Job Description

We have an exciting opportunity to join the blood transfusion practitioner team with Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.



Please note we reserve the right to close this vacancy prior to the closing date once the required number of suitable applications have been received



"Please note, for Secondment roles before an application is submitted, please ensure you have received the appropriate approval and completed documentation required beforehand, as this may delay the process if an offer was to be made."



The post-holder will encourage, promote and facilitate the implementation of Patient Blood Management across the Trust in accordance with current legislation (e.g., European directive on blood component traceability).



The post holder will develop, deliver, record, and audit the effectiveness of educational packages that involve all groups of staff associated with Blood Transfusion.



T he post holder will work closely with the Trust Transfusion Team to monitor practice, identify, and solve problems, audit and report on findings. The role plays a key part in the Trust risk management strategy and its commitment to Clinical Governance.



It is aimed at making blood transfusion safer, and promoting the appropriate use of blood, and thereby avoiding unnecessary use of blood in clinical settings. Both key aims will be delivered through a combination of approaches detailed in this job profile.

The focus of the post involves:

q Facilitating changes in clinical practice to ensure blood use is appropriate.



q Facilitating changes in practice to ensure safety.



q Auditing practice and assessing effectiveness.



q Educating and training medical and nursing staff.



q Actively researching and promoting alternatives to blood transfusion/donor blood.



q Reducing the amount of money spent on blood and blood products.



q Risk management.



q Health and safety.



We manage three major locality hospitals at North Tyneside, Wansbeck and Hexham, plus a number of smaller community hospitals and clinics from Tynemouth to Berwick on Tweed, covering one of the largest geographical areas of any NHS trust in the country. Leading in innovation and quality - opening a state of the art Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital, the first of its kind in England. Do you want to work in one of the best performing NHS organisations in England? Work in an organisation that supports its staff and focuses on staff experience as much as it does the experience of its patients? You can live and breathe in an area that has the cleanest air, cost effective living, great nightlife, some of the best schools with a wealth of history available on your doorstep. Sound too good to be true? Well it isn't, this is what you get when you work for Northumbria Healthcare, this is the Northumbria Way! Please read 'applicant guidance notes' before submitting your application.



1. Communications and Relationships



Maintain a close working relationship with the Consultant Haematologists on all sites and the other members of the Trust Transfusion Committee. Work closely with other Trust Transfusion Team members. Communicate effectively with medical, nursing, laboratory and support staff, patients, and carers. Provide specialist advice to medical, nursing & laboratory staff, patients, and carers. Understand technical and medical terminology. Develop and maintain links with audit and educational staff within the Trust. Develop and maintain links with transfusion link nurses across the Trust. Communicate complex information when training to a wide range of staff at all levels on an individual and group basis.

2. Knowledge, Skills, Training and Experience



Registered General Nurse or HCPC State Registered Biomedical Scientist. Educated to degree level or equivalent. Substantial post registration experience, with demonstrable advanced knowledge and training to postgraduate diploma level Must participate in Continual Professional Development to maintain standards in accordance with the NMC Code of Professional Practice or Health and Care Professions Council. Attend appropriate training and education to achieve and maintain competencies in line with service developments and develop their expertise. Comply with all local and national standards of work practice e.g., United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) Maintain an awareness of new developments and technologies as appropriate. Knowledge of Trust Policies and Procedures. Maintain confidentiality of information relating to patients. Excellent time management, interpersonal and organisational skills Confident IT and keyboard skills, including the use of word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software. Effective presentation and communication skills with all levels of staff from different professional backgrounds. Previous teaching/audit experience.

3. Analytical Skills



Undertakes incident investigation and assessment. Analyse information related to untoward incidents and produce recommendations for action. Assist ward staff in the assessment and interpretation of complex patient needs related to blood transfusion e.g., risk of TACO

4. Planning & Organisational Skills



Plan training and education events Plan and deliver statutory and mandatory training to meet requirements for Trust compliance. Plan own diary/workload to make efficient use of time and resources and ensure defined targets are met.

5. Physical Skills



Keyboard skills essential Required to drive to all sites within the Trust as required. Required to use projection/multi-media equipment and e-learning resources

6. Patient/Client care



Communicate effectively with laboratory staff and other healthcare colleagues. Provide education and support relevant to the transfusion process to nursing, medical and support staff and patients and carers. In association with the Trust Transfusion Committee, to plan, implement and evaluate clinical audit/clinical effectiveness projects in relation to blood and blood component use within the Trust and disseminate results to appropriate staff groups by report/presentation. Liaise with blood bank clinicians and managers to implement, monitor and evaluate the effect of interventions aimed at reducing losses and wastage of blood and blood components with consequent savings. Contribute to the development and dissemination of evidence-based local transfusion guidelines and policies with the aim of achieving level 2 compliance in the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts with specific regard to mandatory training of staff involved in the collection and administration of blood. Assist in the reporting of incident to Serious Hazards of Transfusion reporting scheme and MHRA and dissemination of the Annual Report. Provide appropriate feedback following incidents. Assist in the counselling and retraining of staff involved in transfusion errors or near miss events. Deliver training of staff involved in the care of patients receiving blood components, to individualise patient care, in collaboration with the Consultant Haematologists based on best practice guidelines. Assist in clinical research trials in relation to blood transfusion and alternative therapies based upon good clinical research practice. Continually assess achievements and undertakings to gauge the impact of this post. Support the production of the annual MHRA compliance report.

7. Policy & Service Development



Propose, comment on, and implement, new or amended policies or procedures relating to Blood Transfusion, in line with new developments and national guidelines. These changes may impact on other areas. Adhere to Trust policies with regard to Risk Assessments and Health & Safety, including compliance with COSHH regulations. Adhere to Trust Security and Confidentiality protocols. Attend all relevant meetings as necessary.

8. Financial & Physical Resources



Responsible for the safe use of equipment by themselves and others.

9. Human Resources



Responsible for providing effective training and the education of medical, nursing and support staff in relation to the transfusion process

10. Information Resources



Complies with local and national policies for the safe, secure, and confidential processing, and storage of patient and other laboratory information. Uses the Laboratory Information System (LIMS) according to authorised protocols. Ensure that records are kept up to date and stored safely to ensure compliance with good work practices required for the standards of UKAS. Maintains records of training and assessments.

11. Research & Development



Participate in regular audit meetings and implements recommended changes. Participate in research and development as required. Participate in clinical audits, trials and external research projects related to Blood Transfusion as required.

12. Freedom to Act



Be accountable for own professional actions as lead specialist. Guided by national and local policies. Implement, and comment on, Trust Policies and Standard Operating Procedures. Organise own workload to achieve the objectives of efficient and effective patient care. * Comply with good work practices required for the standards of UKAS and MHRA including Health and Safety.