Senior Biomedical Scientist - Blood Transfusion / Quality Lead

Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job description

Senior Biomedical Scientist - Blood Transfusion / Quality Lead

Employer: Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust

Location: Birmingham, United Kingdom

Salary: Competitive

Closing date: 18 Apr 2025

Job Summary
Birmingham Women's Hospital is seeking a dedicated Senior Biomedical Scientist - Blood Transfusion / Quality Lead to join our dynamic team. As the Blood Transfusion Band 7 and Quality Lead, you will play a pivotal role in overseeing the blood transfusion services, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, and driving quality improvement initiatives. You will work closely with multidisciplinary teams to ensure safe and effective blood management across the hospital.

The successful applicant will be a suitably experienced HCPC registered BMS and have a specialist qualification in Blood Transfusion and hold a MSc degree. Applications are welcome from suitably experienced BMS's who are studying towards an MSc or are willing to complete this study. Good communication and organisational skills are essential for this role. The post holder will also be self-motivated and have the ability to effectively manage a team.

Main Duties of the Job

1. Be responsible for service delivery of the Blood Transfusion laboratory section.
2. Ensure the QMS is maintained in order to achieve accreditation standards for ISO15189 and MHRA/BSQR.
3. Lead audits and performance reviews to ensure quality and safety standards are consistently met.
4. Support major IT projects as directed and agreed by Haematology management team.
5. Monitor transfusion adverse events, conduct investigations and report findings in accordance with regulatory guidelines.
6. Implement and maintain robust quality assurance processes, e.g. review standard operating procedures, perform audits, conduct proficiency testing, and participate in external quality assessment schemes.
7. Maintain an effective working team ethos.
8. Play an active role in managing local HR policies.
9. Hold a high degree of technical competence for all tests performed in Blood Transfusion.
10. Have strong personal resilience and ability to manage and balance personal stress levels to be an effective leader.
11. Train laboratory and clinical colleagues on transfusion medicine principles, safe practices, and emerging technologies in Blood Transfusion.
12. Act as a point of contact for any issues related to Blood Transfusion, offering expert advice and guidance to clinical teams.
13. Out of hours working will be dictated by the needs of the service.

About Us
Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust is the first of its type in the UK. Our Trust was formed in February 2017 to drive forward our commitment to provide the highest quality, world-class physical and mental health care for our women, children and families. Uniting our hospitals means more seamless care; more investment to make greater advances in our specialist treatment and world-leading neo-natal and fetal work. Importantly, it also gives us a greater voice in shaping the future of family-centred care.

Birmingham Children's Hospital is a UK leading specialist paediatric centre with an international reputation in several areas. Birmingham Women's Hospital is one of two dedicated women's hospitals in the UK, with the busiest single site maternity unit, delivering more than 8,200 babies a year offering a full range of gynaecological, maternity and neonatal care.

Forward Thinking Birmingham (FTB) Mental Health Services are a unique, innovative community and inpatient mental health partnership. Alongside partners, FTB offers care pathways of mental health assessment and treatment for young people aged 0-25 years old.

Our Trust is committed to creating the best place to work. We believe in promoting and enhancing inclusion, diversity and equality and encourage applications from all areas of the community, who meet the criteria for the role, regardless of age, gender identity, disability, race, religion or sexual orientation.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Current Registration with Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• IBMS Specialist Portfolio
• MSc Biomedical Sciences or equivalent academic achievement (e.g. FIBMS) ratified by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS), HSD in Blood Transfusion

Desirable

• BBTS qualification in Blood Transfusion
• Quality Management qualification
• Managerial qualification

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• In-depth theoretical understanding of Blood Transfusion.
• Knowledge of Haematology/Transfusion quality management.
• Significant post registration experience in a specialist BMS role in an NHS Haematology laboratory.

Desirable

• Experience of quality assurance and audit practices to UKAS/ISO15189 and BSQR/MHRA standards.

Analytical and Judgement Skills

Essential

• High level of analytical and problem-solving skills when interpreting complex test result data.
• Ability to plan and organise own workflow, prioritise work effectively.
• Excellent organisational skills to ensure smooth running of the laboratory day-to-day activities.

Desirable

• Examples of investigating errors and incidents and performing root cause analysis.
• Examples of equipment and reagent evaluation, validation, and re-verification.
• Knowledge and practical skills in Haematology and Coagulation to cross-cover if required.

Professional / Managerial Knowledge

Essential

• Demonstrate achievements leading to service improvements.
• Ability to effectively supervise bands 5 & 6 and HCSA/MLA grades.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Ability to communicate effectively and sensitively across several formats.
• Teaching and training experience across a range of staff groups.
• High level of personal resilience and ability to manage stress.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

Employer Details
Employer Name: Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Birmingham Women's Hospital, Mindelsohn Way, Birmingham, B15 2TG