Job summary
\*\*\* This vacancy is currently only open to internal applicants at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust \*\*\*

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced, motivated and forward-thinking HCPC-registered Biomedical Scientist to join our Pathology Leadership Team as Microbiology Laboratory Manager.

This is a pivotal leadership role responsible for the operational, professional and strategic management of our Microbiology service. Working closely with Consultant Microbiologists, Pathology senior leaders and multidisciplinary colleagues, you will lead a highly skilled workforce to deliver a safe, high-quality and responsive diagnostic service that supports excellent patient care across Worcestershire.

We are looking for an inspirational leader who is passionate about quality, innovation and continuous improvement. You will play a key role in developing the service, leading change, maintaining regulatory compliance and supporting the future direction of pathology services across the Trust.

Main duties of the job
As Microbiology Laboratory Manager, you will provide day-to-day operational leadership of the department, ensuring the delivery of a safe, efficient and high-quality diagnostic microbiology service.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading and developing a multidisciplinary laboratory workforce, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, learning and staff engagement.
• Ensuring compliance with UKAS accreditation standards, ISO 15189, Health and Safety legislation and all relevant regulatory requirements.
• Managing departmental performance, quality, governance, risk and service improvement initiatives.
• Working collaboratively with Consultant Microbiologists and the wider Pathology Directorate to deliver strategic objectives and modernise services.
• Managing departmental budgets, procurement, contracts, equipment and workforce resources to ensure effective and sustainable service delivery.
• Supporting education, training, workforce development and succession planning across the department.
• Providing visible leadership that promotes high professional standards, innovation and outstanding patient-centred care.

About us
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.

The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester

Our workforce is more than 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.

We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us. Our values, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.

Being open and honest

Ensuring people feel cared for

Showing respect to everyone

We are committed to developing a culture of continuous improvement by embedding the principles of our Improvement System.

We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.

DBS Checks and Costs
Any applicants who are offered posts requiring a DBS check as part of their employment check will have the cost of this check (at the current rate) deducted from their salary. Please see link in Supporting Information section for more details on DBS checks and costs.

Job responsibilities
To be Microbiology Laboratory Manager and hold responsibilities for day to day management and operations of the Microbiology department in accordance with Trust policies and procedures. This includes being responsible for sickness absence, annual leave and payroll.

The post holder is responsible for the line management and supervision (both direct and indirect) of staff within the Microbiology department at different grades.

To co-ordinate laboratory staff and departmental activities in order to guarantee continuous delivery of a high quality service that is responsive to clinical needs and user requirements.

To work in conjunction with the Clinical Head of Department and contribute to the strategic development, planning and delivery of the Microbiology Service.

To be a member of the Pathology Directorate Senior Management team and contribute to the strategic development, planning and delivery of Directorate plans.

To play a lead role within the department and implement service improvements and changes in working practices by responding to the changing demands of the service

To hold financial management responsibilities within the Microbiology department and ensure the budget is well controlled.

To be responsible for the management of resources within the department with an aim of achieving optimum quality and efficiency of service delivery. In doing so to ensure the department holds an asset list and that laboratory equipment is maintained fit for purpose and ready for use.

To ensure appropriate contract management of services and equipment is in place and monitoring of these contracts takes place on a regular basis.

To be responsible for the recruitment and selection of staff in the Microbiology department

To work in conjunction with the departmental Training Officer to provide direction for training of staff within the Microbiology department and to monitor the performance of all staff within all sections of the department.

To be responsible for Health and Safety within the Microbiology department to ensure that the laboratory is a safe and secure working environment, and is maintained in good condition.

To support the quality management team for the department and be responsible for ensuring that the quality management system is implemented and maintained within the Microbiology department to ensure all departmental activities are conducted in accordance with the departmental Quality Management System and work carried out within the department is to clearly defined and nationally recognised high standards.

To actively chair meetings within the Microbiology department to allow monitoring of processes to take plans, information to be disseminated appropriately and action plans to be formulated so the service maintains high levels of quality standards.

To promote a positive learning and working environment for all staff underpinned by the Trust values.

To practice as a Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Registered Specialist Biomedical Scientist in the interests of the department performing routine, advanced and complex procedures / investigations on biological specimens in accordance with Statutory Regulations, Professional Standards, WAH NHS Trust and local Policies & Procedures.

Person Specification
Knowledge and skills
Essential

• High level of knowledge of all aspects of specialist subjects
• Excellent leadership and team working skills
• Good communication, both written and verbal, skills
• Ability to manage the departmental budget including preparation of business plans.
• Ability to manage change
• Knowledge and understanding of Clinical Governance and Risk Management.
• Knowledge and understanding of wider strategic issues affecting Pathology
• Ability to provide professional leadership on County-wide discipline and pathology issues.
• Competent with Microsoft office
• Ability to represent speciality, Pathology and the Profession at local, Regional and National level including involvement with Healthcare Scientists education at Higher Education Institutions.
• Good negotiating skills.
• Good organizational skills.
• Produce accurate and timely work
• Competent with Microsoft office
• Ability to manage change
• Good organizational skills.
• Produce accurate and timely work
• Ongoing participation in CPD

Experience
Essential

• Extensive experience of working in a laboratory at management level.
• Broad knowledge and experience of discipline including the scientific, technical and managerial issues associated with this.
• Experience of UKAS assessments to ISO 15189 and involvement in Quality Management System
• Experience of training Biomedical Scientists
• Evidence of experience at a supervisory/managerial level,
• Demonstrable knowledge of current developments within discipline, both scientific and political.
• Experience of responsibility for HR processes including sickness absence and PDRs.

Desirable

• Project management

Qualifications
Essential

• HCPC State Registered Biomedical Scientist
• Appropriate MSc or FIBMS
• Membership of the IBMS at least to Member level
• Formal Health and Safety qualification

Desirable

• Management qualification
• Chartered Scientist

Personal Qualities
Essential

• Must be able to communicate effectively with other Health Care Professionals.
• An ability to maintain effective working relationships with service users
• Must be able to work as team leader
• Commitment to service improvement, using initiative to develop the service.
• Able to work under pressure / to deadlines
• Able to lone work
• Responds well to change and innovation
• Aware of self-presentation
• Displays enthusiasm and energy.
• Ability to motivate others.

Desirable

• Ability to identify personal development needs.

Other job requirements
Essential

• Able to travel and work at all WAHT sites when required.
• Appropriate handling of confidential information
• Able to undertake some manual handling duties.
• Ability to comply with Trust & Departmental Policies, procedures and Statutory legislation.
• Able to take part in the out of hours rota if required.

Improving Diversity and Inclusive Recruitment
Essential

• As part of the Trust's aim to improve diversity across the Trust, positive action is being taken and all applications for this post from BAME, Disabled and LGBT+ candidates can request to be considered under an expanded Guaranteed Interview Scheme, if they meet the minimum criteria as specified in the person specification for this role. Here you can declare if you wish to be considered under this expanded Guaranteed Interview Scheme and this response would be visible to the Shortlisting Panel.

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 (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).