Principal Clinical Scientist

This is a rare and exciting career opportunity for a dynamic individual to develop their leadership skills within a team and, through collaboration with the senior scientific management team, contribute to the overall management and direction of the Department. In addition you will also contribute to the C& S GLH and NHSE service development and seek professional roles as appropriate.

You will have excellent clinical and scientific knowledge in Cytogenetics with several years' experience of handling, and writing reports for, complex and unusual cases. You will have the ability to innovate and present ideas for further development of the service in keeping with national and local priorities. You will also have good communication and leadership skills to enable you to manage people and situations in the team. You will be able to provide excellent clinical advice to a range of health professionals and be able to develop networks and collaborations with other health professionals and to present work at scientific meetings (refer to job description and person specification for further details).

HCPC registration in Genetics and possession of FRCPath Part 1 are essential (applicants actively preparing for the exam will be considered).

As we are in the process of reconfiguring our services to deliver the National GMS more effectively, the successful candidate may be required to work within and across different teams in the future.

Main duties of the job

Main duties of the job

• To provide complex clinical/scientific reports, advice, opinions, judgements for a range of highly specialised genetic investigations and services to local, national and international service users
• To lead a team of clinical scientists and technologists and be responsible for the clinical and scientific work, including quality, and managerial aspects of the work and the staff within the team(s)
• To exercise considerable autonomy for his /her own work and that of the section/team and to employ all the competences of a State Registered Clinical Scientist
• To contribute to the management of the department through active involvement in departmental committees and working groups and through experienced gained in the wider context of participation in national and professional working groups

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

About us

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. Find out more here

The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence. These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via theOUH YouTube channel.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Main duties and responsibilities of the post

Leadership and Management

• To manage a team(s) of healthcare scientists with line management responsibilities for appraisal, recruitment and selection, performance management, disciplinary and conduct processes, sickness absence management, career development and pastoral care within the overall direction of the Director of the Genetics Laboratories and supervision of Consultant and Senior Principal Scientists
• Contribute to the development of policies and practices within the department by participating in departmental committees or working groups
• To develop and improve existing service portfolio by continual review of quality, productivity and efficiency
• To propose and evaluate potential new services relevant to the section and department

Clinical /Scientific

• To be clinically and professionally responsible for a section(s) subject to the overall direction of the Director of the Genetics Laboratories, or other Consultant Scientists
• To be responsible for the analysis of scientific results and their implications by collating complex scientific evidence from database searches, literature searches and collaboration with scientific and clinical colleagues and ensuring the results, including risk calculations where appropriate, and clinical and scientific interpretation are accurate
• Undertake clinical validation and authorisation of a range of reports and take responsibility for the accuracy, interpretation and timely reporting of genetic test results, and direct staff to undertake further investigations to solve complex diagnostic cases as appropriate
• To interpret and report highly complex and specialist scientific tests, within the limits of knowledge and experience, and provide expert advice to clinicians, and other healthcare professionals on the interpretation, diagnostic and prognostic implications, the significance for treatment and recommendation of further testing of patients or family.
• Supply the highest level of scientific skill and expertise in the investigative procedures, directing or undertaking problem solving / trouble-shooting, as required and validation of the scientific basis for the introduction/ implementation of new tests
• To provide authoritative clinical and scientific advice, opinion and judgements within own area of clinical specialism to clinical health professional users of the service
• To ensure the accuracy and timeliness of all patient results.
• To manage the quality and efficiency of the scientific and technical work of the staff of the section to ensure that appropriate procedures for receipt, processing, analysis and interpretation and reporting of findings are employed.
• To participate in multidisciplinary meetings with clinicians and pathologists to discuss cases and contribute to management of outcomes

Clinical Governance

• To provide a clinical service within the designated section ensuring that the service meets established high quality demands for safety and patient care.
• To ensure achievement of and adherence to ISO15189 standards as required through United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) under the direction of the Director of the Department and by working with the departmental Quality Manager.
• To actively participate in the preparation of the department for inspections by UKAS
• To participate in the organisation and monitoring of internal and external quality control procedures. This includes clinical audit, incident investigation and reporting, and participation in the relevant external quality assurance schemes e.g. UK NEQAS (including GenQA) and EMQN, discussing and taking action upon outcomes in conjunction with other staff and reporting to the Director of the Department.
• To ensure that all members of staff based in the section abide by all statutory requirements, codes of practice, safety regulations and operational policies of the department and to be aware of these measures as applied to other sections
• To ensure a functioning risk management and risk reporting strategy within the section which includes health and safety, quality management, training, recruitment, internal quality control, patient and laboratory records including confidentiality and consent, reporting to the Director of Department.

Innovation, research and development

• To maintain up to date knowledge of developments and research in the field of expertise to enable innovation for the benefit of the services and patient
• To collaborate with research and clinical leaders in the field within OUH and the University to contribute to the research aims of the department and the other associated bodies e.g. Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), Genomic Medicine Service (GMS), Genomic Medicine Service Alliances (GMSA).
• Present findings/data from case studies, audit and research projects to local/national/international meetings and conferences and through publications in peer reviewed journals

Education and Training

• To contribute to teaching or training of other healthcare professionals in Genetics and students up to a standard consistent with Masters level attainment.

Professional

• To maintain State Registration with HCPC and to employ all of the competences required of a registered Clinical Scientist
• Participate in regular performance review and personal development planning.
• Undertake CPD activities, taking measures to acquire, improve and apply scientific skills and expertise to perform the job to the highest level of quality and reliability this includes attending internal training sessions, relevant external meetings, courses, study days and conferences, and keeping up-to-date with current journals and literature
• To contribute to the profession (British Society of Genetic Medicine and/or its affiliated bodies) by participating in working groups and development of National Professional Best Practise as appropriate
• Demonstrate emotional resilience in a range of distressing circumstances as experienced through management of patient referrals and samples, and provide support/leadership to other members of staff
• To display high standards of conduct, behaviour and professionalism at all times in line with Trust policy and to promote a culture of compassionate excellence within the department

Other

• To undertake other duties as directed by the Director of the Laboratories to ensure an efficient, effective and safe service. In some cases these additional roles may be substantial (for example Departmental Quality Manager, Health and Safety Officer or Training Officer). The responsibilities and duties of these roles will be specified in an appendix to this job description.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential

• Good honours degree in a Biological subject
• Master's level training in Genetics ( e.g. STP or equivalent)
• Registered as a Clinical Scientist in Genetics
• FRC Path part 1 or equivalent

Desirable

• FRC Path or equivalent
• PhD in a relevant area

Knowledge

Essential

• Expert knowledge of the principles and practise of Genetics
• Advanced clinical and scientific knowledge relevant to genetic testing in specialist area
• Good knowledge of the technology applicable to the analysis of genetic referrals in specialist area
• Knowledge of best practise and national policy in relation to genetic testing including consent and confidentiality and information governance

Experience

Essential

• Post registration experience in Genetics as a Clinical Scientist
• Scientific contribution to clinical case discussion and multidisciplinary meetings
• Experience of handling complex referrals, including clinical liaison and advice
• Experience of speaking and presenting data at national and international conferences and meetings

Desirable

• Experience of managing performance including conduct and disciplinary proceedings, sickness absence

Skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills -verbal and written including scientific writing for publications and documents
• Ability to critically evaluate and discuss complex scientific and clinical information
• Ability to concentrate intensely for long periods of time ( for analysing results, reporting patients results, checking and authorising patient reports and writing documents
• Ability to logically solve problems
• Excellent analytical skills
• Leadership skills
• Organisational ability
• Enthusiasm / Motivation

Personal attributes

Essential

• Ability to assimilate information quickly
• Able to work as part of a team
• Methodical approach to work
• Able to deal with distressing situations (e.g. receipt / handling of abnormal fetuses).
• Able to work under pressure and demonstrate resilience
• Professional attitude
• Desire to learn and develop further

Employer details

Employer name

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Churchill Hospital

Old Road

Oxford

OX3 7LE

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