North Bristol NHS Trust

Job Description
Job Details

Job Title: Associate Genetic Technologist

Grade: 4

Department: Genetics

Directorate: Core Clinical Services

Location/Base: Pathology Sciences, Southmead Hospital

Job Summary

To undertake technical duties required to support scientific teams in the provision of an effective
and high quality Genetics Service to patients, in accordance with National and professional
standards.

Under direction, from technical and scientific section leads

1) to perform pre-analytical and basic analytical work for a range of routine work.

2)To provide pre-analytical and analytical support in order to introduce new developments in
disease diagnosis

3)To undertake personal training and development appropriate to the position

The specific duties carried out will depend on the allocated area of work

Staff are expected to be flexible and to work in any area of the department as required subject to
training and service need.

Organisation Chart/Accountability
Knowledge, Training, Experience And Skills Required

 A foundation degree in a relevant science, or equivalent.

 Undertake further training as required, including completion of in-house competence log book.
 Knowledge of Trust and laboratory polices, codes of practice and professional guidelines
 Knowledge of health and safety issues pertinent to laboratory work.
 Knowledge of departmental IT systems and appropriate automated software packages.
 Experience of staff training.
 Previous experience of laboratory work, including experience of analytical procedures.
 Able to work proficiently in all sections, and with all test procedures.
 Practical and appropriate theoretical knowledge of genetic techniques and their clinical
applications

Main Duties & Responsibilities Of The Post

SECTION 6 – MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POST

Staff

 To assist in the training and teaching of trainee and other junior staff as directed by Scientific
staff.

 To participate in staff appraisal according to Trust policies and procedures.

Laboratory

 To provide technical support for the laboratory under the direction of the technical or scientific
leads.
 To perform basic genetic analyses under supervision on patients referred for a range of genetic
disorders as directed, to enable reporting time targets to be met.

 To receive and process samples submitted to the Department in accordance with laboratory
policies and protocols.

 To analyse the results of tests for which he/she is responsible, recording results on worksheets,
on result sheets in patient files, and on the laboratory database.

 To perform automated and manual techniques on diagnostic test samples in acccordance with
Departmental Standard Operating Procedures including quality assurance

 To provide technical support for research and development projects as required.

 To generate internal reports for basic test results, prior to checking and authorisation by
appropriate Scientific Staff.

 To participate in risk management of the department including error reporting.

 To participate in work rotation as required, in order to cover a range of disorders and all
techniques employed in the department.

 To personally organise allocated work.

 To maintain a high level of professional competence in the performance of all tests and
investigations carried out in the section.

 To accurately prepare, maintain and document adequate supplies of reagents and

consumables.

 To ensure the efficient and safe use of consumables within own working area.

 To be responsible for the day to day maintenance and cleanliness of the equipment with which
he/she is working.

 To participate in internal and external quality control procedures.

 To participate in quality assurance procedures, including maintenance records and corrective

actions.

 To participate in audit as required, relating to numbers and failure rates of tests.

 Work in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures developed for use in the
Department. Assist in the development and review of these as required.

 To abide by all Codes of Practice, Safety Regulations, statutory requirements and operational
policies of the department and the service.

 To perform other duties as appropriate to the grade and as requested by senior scientific staff

Communication
 To communicate with other members of the technical team to provide effective cover for work.

IM&T
 To assist, as is necessary, in recording and maintaining all necessary manual and
computerised records of the Department

 To use automated analysis equipment and software packages

Professional

 To participate in continued professional development, by attending in-house or external training

sessions as appropriate, and maintaining personal training records as required.

 To participate in any national technical training initiatives as appropriate.

Working Conditions / Effort

 The post holder is laboratory based, with time spent in all areas of the Department.
 Keeping a wide range of techniques optimised and working on a daily basis.
 Requirement to wear personal protective equipment e.g. gloves, goggles, etc. as supplied.
 Frequent exposure to blood and other body fluids/tissues including potentially infective and
known high risk material.
 Exposure to ionising radiation, hazardous chemicals, genetically manipulated micro-
organisms and ultra-violet light, on a daily basis.
 Regularly preparing DNA from valuable, potentially unrepeatable samples
 Transport of samples and equipment and consumables.
 Occasional use of needles, scalpels, etc., with potential risk of exposure to sharps injury.
 Frequent extended periods of VDU usage required for data analysis.
 Performance of repetitive tasks required.
 Long periods of sitting/standing in fixed positions at instrumentation, and laboratory benches
required.
 Regular use of equipment that can expose the worker to high or very low temperatures.
 Manual handling including lifting boxes and waste bags on a daily basis.
 Required to concentrate for long periods at technically demanding procedures.
 Meeting urgent deadlines under supervision, on a regular basis.
 Occasional identification of sensitive and distressing results, e.g. prenatal diagnosis of foetal
abnormality.
 Occasional out of hours working for urgent samples under supervision

NBT Cares. It’s a very simple statement; one which epitomises how everybody
across our organisation goes the extra mile to ensure our patients get the best
possible care.
NBT Cares is also an acronym, standing for caring, ambitious, respectful and
supportive – our organisational values.
And our NBT Cares values are underpinned by our positive behaviours
framework – a framework that provides clear guidance on how colleagues can
work with one another in a constructive and supportive way.
Improving the patient experience through your work

Patients are the most important people in the health service and are at the centre of what we do.
Patients and carers are the ‘experts’ in how they feel and what it is like to live with or care for someone
with a particular illness or condition. The patients’ experience of our services should guide the way
we deliver services and influence how we engage with patients every day in our work.

All staff should communicate effectively in their day to day practice with patients and should support
and enable patients/carers to make choices, changes and influence the way their treatment or care
is provided. All staff, managers and Board members should work to promote effective patient, carer
and public involvement in all elements of their work

We have a duty to involve, engage and consult with patients, carers and families about plans for
health facilities and the provision of our services. North Bristol NHS Trust wholeheartedly embraces
the principles of patient partnership and has made clear its commitment to involve patients in key
aspects of its work.

Infection control

Compliance with all infection control policies and procedures will form an integral part of the practice
of all staff working in a clinical environment. Each staff member will be responsible for familiarising
themselves with the Infection Control Manual in the clinical areas and on LINK the Trust’s Intranet
site. Staff must keep up to date with new policies and subsequent implementation in practice.

Staff must seek support and advice from Infection Control in all instances where cross infection is
likely to have occurred or when managing situations involving patients with infections where guidance
provided in the Policies is not applicable.

All staff must contact the Occupational Health Dept if they are suffering from any form of infection
which may put patients and other staff at risk.

Commitment to health and safety, no smoking, equal opportunities and harassment

and bullying

Health and Safety/Security

It is the duty of every employee to work in such a way that accidents to themselves and to others are
avoided, and to co-operate in maintaining their place of work in a tidy and safe condition, thereby
minimising risk. Employees will, therefore, refer any matters of concern through their respective line
managers. Similarly, it is each person’s responsibility to ensure a secure environment and bring any
breaches of security to the attention of their managers.
Commitment to health and safety, no smoking, equal opportunities and harassment
and bullying (cont.)

No-Smoking Policy

As an NHS employer, the Trust has a duty to its staff and patients to protect them from the health
hazard that smoking represents. Consequently, in line with the public health white paper, Choosing
Health, the current policy will be that smoking will not be permitted anywhere on Trust property
including all buildings, grounds and within leased/owned vehicles of the Trust. This applies to all staff,
patients and visitors of the Trust. Failure by staff to comply with this requirement may result
in recourse to the disciplinary procedure. Employees also have a responsibility to remind members
of the public, visitors and other staff to refrain from smoking on Trust premises and to inform the
appropriate manager if they witness repeat non-compliance.

Equal Opportunities

North Bristol NHS Trust has given its full commitment to the adoption and promotion of the key
principles of equal opportunities contained within current legislation and the Trust’s Equal
Opportunities Policy.

All staff hold personal responsibility for the application of this policy on a day-to-day basis and should
not undertake any acts of discriminatory practice during the course of their employment. Similarly,
all staff have a responsibility to highlight any potentially discriminatory practice to their line manager,
human resources department or trade union/professional associations.

Copies of the Equal Opportunities Policy are available in the Personnel Policies and Procedures
file in every department and on the intranet.

Harassment and Bullying

We believe that all people, whether staff, patients or visitors, are entitled to an environment in which
the dignity of the individual is respected.

We are also firmly committed to promoting an organisational culture which values diversity and
equality of opportunity and to preventing discrimination in all aspects of its employment practices
and services. We regard harassment and bullying as totally unacceptable forms of behaviour that
will not be tolerated or condoned.
Confidentiality and freedom of information

Information relating to patients’ records, diagnosis and/or treatment of patients, staff records, or
information concerning contracts, tenders and other commercially sensitive matters etc. are
considered to be confidential and must not be divulged without prior authority other than in
accordance with the provisions of the Trust’s Policy on raising concerns about Health Care Services
as may be amended from time to time. Breaches of confidentiality will result in disciplinary action,
and may result in dismissal. Managers are also required as a condition of this Contract to represent
the views of the Trust in any dealing they may have with Trust employees, their representatives, the
media, general public or other organisations in which he/she may come into contact.

However, as a public body, the Trust has a requirement to publish particular information. Therefore,
in addition to the above confidentiality requirements you must also comply with all aspects of the law
concerned with information handling. For this purpose, the relevant legislation is the Freedom of
Information Act 2000. This Act places a legal duty on all staff to comply with the rights of the public
to access information. Any altering, destroying or concealing of information held by the Trust with the
intention of preventing the legitimate disclosure of all or part of that information will result in
disciplinary action, and may result in dismissal.

Safeguarding

North Bristol Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young
people and adults and to protecting them from all risks of harm. The organisation expects all staff to
work to national and local children and adult safeguarding policies and procedures. The trust
expects all staff and volunteers to be dementia aware and to support the care of people with
dementia. All staff are expected to share this commitment and meet the competencies relevant to
their role.

Job Description Agreement

Completed by………………………………………….…

Authorised by…………………………………………..… Date………………………………………………

This job description is a guide to the duties you will be expected to perform immediately on your appointment. It
is not an exhaustive list, and such duties may well be altered from time to time to meet changes in the Trust’s
requirements. Any such changes will be commensurate with the grade of the post and will be discussed with the
postholder prior to the changes being made