Senior Clinical Scientist

Job summary

We are looking to appoint an enthusiastic individual to join our team in the Clinical Biochemistry Department at St George's University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. We have funding for a 1-year fixed-term contract to cover maternity leave. The role will enable your continued development as a Clinical Scientist, build on your broad range of experience in Clinical Biochemistry and provide scientific input into both the core automated and the specialist laboratories of the Biochemistry department, specifically LC-MS/MS and other specialist sections.

Ideally, the post is suitable for a registered Clinical Scientist but we would also welcome applications from candidates who are due to finish STP training by September 2025.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will join our existing friendly team at St George's Hospital, comprising a Consultant Chemical Pathologist, a Consultant Clinical Scientist, three Principal Clinical Scientists, and one Senior Clinical Scientist. You will participate in the clinical advisory and authorisation rota and will be encouraged to develop an area of specialised knowledge. In addition, you will contribute to research, development, and audit relevant to the Clinical Biochemistry service. It is an exciting time to join SWLP with the introduction of new automated equipment and the expansion of the specialist chemistry services. The successful candidate will have opportunities for involvement in a number of network projects related to these service developments.

The Biochemistry Department at St George's Hospital comprises a large, automated laboratory, which currently functions as the GP hub for the South West London Pathology network, and the specialist chemistry laboratories, which perform renal stone analysis, Apo E genotyping, ALP isoenzymes and an increasing repertoire of HPLC and LC-MS/MS assays.

About us

South West London Pathology (SWLP) is an award-winning pathology partnership between four leading Hospital Trusts - St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Croydon Health Services NHS Trust and Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals. The network is designed to provide an integrated, high-quality pathology service for hospitals and GPs across South West London, by bringing together the best of each Trust's service and providing them within a single organisation.

St. George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the regional specialist care provider for South West London, Surrey and beyond. The trust provides a high-quality, comprehensive range of health services from leading-edge tertiary and trauma care to community services. With national and regional referrals added to our local 3.5m catchment, we serve a population of around 5m. We also provide services at Queen Mary's Hospital in Roehampton. These include outpatient rapid diagnostic and treatment facilities, a minor injuries unit, limb fitting services and 70 elderly, intermediate care and rehabilitation beds.

Job description

Job responsibilities

1. To discuss and advise clinicians and other healthcare workers, including senior medical staff, on the interpretation of clinical biochemistry results eg. advice on differential diagnosis, appropriate test selection, monitoring and guidance on therapeutic drug monitoring. This may involve the instigation of additional tests that may be appropriate for an individual patient. In more complex and challenging cases to seek advice of consultant staff in Clinical Biochemistry.

2. To participate in the Duty Biochemist rota, to undertake detailed interpretation, authorisation and reporting of patient results and advising clinical colleagues on the appropriate selection and timing of tests. To deal with all clinical queries arising during this time, referring to Consultant staff when necessary.

3. To attend clinical meetings with other departments and relevant MDTs to provide advice on availability of laboratory investigations and their interpretation.

4. To use knowledge and skills gained to determine the validity of sending samples to external laboratories for analysis where requirements are outside the scope of the laboratory repertoire. To liaise with such laboratories as to the suitability of such samples for analysis.

5. To contribute to the determination of appropriate strategies and guidelines for laboratory investigations in conjunction with laboratory colleagues and after consultation with users of the service.

*Please refer to the attached detailed job description.

Job description
Job responsibilities

1. To discuss and advise clinicians and other healthcare workers, including senior medical staff, on the interpretation of clinical biochemistry results eg. advice on differential diagnosis, appropriate test selection, monitoring and guidance on therapeutic drug monitoring. This may involve the instigation of additional tests that may be appropriate for an individual patient. In more complex and challenging cases to seek advice of consultant staff in Clinical Biochemistry.

2. To participate in the Duty Biochemist rota, to undertake detailed interpretation, authorisation and reporting of patient results and advising clinical colleagues on the appropriate selection and timing of tests. To deal with all clinical queries arising during this time, referring to Consultant staff when necessary.

3. To attend clinical meetings with other departments and relevant MDTs to provide advice on availability of laboratory investigations and their interpretation.

4. To use knowledge and skills gained to determine the validity of sending samples to external laboratories for analysis where requirements are outside the scope of the laboratory repertoire. To liaise with such laboratories as to the suitability of such samples for analysis.

5. To contribute to the determination of appropriate strategies and guidelines for laboratory investigations in conjunction with laboratory colleagues and after consultation with users of the service.

*Please refer to the attached detailed job description.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Honours degree in Biochemistry (or related subject)
• Masters degree in Clinical Biochemistry
• Registration as a Clinical Scientist with Healthcare Professions Council (HCPC)

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Minimum of 3 years working as a Pre-Registration Clinical Scientist
• Experience of participating in research, development and audit

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Experience of general clinical biochemistry service
• Able to demonstrate clinical reasoning and interpretation
• Detailed knowledge of Clinical Biochemistry
• Ability to perform (or at least troubleshoot) complex analytical equipment
• IT skills necessary for the manipulation, management and presentation of laboratory data
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to communicate complex information and results to other healthcare professionals
• Ability to supervise and train more junior members of staff

Other relevant requirements

Essential

• Able to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team and face the challenge of conflicting priorities, concentrate on several aspects of a complex situation with frequent urgent interruptions
• Have a commitment to CPD and professional development
• Ability to concentrate for long periods of time, to carry out tests and authorise results
• Able to work with accuracy and diligence and with attention to detail
• Flexible with respect to meeting service requirements
• Required to use VDU for protracted periods and short periods of light effort
• Required to work in areas of biological risk, frequently exposed to both biological and chemical hazards, contact with bodily fluids and faecal material
• High degree of precision and hand eye co-ordination for use of analytical instrumentation

Person Specification
Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Honours degree in Biochemistry (or related subject)
• Masters degree in Clinical Biochemistry
• Registration as a Clinical Scientist with Healthcare Professions Council (HCPC)

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Minimum of 3 years working as a Pre-Registration Clinical Scientist
• Experience of participating in research, development and audit

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Experience of general clinical biochemistry service
• Able to demonstrate clinical reasoning and interpretation
• Detailed knowledge of Clinical Biochemistry
• Ability to perform (or at least troubleshoot) complex analytical equipment
• IT skills necessary for the manipulation, management and presentation of laboratory data
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to communicate complex information and results to other healthcare professionals
• Ability to supervise and train more junior members of staff

Other relevant requirements

Essential

• Able to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team and face the challenge of conflicting priorities, concentrate on several aspects of a complex situation with frequent urgent interruptions
• Have a commitment to CPD and professional development
• Ability to concentrate for long periods of time, to carry out tests and authorise results
• Able to work with accuracy and diligence and with attention to detail
• Flexible with respect to meeting service requirements
• Required to use VDU for protracted periods and short periods of light effort
• Required to work in areas of biological risk, frequently exposed to both biological and chemical hazards, contact with bodily fluids and faecal material
• High degree of precision and hand eye co-ordination for use of analytical instrumentation

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

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see

Additional information
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 (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see

Employer details

Employer name

St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address

St. George's Hospital

Blackshaw Road

Tooting

SW17 0QT

Employer's website