Biomedical Scientist B5/6 Microbiology

Stockport; Stockport; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave 27-33 days + bank

Salary sacrifice schemes

Cycle to work

Salary finance

Stockport Credit Union

Job summary

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Specialist Biomedical Scientist (Band 5/6) to join the Microbiology Department at Stepping Hill Hospital. The post is 22.5 hours per week with a requirement to participate in on-call and shift rotas.

The department is accredited to UKAS:ISO 15189 and IBMS portfolios. You will work within a busy team, supporting urgent and routine microbiology testing, with responsibilities spanning culture, microscopy, and susceptibility testing.

Qualifications

• HCPC registration is required.
• Willing to start Specialist Portfolio or have equivalent experience.
• Experience working with LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) is expected.

Responsibilities

• Perform microbiological processing and direct microscopy of clinical samples.
• Examine culture plates for pathogenic organisms and carry out routine and specialist diagnostic testing.
• Perform antibiotic testing of pathogens following SOPs.
• Microscopic examination for infertility investigation screening.
• Maintain quality of work and perform quality control procedures.
• Submit test results for internal and national Quality Control Schemes.

Skills

Team working

Plan and organise

Lone working

Education

HCPC registered

Specialist portfolio readiness

Job description

From the exceptional opportunities we offer, to the remarkable care we provide for our patients, we think there is something special about working here.

There are lots of good reasons to choose to come and work at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust. A dynamic integrated Trust with integrity and vision. Exactly the same qualities you’ll see in yourself. Stockport NHS Foundation Trust aims to be the organisation of choice for patients and an employer of choice for staff. In order to continually improve all aspects of our patient experience, we rely upon having a highly skilled, motivated, diverse, productive and patient focused workforce.

Stockport Foundation Trust is one of four ‘specialist’ hospital sites in Greater Manchester. Being a ‘specialist’ hospital will enhance our general surgery, anaesthetics, critical care and emergency medicine for the benefit of people in Stockport, High Peak, Cheshire and across Greater Manchester.

In your application for this post, please describe how your experience and skills align with 'Our values-based behaviours' ( see additional documentation) and provide examples.

Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment

As well as recognising previous NHS service, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust is a member of the Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment. If you are currently employed by Greater Manchester Local Authority, Combined Authority, GMFRS, TfGM as well as other public service organisations, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust will recognise your previous service for sickness and maternity/paternity/adoption entitlement and also for annual leave purposes (providing there has been no break in service). If you currently work for one of the above organisations and successfully apply for a post with Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, please ensure the Recruitment team are aware so that this service is reflected in your contract of employment.

Job overview

Microbiology Department, Pathology Department, Stepping Hill Hospital

Specialist Biomedical Scientist Band 5/6

Hours: 22.5 hours per week

An opportunity has become available to work with Stockport Pathology Microbiology Department. The post is 22.5 hours per week and the successful candidate will need to participate in the on call and shift work rotas.

Please note - this vacancy may close early if we receive a large volume of applications

Main duties of the job

Applications are invited from a suitably qualified, motivated and enthusiastic person to join our busy, friendly team in the Microbiology Department based at Stepping Hill Hospital

Applicants must possess or be working towards the Specialist Portfolio in Microbiology or have significant experience of working within a Clinical Microbiology Department.

The successful candidate will be required to participate in the emergency on-call rota

Participation in a weekend /late/ early working and bank holiday rota is essential. The following shifts are worked on a rotational basis: 8:00am to 4.20 pm, 9:00am to 5.20 pm, and 12pm to 8pm.

Core working hour’s pattern is 7.5 hours per day Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.20pm (with a 50 minute unpaid break).

The department is accredited to UKAS:ISO 15189 and has IBMS approval for the registration and specialist portfolios

Working for our organisation

We hold a unique position in the Stockport community as the provider of healthcare and we are one of its largest employers.

Our mission is to make a difference every day. Our values are that we care, we respect, and we listen

We believe that the best organisations are those that reflect the communities they serve. We are therefore seeking to improve the diversity of our workforce to make it truly representative of our local population.

We actively encourage applications irrespective of race, age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage & civil partnership, or pregnancy or maternity. Recognising those communities that are underrepresented within our workforce, we would particularly welcome applications from you.

We recognise that flexible working is important. We take requests for flexible working seriously, consider any request we receive and try to work with you, so we can explore if your request may fit with the needs of the service.

The salary for the role is only one part of the excellent package of benefits we offer to you:

• Between 27-33 days of annual leave plus bank holidays
• Salary sacrifice schemes for lease cars, home electronics and more, to make your salary go further
• Cycle to work scheme
• Salary finance – for loans, savings, budget planning and tips on managing debt
• Stockport Credit Union– for local financial advice

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To perform microbiological processing and direct microscopy of clinical samples.
• To examine culture plates for the presence of pathogenic organisms and to carry out routine and specialist diagnostic testing to identify and confirm recognised pathogens.
• To perform antibiotic testing of pathogens following departmental standard operating procedures.
• To perform microscopic examination for infertility investigation screening
• To maintain a high quality of work within the Department and perform quality control procedures
• To submit test results as required for the purpose of internal and national Quality Control Schemes
• To operate as a lone worker for the department - outside core hours, at weekends and on late night rotas and be required to report clinically significant results directly to hospital staff.

The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment and promote safeguarding by implementing the Trust’s policies and procedures, acting promptly on concerns, communicating effectively and sharing information appropriately.

• If successful this vacancy will require a Standard DBS check at a cost of £21.90. This cost will be deducted from your first Trust salary

In addition to this it will be a condition of your employment that you will join the DBS update service and pay the annual subscription fee of £13.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Must be HCPC registered
• Willing to start Specialist portfolio or have equivalent experience
• Experience working with LIMS

Knowledge

• Aware of current developments in Biomedical Science/ have recent CPD
• Knowledge of UKAS:ISO 15189
• Knowledge of a document control system

Experience

• Previous NHS experience
• Be working as a state registered BMS

Skills

• Evidence of team working
• Ability to plan and organise own work
• experience of lone working

Work related

• Able to handle clincical samples
• Willing to work out of hours

Applicants are encouraged to read the documents attached to this vacancy before applying, including the job description and person specification and the information for applicants which includes useful information to assist you in completing your application.

Please note that all correspondence will be via your NHS Jobs account. Unfortunately we are not able to acknowledge each application. If you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date, please consider that you have not been shortlisted on this occasion. Please also note that Stockport NHS Foundation Trust are unable to refund Interview expenses or re-location costs.

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust is committed to promoting and championing a culture of diversity, fairness and equality for all applicants and employees. Applications are welcomed from all backgrounds and we strive to reflect the community we serve in our diverse workforce. Our "two tick" kite mark guarantees a candidate with a disability, who fulfills the essential criteria, an interview at the Trust. We can make reasonable adjustments, and offer support and advice in a variety of ways on request.

At the Trust we always adhere to the UK Visas and Immigration rules pertaining to right to work; candidates who do not hold UK or Republic of Ireland (RoI) citizenship are required to obtain a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to be eligible to apply for either a Health and Care visa or Skilled Worker visa which allows them to work in the UK, unless they have eligibility to work in the UK via another route.

To avoid disappointment, candidates wishing to apply for a role at the Trust who do not hold UK or Republic of Ireland citizenship and who would require a CoS from an employer, should carry out a self-assessment process to identify the likelihood of obtaining CoS by visiting Work in the UK .

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
If you choose to use AI when writing a job application, it is essential to personalise the content, particularly the supporting statement. AI cannot fully understand the specific context or requirements of a role and may generate inaccurate or misleading information. Over ‑ reliance on AI can reduce an applicant’s chances of success, as it cannot effectively demonstrate how individual knowledge, experience, and skills meet the job criteria. Applicants should ensure their statements reflect a personal voice and avoid a generic or robotic tone.
Please note that we monitor the use of AI in applications. Applicants who use AI are required to declare this as part of the application process.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.