities with supervisor

External

• Other colleagues in UKHSA

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

United Kingdom National External Quality Assessment Service (UK NEQAS) for Microbiology is hosted within UKHSA as part of EQA (External quality assessment) Services department. The department aims to provide EQA services to participants worldwide. Registered scheme participants receive regular distributions of specimens of known but undisclosed content which, if examined by the participants using routine procedures, provide a valuable tool for the management of quality within the laboratory. EQA is provided by the Food and Water Proficiency Testing Unit and UK NEQAS for Microbiology. (EQA services are self-financing and monies are obtained by subscription to the services).

UK NEQAS for Microbiology provides:

• Clinical EQA services to participants worldwide.
• Web based EQA for individual participants
• Training in different areas of Microbiology, EQA and quality management systems.

Microbiology covered includes mycology, bacteriology (with antimicrobial susceptibility testing), virology, parasitology and schemes based on a range of technologies including proteomic, molecular detection methods and conventional methods. Schemes are under constant review and development. The schemes provide an international benchmark for quality. There are approximately 2000 participants in over 100 countries.

See our website for further information: www.ukneqasmicro.org.uk

Technical/Scientific Duties

• Work responsibly and safely with large volumes of organisms in hazard groups 2/3 on daily basis.
• Prepare all types of quality assessment specimens distributed.
• Undertake quality control and stability testing of these specimens applying knowledge of diagnostic microbiology.
• Ensure all processes and results are documented in accordance with quality requirements.
• Ensure all non-conforming results are fully investigated and are brought to the attention of the scheme manager
• Participate in rotation around the various sections within the clinical microbiology schemes.

Essential criteria

• BSc in Biomedical Science or equivalent level qualification
• GCSE or equivalent qualifications at C (4) or above in English and Maths
• Clinical diagnostic microbiology laboratory experience
• Experience of Quality Management systems
• Experience and understanding of laboratory safety and procedures and can work to written procedures
• Management of time – able to plan and use own time economically and effectively
• Ability to work with minimal supervision working to tight and often changing timescales
• Good interaction skills with ability to communicate with staff at all levels, both written and oral
• Evidence of use of computer software and packages (e.g. MS Office)
• Having good organisation skills, team worker and ability to work to deadlines
• Methodical with good attention to detail and ability to identify and solve practical problems
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships. Hard working, motivated and interested in their work

Desirable criteria

• HCPC registration
• Experience of freeze-drying