Clinical Scientist inLondon inLondon PUBLISHED THU 31 OCT 2024

Are you passionate about the future of medicine? Do you want to be at the forefront of transforming healthcare through personalized approaches? If so, we invite you to apply for the Clinical Scientist (Band 7 AfC equivalent) role in the Biochemical Sciences department where you will join our innovative team, renowned for ground-breaking research, and driving advancements in personalised medicine.

As part of our team, you will play a key role in developing and supporting diagnostic tests that enable tailored treatments for patients, moving beyond the one-size-fits-all approach. Our test repertoire includes drug and metabolite monitoring for a range of therapies, including immunosuppressants, chemotherapy agents, and cutting-edge biologics. You will have the opportunity to work with a variety of platforms, including HPLC, UPLC, mass spectrometry and iTrack-chemiluminesence.

This is an exciting opportunity to collaborate with clinicians, drive advancements in patient care, and shape the future of medicine. If you are passionate about scientific discovery, thrive in a dynamic environment, and want to make a meaningful impact on patient outcomes, this role is for you.

Candidates must have a minimum of two years' experience working in laboratory medicine at a level appropriate for this role. Pre- reg Clinical scientists who will shortly be qualified are also welcome to apply. Attainment of FRCPath part 1 is encouraged and supported by Synnovis.

The successful candidate will be:

• - Working as a member of the team and will be contributing to the delivery of a high-volume service (N~50,000 tests /year).
• - Carrying out manual routine assays in the lab if and as required, in accordance with documented standard operating procedures.
• - Use of the Quality Management System including identifying, recording and troubleshooting errors, writing and reviewing documentation and participation in the departmental audit schedule.
• - Routine involvement in review of IQC and EQA performance.
• - Performing audits, CQIs, lean projects.
• - Helping identify and troubleshoot analytical and clinical issues as they arise.
• - Training and teaching of work experience students, clinical colleagues, visitors to the department and STP trainees completing their metabolic rotation.
• - Participation in the weekend NBS rota.
• - To ensure compliance with local and national standards of work practice e.g. UKAS (ISO 15189:2022).
• - To actively participate in the development and implementation of new methods in the laboratory.

About us

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 January 2025 our people and services will start to move to our Hub laboratory in Blackfriars, Southwark, SE1. Please do ask your recruiting manager if you wish to find out more.

Purpose of Job

This role is key to the delivery of Clinical Science as part of the laboratory team in Synnovis. Reporting to the Principal or Consultant Clinical Scientist, you will have a high level of responsibility, including training, management of EQA/IQC processes and research, to ensure the successful delivery of pathology services, in line with our corporate objectives.

What you will do

You will hold a variety of accountabilities in the laboratory environment. These include, but are not limited to:

Day-to-day responsibility for the provision of a range of clinical, technical and scientific diagnostic activities, including interpretation and clinical validation of results; communicating complex information and advice that will aid and determine clinical diagnosis.

Supervise and provide specialised training to less experienced employees, students, trainees and other healthcare professionals

Undertake research in your own field under the direction of more senior clinical scientist colleagues, contributing to the development of specialist investigations, identifying better ways of working and finding efficiencies in service delivery.

Participate in research activities and publications; attend and present at regional, national and international meetings.

Spend a proportion of time focused on quality and UKAS orientated activities, service development and technical and clinical validation of results.

Key Responsibilities

Maintain standards of conduct required by the HCPC to practice as a registered Clinical Scientist.

Perform investigations in line with local Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) including but not limited to result authorisation, ordering follow-up laboratory procedures, initiating actions, escalating results when required.

Perform necessary action on the Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), ensuring all Information Governance (IG) requirements are met.

Communicate complex results, including making clinical and differential judgements involving complicated facts or situations that impact on patients. This will include exchanging specialist information with colleagues from your own and other disciplines.

Provide specialist expertise and technical advice to other laboratory and clinical colleagues as required and within limits of competency.

Participate in the strategic development and service improvement of the analytical service, being responsible for the implementation of new techniques, equipment, and tests, including all verification and validation work. Where necessary this may include analysing clinical trial samples.

Keep up to date with new developments by regular literature reviews and attendance at relevant conferences.

Undertake research projects in specialised area in collaboration or as requested by Principal or Consultant Clinical Scientists. Ensure outcomes from research and development are placed in the public domain by publication and presentation at relevant local, national and international conferences.

Ensure all incidents and events are correctly reported by junior staff in Q-Pulse quality management database and other relevant software and support them in learning quality procedures and investigations.

In conjunction with the Quality team, monitor, report and action errors, hazards, and incidents logged in the CAPA module of Q-Pulse. This may include taking part in investigations of incidents and providing expert insight into making improvements based on outcomes.

Participate in appropriate clinical audits and take part in all Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activity in your area.

Monitor, and report on EQA and IQC procedures and be responsible for corrective action on problems that have been identified.

Ensure compliance with all legislative and quality requirements of regulatory directives, accreditation bodies, and local management including:

Care Quality Commission

UKAS

Synnovis policies and SOPs

Any other body in area of responsibility.

Prepare statistical reports for use in meetings, quality assurance, and development events.

Develop, prepare, write, and review relevant documents, including SOPs, COSHH and risk assessments in line with the ISO 15189 standard.

Provide supervision for employees, including participating in the departmental clinical rota, potentially including out of hours cover.

Ensure that all Synnovis policies and procedures are implemented and maintained.

Encourage junior employees in their scientific expertise, knowledge and professional development, including the safe use of highly complex and sensitive equipment.

Deliver training and supervision of less experienced colleagues in your area of specialism.

Demonstrate professionalism, patience and empathy when explaining complex subjects, and in particular when communicating with people who do not share same level of knowledge or understanding.

Attend, and where required, chair regular departmental meetings and contribute to effective communication within the department.

Work closely with Operations Manager to ensure stock inventory compliance.

Deputise for the Principal or Consultant Clinical Scientist including attendance at meetings, as required.

Take part in CPD activities to ensure that your practices and knowledge are always relevant and up to date to your specific area.

Participate in the weekend NBS rota.

Who we are

Synnovis is a partnership between SYNLAB UK & Ireland, Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, and Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Our organisation brings together the very best in clinical, scientific and operational expertise, and displays in action the core values at the heart of our brand: science for life, collaboration for the benefit of everyone, and innovation and quality.

This role sits within Synnovis Analytics, which is responsible for the provision of Pathology testing services to Synnovis patients and customers.

Guys 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: Womens Services, Fetal Medicine, Haematology, Oncology, Transplantation, and is also home to the Evelina Childrens Hospital and the Cancer Centre on the Guys 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!