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Job summary

Main area
Cervical Screening
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 6
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
297-6193216
Employer
Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead
Town
Gateshead
Salary
£35,392 - £42,618 Per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
05/07/2024 23:59

Employer heading

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust logo

Biomedical Scientist Band 5/6

NHS AfC: Band 6

In the event of excessive applications being received this vacancy may close earlier than the stated closing date, you are encouraged to submit your application as soon as possible  

IMPORTANT NOTE ON COMPLETION OF REFERENCE SECTION OF APPLICATION FORM

All references from current and previous employers will be sought and MUST cover a minimum of 3 years employment. Therefore, when completing the reference section of your application form, please give the address, telephone number and work email address of each of your current/previous line managers that cover 3 years employment. Where possible this should be from two separate employers. Failure to complete this section may result in your application not being processed.

PLEASE NOTE it is a requirement of this Trust that all successful applicants pay for their DBS certificate if a check is required for the post. This will be done through deduction from your monthly pay over a maximum of three months. It is also a requirement that all successful applicants register  or are registered with the DBS update service where a DBS is required. 

All new entrants to the NHS will be appointed on the minimum of the pay scale in line with Terms & Conditions.

 

Job overview

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust are one of eight centres in England providing Primary HPV Cervical Screening covering the whole of the North East and Yorkshire (NEY) area.  An exciting opportunity has arisen for  two HCPC registered Biomedical Scientists either Band 5 or 6 depending on qualifications and experience to support Primary HPV Screening within the NEY Cervical Screening Department.

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidate holding either the NHSCSP Certificate of Competence in Cervical Screening or NHSCSP Diploma in Cervical Cytology.

Main duties of the job

As part of the team the post holder will have developed knowledge, experience and competency in specialised diagnostic techniques and must have Health Professions Council (HPC) State Registration.  Registration enables the post-holder to work unsupervised. 

It is a primary role of the post to screen, and interpret cervical smears within NHSCSP and laboratory guidelines, reporting those that are negative or unsatisfactory and referring those that are abnormal to senior colleagues.  They will also provide specialist advice to clinical users of the service regarding test requirements, appropriateness and expected turnaround times.

Working for our organisation

Based in the North East of England we provide a range of hospital and community health services from our leading facilities, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon urgent care centre and Bensham Hospital, all within Gateshead.

Established in 2005, we were one of the first foundation trusts in the country and since then have consistently achieved the highest levels of care for patients.

We now employ around 4,800 staff and currently provide 444 hospital beds across the Gateshead region.

Our values should be the ‘golden thread’ which runs through everything we do – they are the core of who we are. Our five values can easily be remembered by the simple acronym ICORE; Innovation, Care, Openness, Respect, Engagement.

We have a number of staff networks including the Global Ethnic Majority (GEM) network, D-Ability network, LGBTQ+ Network and the Women’s Network, to challenge us and help us to constantly improve. Our Armed Forces network is one of our emerging networks.

The health and wellbeing of our staff is one of our highest priorities, and we offer a range of support and initiatives as part of our ‘Balance’ programme balancegateshead.com to cater for our diverse workforce, so that your individual needs can be supported, allowing you a happy and healthy working experience with us. 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

It is a primary role of the post to screen, and interpret cervical smears within NHSCSP and laboratory guidelines, reporting those that are negative or unsatisfactory and referring those that are abnormal to senior colleagues.  They will also provide specialist advice to clinical users of the service regarding test requirements, appropriateness and expected turnaround times.

See attached job descriptions

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • BSc in Biomedical Sciences, Registration Portfolio or equivalent
  • HCPC Professional Registration
  • NHSCSP Certificate of Competence in Cervical Screening. Or NHSCSP Diploma in Cervical Cytology
Desirable criteria
  • Post Graduate Diploma, Working towards IBMS Specialist portfolio, MSc or equivalent

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Cytology laboratory experience
Desirable criteria
  • 3 Years post graduate specialist training. Minimum of 3 yrs experience of modern laboratory techniques and good knowledge of current professional issues.
  • Experience of highly specialised techniques

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Ability to communicate complex information to clinicians, staff and others
  • Ability to supervise and train others. Able to use equipment and resources appropriately and cost effectively.
  • Hand eye co-ordination and accuracy for processing material on slides, fine adjustments to specialist equipment.
Desirable criteria
  • Comprehension of the significance of clinical governance, clinical audit and achieving quality targets.
  • Delegation skills.

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Knowledge of specialist Cervical Screening procedures to post-graduate diploma level or equivalent acquired through CPD, short courses and ongoing specialist training
  • Laboratory Health and Safety
  • Good understanding of the importance of Internal Quality Control, External Quality Assurance Schemes
Desirable criteria
  • Knowledge of Clinical Pathology Accreditation Inspections, Quality Management Systems and Audit
  • Statistical Analysis

Personal Attributes

Essential criteria
  • Composed and professional disposition.
  • Team-member
  • Support peoples equality, diversity and human rights.
  • Ability to adapt quickly and efficiently
Desirable criteria
  • Demonstrated personal development
  • Team leading/management skills

Special Requirements

Essential criteria
  • Computer literate – capable of utilising complex proprietary information systems and generic software
  • Flexibility in working pattern in line with changing service requirements
Desirable criteria
  • European Computer Driving Licence

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Veteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyAge positiveCare quality commission - GoodDisability confident employerStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

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

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Trudy Johnson
Job title
NEY Cervical Screening Manager
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
0191 445 6560
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