Pathology Quality Manager

at  East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

East Lancashire Hospitals has an exciting opportunity for a Quality Manager to join the team within its Clinical Laboratory Medicine directorate.
Your primary responsibility will be to coordinate the Governance process (Health and Safety, Risk Management and Quality Management) in collaboration with the CLM management team. You will work closely with the Directorate Manager, Clinical Leads and Operational Leads to ensure the effective management and use of the quality management system.

YOUR GENERAL DUTIES WILL INCLUDE:

• ensuring the effective management of the Quality Management system (Q-Pulse)
• compliance to the laboratory’s audit schedule
• overseeing incident reports and assisting with investigation
• risk management and corrective and preventative actions (CAPA)
• assist in establishing and monitoring Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• departments maintenance of accreditation.
  You will be registered with the HCPC and have extensive post registration experience as a Biomedical Scientist within a relevant specialty. You will hold an MSc or equivalent, in Biomedical Science or related field and will ideally have experience of quality management and/or governance activities. A Quality Management qualification would be desirable.
  The principal responsibility will be to lead the directorate Quality Management System. The jobholder will contribute towards overall service improvement by participation in and the implementation of departmental policy development and by active participation in a range of governance procedures consistent with Trust policies.
  The job holder will be required to participate in the training of support, scientific and medical staff in matters of Governance and Quality
  Clinical Laboratory Medicine (CLM) encompasses specialist testing within the disciplines of Biochemistry, Haematology, Transfusion, Microbiology and Cellular Pathology.
  We support clinical services across two major hospitals in Blackburn and Burnley, plus a large number of Primary care practices across East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen areas.
  The directorate holds UKAS accreditation to ISO15189:2012 in Blood Sciences, Microbiology and Cellular Pathology.
  For an informal discussion regarding the role, please contact Dayle Squires, Directorate Manager on 07584 738369 Mon-Fri 9am to 5pm.

Job responsibilities

• To be responsible for the management and coordination of the Health and Safety, Risk Management and Quality Management activities of the directorate.
• To perform management functions for a directorate providing a clinical technical service from two sites
• To plan and implement, in consultation with other managers, changes to policies affecting the service of the department
• To gain new knowledge through experience, formal study and participation in relevant training schemes
• To remain competent in established procedures and to develop new skills subject to the requirements of the service
• To work independently when and as required by the service
• To communicate clearly and effectively whether orally, graphically or electronically
• To present information to large groups of staff
• To input, manage, extract and interpret patient data using the laboratory computer system
• To demonstrate relevant tasks to others as appropriate
• To contribute to the training of support, technical, scientific and medical staff
• To be familiar with and to adhere to the Pathology Quality Policy and Quality Manual and to contribute actively towards the improvement of service quality by participation in relevant discussions with other team members
• To contribute actively towards the improvement of general service quality by participation in relevant discussions with other managers and team leaders
• To participate actively in other people governance procedures that are consistent with Trust HR policies
• To take account of changes in service delivery by demonstrating a flexible approach to work

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

• To contribute towards the general management and development of the department.
• To assist in management of risk, ensuring compliance with regulations and national or local policies
• To be responsible for management and coordination of the directorate Quality Management System, including maintaining the operational structure of the system, systems for document control, audits, incidents, etc.
• To be responsible for delivery of teaching/training of laboratory staff in all aspects of quality management
• Assist Senior managers with incident reporting and investigation including reporting incidents to relevant external bodies (e.g. MHRA, RIDDOR)
• Manage the Departments participation in external quality assessment schemes including assessment of reports received from these external bodies
• Produce Quality reports on the Departments performance in relation to the Quality Management system (including performance quality indicators)
• The Quality Manager is empowered to act independently within their sphere of responsibility
• To communicate information, to both clinical and non-clinical staff in the directorate.
• To ensure that systems and process are in place and followed that enables the department to manage both risk and Health and Safety.
• To maintain registered status as a Biomedical Scientist with the HCPC
• To be conversant with current legislation and statutory requirements relating to the Governance system
• To actively participate in the laboratory quality assurance and risk management programmes
• To plan and manage the laboratory audit processes, including
• Devise audit calendar, manage the audit programme adjusting the calendar to reflect actual activity and the need for re-audits
• Train staff in audit techniques
• Prepare the audit checklists and documentation with on going evaluation of suitability based on feedback from auditors and auditees
• Participate as an auditor
• Manage the resolution of non-compliances (corrective action, root cause analysis and preventive action); coordinating other senior staff where the action required is within their remit and taking direct responsibility for non conformances with QMS.
• Report on the effectiveness of the audit process