Job Description

We are seeking an enthusiastic Clinical Scientist (Synnovis Pay Band 7) to join the Biochemical Sciences department at Synnovis. This role offers an excellent opportunity to work within an experienced and motivated team providing a comprehensive diagnostic service for inherited metabolic diseases (IMDs).

Mass Spectrometry underpins much of the department's work:

diagnosis and monitoring of inherited metabolic diseases including purine metabolism; the delivery of newborn screening for the southeast Thames region; and selected therapeutic drug monitoring. The department is equipped with tandem mass spectrometers, gas chromatography-mass spectrometers and high-performance liquid chromatography analysers.



The successful candidate will be based in the inherited metabolic disease laboratory and potentially also the newborn screening laboratory, supporting the continued delivery and development of these specialist services. The post involves close collaboration with scientists, clinicians and other healthcare professionals providing valuable exposure to the clinical application of laboratory science and the management of patients with metabolic disorders.



Clinical scientist candidates who will soon obtain registration are welcome to apply. Attainment of FRCPath part 1 is encouraged and supported by Synnovis.



You will hold a variety of accountabilities in the laboratory environment. These include, but are not limited to:



Day-to-day responsibility for the provision of a range of clinical, technical and scientific diagnostic activities, including interpretation and clinical validation of results; communicating complex information and advice that will aid and determine clinical diagnosis.



Supervise and provide specialised training to less experienced employees, students, trainees and other healthcare professionals



Undertake research in your own field under the direction of more senior clinical scientist colleagues, contributing to the development of specialist investigations, identifying better ways of working and finding efficiencies in service delivery.



Participate in research activities and publications; attend and present at regional, national and international meetings. Spend a proportion of time focused on quality and UKAS orientated activities, service development and technical and clinical validation of results.

You will have a suite of learning opportunities available through The ACCE competencies programme, the Scientific Learning and Development Fund and the Synnovis Academy through which you can receive funding / support for advanced qualifications.



Through our Innovation Accelerator Fund, you can apply for finance to get that new innovative scientific project off the ground, and participate with the wider scientific community through symposiums, conferences and other peer group meetings.



At Synnovis, we are currently shaping the future of pathology services by creating a world-leading Hub and Spoke pathology network with our NHS partners. A large part of this modernisation will involve moving 70% of our services to a purpose built, state of the art Hub laboratory in the heart of London. For now, the job you are applying for will be based at one of our hospital sites however, from 1 April 2024 our people and services will start to move to our Hub laboratory in Blackfriars, Southwark, SE1, with some work remaining in refurbished essential services laboratories across our hospital network, focusing on the rapid turnover of urgent tests. Please do ask your recruiting manager if you wish to find out more.



What you will do



You will hold a variety of accountabilities in the laboratory environment. These include, but are

not limited to:

Day-to-day responsibility for the provision of a range of clinical, technical and scientific

diagnostic activities, including interpretation and clinical validation of results;



communicating complex information and advice that will aid and determine clinical



diagnosis.



Supervise and provide specialised training to less experienced employees, students,

trainees and other healthcare professionals



Undertake research in your own field under the direction of more senior clinical scientist

colleagues, contributing to the development of specialist investigations, identifying better



ways of working and finding efficiencies in service delivery.



Participate in research activities and publications; attend and present at regional, national

and international meetings.



Spend a proportion of time focused on quality and UKAS orientated activities, service

development and technical and clinical validation of results.



Key Responsibilities



Maintain standards of conduct required by the HCPC to practice as a registered Clinical



Scientist.



Perform investigations in line with local Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) including

but not limited to result authorisation, ordering follow-up laboratory procedures, initiating



actions, escalating results when required.



Perform necessary action on the Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS),

ensuring all Information Governance (IG) requirements are met.



Communicate complex results, including making clinical and differential judgements

involving complicated facts or situations that impact on patients. This will include



exchanging specialist information with colleagues from your own and other disciplines.



Provide specialist expertise and technical advice to other laboratory and clinical colleagues

as required and within limits of competency.



Participate in the strategic development and service improvement of the analytical service,

being responsible for the implementation of new techniques, equipment, and tests,



including all verification and validation work. Where necessary this may include analysing



clinical trial samples.



Keep up to date with new developments by regular literature reviews and attendance at

relevant conferences.



Undertake research projects in specialised area in collaboration or as requested by

Principal or Consultant Clinical Scientists. Ensure outcomes from research and



development are placed in the public domain by publication and presentation at relevant



local, national and international conferences.



Ensure all incidents and events are correctly reported by junior staff in Q-Pulse quality

management database and other relevant software and support them in learning quality



procedures and investigations.



In conjunction with the Quality team, monitor, report and action errors, hazards, and

incidents logged in the CAPA module of Q-Pulse. This may include taking part in



investigations of incidents and providing expert insight into making improvements based



on outcomes.



Participate in appropriate clinical audits and take part in all Continuous Quality

Improvement (CQI) activity in your area.



Monitor, and report on EQA and IQC procedures and be responsible for corrective action

on problems that have been identified.



Ensure compliance with all legislative and quality requirements of regulatory directives,

accreditation bodies, and local management including:

Care Quality Commission UKAS Synnovis policies and SOPs Any other body in area of responsibility. Prepare statistical reports for use in meetings, quality assurance, and development events. Develop, prepare, write, and review relevant documents, including SOPs, COSHH and

risk assessments in line with the ISO 15189 standard.



Provide supervision for employees, including participating in the departmental clinical rota,

potentially including out of hours cover.



Ensure that all Synnovis policies and procedures are implemented and maintained. Encourage junior employees in their scientific expertise, knowledge and professional

development, including the safe use of highly complex and sensitive equipment.



Deliver training and supervision of less experienced colleagues in your area of specialism. Demonstrate professionalism, patience and empathy when explaining complex subjects,

and in particular when communicating with people who do not share same level of



knowledge or understanding.



Attend, and where required, chair regular departmental meetings and contribute to

effective communication within the department.



Work closely with Operations Manager to ensure stock inventory compliance. Deputise for the Principal or Consultant Clinical Scientist including attendance at meetings,

as required.



Take part in CPD activities to ensure that your practices and knowledge are always

relevant and up to date to your specific area.



Synnovis is a pathology partnership between SYNLAB UK and Ireland, and the NHS, including sites, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, to deliver and transform pathology services across South East London.



The partnership provides services to 1.7 million people living in South East London, as well as to hundreds of thousands of patients from outside the region who use local healthcare services.



The partnership provides diagnostics, testing and digital pathology for hospital trusts, GP services and other healthcare providers.



The hub is an eight-storey building, and we are working across 10 floors including the ground and lower ground floors. Synnovis' corporate function operates from the hub on the 8th floor, above the laboratories underneath. This is a total net internal area of almost 10,000m squared across the 10 floors.



Based in Blackfriars, it's less than a 5 minute walk from Southwark Tube or Blackfriars station and nestled closely to a vast array of entertainment and fabulous places to dine, relax and meet people.