Point of Care Testing Manager

The Point of Care Testing (POCT) department is accredited to the ISO15189:2012 and ISO22870 standards and the POCT team manages a wide range of POCT analysers and devices, connected to POCT middleware systems, across five acute hospitals, and in the community.
The team manages the governance and quality assurance, the technical support and maintenance, and training and competency assessment of all POCT analysers.
We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic, highly motivated, and experienced individual to the role of POCT Manager for the SWLP network. The post holder will be responsible for the day-to-day strategic management, operations, governance, and quality assurance of the POCT services,
The post-holder will work relatively independently, supported by the General Manager, POCT coordinators, POCT clinical Scientist, BMS/MLA staff, and the Principal Clinical Biochemist on each site to deliver a safe and effective POCT service. Given the outward-facing nature of this role, the successful individual will need to have significant POCT experience, extensive experience in service delivery, and excellent organisational and communication skills.
For more information on the SWLP POCT department please see:
https://www.swlpath.nhs.uk/home/what-we-do/departments-and-services/departments/poct, 1. Responsible for the day to day and strategic delivery of POCT within an integrated hub and spoke service, across the clinical locations supported by SW London Pathology
2. To provide expert technical and managerial support to the service.
3. Responsible to the Clinical Blood Sciences, Discipline Manager for the standard and quality of the service ensuring that all activities are undertaken in line with relevant policies and regulatory frameworks, and that all key performance and clinical indicators are met.
4. Accountable to the Discipline Manager for the strategic implementation of and overall delivery of POCT as agreed between South West London Pathology and partner Trusts
5. Responsible for the quality of South West London Pathology POCT service delivery and meeting key performance indicators for the service
6. To lead on service improvement across POCT, providing leadership to SW London Pathology Staff and responsible officers from each of the partner Trusts
7. To contribute to joint multidisciplinary POCT meetings that includes both South West London Pathology and SW London partner Trust representatives that monitor day to day delivery of; and advises on strategic development of POCT across represented organisations

Working for our organisation
St George's, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group cares for a population of four million people in South West London and North East Surrey. Our sites include St George's Hospital, one of 11 major trauma centres in the UK and the largest healthcare provider and major teaching hospital in the area; St Helier Hospital, home to the South West Thames Renal and Transplantation Unit and Queen Mary's Hospital for Children; and Epsom Hospital, home to the South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre (SWLEOC).
After years of collaboration, our two Trusts became a hospitals group in 2021. While remaining as two separate Trusts, being a hospitals group will help us to collaborate more closely on research, and the development, education, and training of our 17,000-strong workforce., 1. To be familiar with all specialist POCT equipment and devices in use in clinical locations across SW London Hospital partner Trusts.
2. To be responsible for the day to day operation, supervision and direction of POCT services with appropriate scientific, technical and administrative support.
3. Using specialist knowledge and skills make judgment and provide advice as to how to proceed to resolve technical failures and maintenance shutdowns whilst ensuring safe continuity of clinical services.
4. To ensure that all POCT activities and equipment & devices in use in clinical areas across SW London Hospital Trusts are patient focussed and that agreed procedures are in place to ensure that POCT is undertaken effectively and efficiently without compromising patient safety.
5. To develop strategies that ensures harmonisation of POCT process, equipment and technologies is introduced across South West London Hospital Trusts
6. To ensure that POCT Equipment used in clinical locations across SW London Hospital Trusts is suitable for clinical use and can be supported and resourced adequately.
7. Use specialist knowledge and skills to communicate with users of POCT regarding investigations undertaken limitations of procedures and implications on interpretation of test results.
8. Use specialist knowledge and skills to provide expert advice to users of POCT. This maybe complex and sensitive information that must be communicated accurately and may have medico-legal implications
9. Ensure that standards relating to laboratory practice required for accreditation of POCT and continuing compliance with regulatory bodies where appropriate are maintained at all times.
10. Responsible for the procurement, installation, maintenance and validation of instrumentation, techniques and development of service in in consultation with the Discipline Manager of Clinical Blood Sciences and expert SW London Pathology clinical staff.
11. To asses new technologies as appropriate for suitability for POCT
12. To ensure that methods, equipment and devices introduced as POCT are fully evaluated and clinically validated prior to being adopted into use. This includes performance correlation against incumbent laboratory methods and compliance with national guidance
13. To perform a range of specialist scientific, clinical, technical activities.
14. To provide specialist advice to other professionals.

SWLP is pivotal in delivering innovative and patient-centred POCT and rapid diagnostic solutions in primary and secondary care settings.