JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE: Biomedical Scientist

GRADE: Band 5

DEPARTMENT: Histopathology

LOCATION: King’s College Hospital

RESPONSIBLE TO: Histopathology Operations Manager

Viapath

Viapath is a scientific organisation with a clinical purpose. Working in partnership

with Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospitals, King’s College Hospital and Bedford NHS
Hospital Trusts, we aim to set the standard for the future of pathology.

This role is based in Viapath Analytics which is responsible for the provision of
Pathology testing services to Viapath’s patients and customers.

Job Summary

We are looking for a HCPC registered Biomedical Scientist with experience in

Histopathology to join our core laboratory team.

The post holder will participate in the day-to-day workload of the routine
Histology section, under the supervision of the section leader. Depending on
experience and qualification, the post holder will rotate within all sections of the
Department.

Applications are invited for this exciting post within the Department of
Histopathology at King’s College Hospital. The Department of Histopathology
provides a comprehensive, UKAS accredited diagnostic service across South
London and receives specialist referrals from all over the country. The
Department currently processes approximately 25,000 surgical specimens per
year, offering an impressive range of diagnostic techniques including routine
histopathological methods, immunocytochemistry, immunofluorescence,
molecular pathology and a Mohs Micrographic Surgery service.

The successful candidate will join an excellent team providing an efficient and
effective histopathology service to a busy hospital. The ideal candidate should be
highly motivated with good interpersonal skills.

The post holder will handle surgical and post mortem specimens. The post holder
will perform analytical procedures necessary for the histological diagnosis of
disease.

The post holder will liaise with pathologists, clinicians and laboratory staff to
ensure delivery of a professional and efficient diagnostic service.

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 After appropriate training is given, the post holder will be required to participate
in a Moh’s Micrographic surgery frozen section service. The post holder will also
be eligible to participate in the mandatory weekend on-call service.

Tissue Sciences at King's has the privilege to work together with other hospitals
and organisations to form the South London NHS Genomic Medicine Centre which
has been established to help deliver the 100,000 Genome Project to patients and
families with cancer or rare diseases. This will help create a new genomic
medicine service for the NHS which aims to transform the way people are cared
for.

The service is delivered by a dynamic team of 33 Biomedical Scientists and

support staff spread across the Core Laboratory, Advanced Diagnostics sections
and the office. We hold full IBMS training laboratory approval and participate in
multiple external quality assurance schemes and demonstrate a strong
commitment to continual quality improvement. The post holder must have
experience of compliance with standards as required within work duties such as
ISO 15189 (2012) and other relevant professional and legislative bodies.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

1. Organisational and Administrative

a. To plan and organise own work and follow the principles and broad
occupational policies or regulations, adhering to standard operating
procedures and local rules within Histopathology.

b. To give and seek complex scientific, medical and sensitive information

as part of the scientific and communication process of service provision.

c. To attend departmental meetings as required, and to disseminate

information to small groups including students.

2. Scientific and Technical

a. To participate in the diagnostic histopathology service according to local

policies for each area and as appropriate suggest changes to work
practices / procedures within the work to improve patient outcomes.

b. To participate in and advise on the routine histology workload, which

includes a large range of complex (highly specialised) histological and
pathological testing. The areas involved will be specimen reception, biopsy
cut-up, tissue embedding/processing, paraffin section cutting, routine and
special staining procedures. Full training will be provided for frozen
sections including Mohs procedures. Included in the role is rotation
through advanced diagnostics and molecular biology services as required.

c. To maintain professional competency and dexterity in those precision

based specialist and physical tasks, and maintain the levels of
concentration required to maintain a quality service.

d. To ensure the safe use of laboratory equipment and monitor laboratory

consumable stock levels.

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 e. To comply with requests consistent with the grade of Biomedical Scientist
as required by more senior members of staff.

f. To occasionally participate in research and development/clinical trials as

requested.

g. Participate in on-call service.

3. Clinical

a. To undertake specimen descriptions and allocate testing procedures in

consultation with medical staff.

b. To assist with specimen dissections and allocate testing procedures

accordingly.

4. Laboratory Informatics

a. To use information systems, specialist (Winpath) and general software, in

data entry and the collection and interpretation of information to assist in
the provision of laboratory and clinical services.

5. Health and Safety

a. To assist, in conjunction with the Departmental Health & Safety Officer, in

the development and maintenance of the departmental Health & Safety
policies, in accordance with good laboratory practice, the Health and
Safety at Work Act, COSHH regulations and recommended national
guidelines and procedures (including ISO 15189).

b. To ensure all members of staff and visitors are aware of departmental

health and safety policies and that they comply with them.

c. To undertake all tasks that requires repetitive, mental or physical effort

within the boundaries of health and safety policies.

d. To ensure that staff monitor frequent exposure to hazardous

environmental and chemical substances, and follow safe working practices
that limit the daily exposure to biological hazards.

e. To comply with departmental health and safety regulations.

6. Quality

a. To assist the Senior BMS in maintaining high scientific and quality

standards within the section.

b. To participate in all internal and external quality assurance (EQA)

programmes within each section.

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 c. To maintain laboratory equipment following departmental policies and
procedures.

7. Training and Development

a. To supervise and support the Trainee BMS, Associate Practitioners and

Medical Laboratory Assistants within the section.

b. To develop specialist expertise and build on the theoretical and practical

specialist knowledge gained and uses this to assist in the development of
trainee staff.

c. To be committed to continuing professional development.

d. To comply with departmental Training Support policies.

e. To participate in an annual joint review.

General

The post holder may be required to carry out other duties in line with the grading
of the post. The job description may be subject to change and, if so, this will
take place in consultation with the post holder.

Confidentiality
The post holder must maintain the confidentiality of information about patients,
staff and Health Service business in accordance with the Data Protection Act
(2018).

Equal Opportunities
The post holder must at all times carry out his/her responsibilities with regard to
the Equal Opportunities Policy.

Health and Safety

Employees must be aware of the responsibilities placed on them under the Health
and Safety at Work Act (1974), to ensure that agreed safety procedures are
carried out to maintain a safe working environment for patients, visitors and
employees.

Smoking Policy
Viapath is a healthcare organisation and smoking is actively discouraged and is
prohibited in the majority of our locations. Smoking is only permitted in
designated smoking areas.

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 Data Protection Act
Employees must not, without prior permission, disclose any information regarding
patients or staff. In circumstances where it is known that a member of staff has
communicated such information to an unauthorised person, those staff will be
liable to dismissal. Moreover, the Data Protection Act (2018) also renders an
individual liable to prosecution in the event of unauthorised disclosure of
information.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Requirements

(The requirements for a person specification can be divided into the categories
shown below:-)

ESSENTIAL DESIRABLE

 BSc (Hons) in Biomedical  Membership of the

Education Science or equivalent first Institute of Biomedical
Attainment/
Qualifications
degree acceptable to Health Sciences
Professions Council
 HCPC Registration
 Evidence of participation in
continuing professional
development
 Experience and competency in  Use of wide range of
Experience routine histopathology laboratory
required
technical equipment
techniques (including
embedding, microtomy, BMS
transfer and special stains)
 Familiar with Quality and Health
and Safety

 High degree of numeracy  Experience of

 Excellent communication skills, supervision/teaching of
Skills and
Aptitudes/
both written and spoken English support staff
Knowledge/  Good interpersonal and team
Ability working skills
 Excellent organisation and
planning skills
 Familiar with Laboratory
Information Systems

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Author Rakhee Patel Issue date 29/05/18
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Filename PATH-MF-73 Viapath – Recruitment Version 1.1
Job description person spec Appendix
2
Author Rakhee Patel Issue date 29/05/18
Authorised by Mary Fitzgerald Page 6 of 6