Cellular Pathology Manager in Stevenage

A vacancy has arisen for a Cellular Pathology Manager based at the Lister Hospital Essential Services Laboratory (ESL). Pathology services are provided to the East and North Hertfordshire Trust, the wider Community Trusts, GP practices and private locations. The Essential Services Laboratory will be undergoing an exciting lab refurbishment, equipment replacement and LIMS replacement, and this is a great opportunity for a highly skilled and organised individual to join the team and lead this process alongside other HSL senior managers and service users.

Main duties of the job

• The role will involve leading the Cellular Pathology team and maintaining compliance with UKAS, the HTA, and supporting the BMS staff as required in the section.
• We are looking for someone to continue sustaining our quality environment, with a flexible and innovative approach as a technical manager.
• Skills such as project management, organisational change, routine administration, personnel, finance and quality management will be valuable.

Job responsibilities

• To provide professional, operational and managerial leadership for HSL Cellular Pathology Service and to make care of and impact on the patient your first concern.
• To ensure that all staff adhere to Sonic / HSL policies and procedures.
• Responsible for the organisation and performance of analytical testing and ensure all staff understand KPIs / service standards and that each service section continually improves on these.
• Use data to drive the improved performance of the laboratories from Group systems such as Tableau, Q-pulse, and Sonic Learn.
• To ensure that the Senior Operations Management is aware of issues concerning service delivery including shortfall, service pressures and to propose remedial action.
• To implement processes, policy, contracts etc. as required by the HSL and Group Operations Manager or the HSL senior management team.
• To evaluate the skill mix across whole service and to ensure that appropriate systems are in place for activity surge and for business continuity planning needs.
• Responsible for staff appointment, supervision and management of training plans such that all staff conduct duties in line with required competence, responsibility and job description.
• To ensure staffing rotas are maintained and planned accordingly with correct numbers and grades of staff for uninterrupted service provision.
• To demonstrate skills in dealing with complex issues to generate appropriate strategies for workload management and implement service, team plans and policies as required by HSL.
• Ensure that evidence based practice & workforce planning is integrated into HSL service, which is central to patient care.
• Identify and manage clinical risk with programmes in place to reduce risk, ensuring compliance with HSL contracts, NICE, RCPath and other regulatory organisations.
• Maintain up to date knowledge and understanding of standards required for compliance to relevant accreditation e.g. UKAS, Regulatory bodies, Information Security, Health and Safety.
• To work closely with the H&S team in the development of policy and compliance with policy.
• To maintain an up-to-date awareness and knowledge of current developments, professional and clinical guidelines relevant to Cellular Pathology services.
• To give presentations to Sonic/HSL managements and scientific group, committees and external bodies as required.
• To promote research & development within the department as required by HSL.
• Project management and completion within set time scales.
• Ensuring continuous improvement of the quality of services and safeguarding high standards of care.
• To abide by General Data Protection Regulation rules and ensure staff are aware of and abide by them.

Leadership and Communication

• Have an effective means for communicating with staff and keep records of items discussed in communications and meetings.
• To participate in and contribute to effective operational, performance and quality meetings.
• Ensure staff annual reviews are undertaken, performance regularly reviewed and shortfalls managed appropriately.
• Ensure clinician teams are kept informed of urgent cases where required or issues that impact on effectiveness of pre-examination, examination or post-examination processes.
• To form productive relationships with staff, HSL customers, lab and clinical colleagues ensuring professionalism is maintained and promoted.
• To write reports reflecting specialist knowledge and to provide complex scientific advice to nonspecialists and other specialists/ professionals within relevant field.
• To deal with complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible and to resolve informal and formal complaints.
• To ensure all departmental records, including those relating to payroll, absence reporting and training are maintained and updated.
• Be part of the Bronze Group to flag, communicate and manage any service disruptions.

Technical and Quality

• To ensure performance of laboratory procedures are documented to include analysis, documentation authorisation and release of slides for cases as well as follow-up testing.
• To take overall responsibility for the clinical and research trials needing access to the Histopathology laboratory service.
• To liaise with the Operational Manager for departmental facilities support.
• To ensure that all researchers accessing laboratory facilities are sufficiently trained and competent to do so.
• In conjunction with the Operations Manager, advise, source and facilitate the introduction of new diagnostic equipment.
• To oversee service quality, ensure that expected service quality is met at all times.
• To take appropriate corrective actions where quality control or assurance procedures indicate loss of performance.
• To ensure all incidents are investigated within expected timeframes and appropriate corrective actions are put in place.
• To conduct management review of service.
• To ensure that change control procedures are adhered to and method verifications and validations are documented.
• To ensure that all staff are trained and assessed as competent in all procedures undertaken.
• To ensure compliance by staff in the operation of analytical equipment and continuing adequate maintenance, repair and safety of all departmental equipment.
• To liaise with the lab support team to ensure that all equipment performance and reagent stocks are maintained to the appropriate level.
• To ensure that all laboratories are clean, presentable and tidy at all times.
• Working with the Quality Management Group and Compliance Director, to ensure that the department meets all requirements for UKAS (ISO 15189), MHRA (GMP) and other applicable standards.

Person Specification

• Honours (first or second class) degree in Biomedical Science or equivalent.
• Evidence of teaching/training qualification or equivalent.
• Health and Care Professions Council registration.
• Able to manage, develop, co-ordinate and provide a highly specialist clinical technical service for Cellular Pathology.
• Extensive experience in managing an acute service in a large, complex environment.
• Experience in analysis, interpretation and technical validation of diagnostic analytical results.
• Extensive experience of training laboratory staff and assessing competence.
• Extensive knowledge of maintaining an accredited service, including UKAS (ISO15189) registrations and IBMS training standards.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Able to demonstrate advanced quality assurance principles and practice.
• Experience in leadership (motivation, teamwork, delegation, change management).
• Experience in staff recruitment, management, retention and performance management.
• Experience in managing large teams, including setting priorities and addressing performance issues.
• Experience of managing a diverse staff group and maintaining/improving morale.
• Experience of liaising with Senior Clinical and Academic staff.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 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.