Medical Scientist Specialist (Surveillance)
Job Specification & Terms and Conditions
Job Title and Grade
Campaign Reference
Medical Scientist Specialist (Surveillance)
Grade Code 3878
NRS1299
Closing Date
Thursday, 8th January 2015 @ 12 Noon
Proposed Interview
Date (s)
Taking up
Appointment
Organisational Area
Mid February 2015
Location of Post
A panel will be created for Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar from which current and
future vacancies of permanent or specified purpose, full time or part time duration will be filled.
A start date will be indicated at job offer stage.
HSE Dublin Mid Leinster
Informal Enquiries for this post:Contact: Ms Frances Walsh A/Laboratory Manager,
Tel: 044 9394548
Email: frances.walsh@hse.ie
Details of Service
The Midlands Regional Hospital Mullingar is a large acute Hospital located in the town of
Mullingar. It provides a wide range of healthcare and social services for more than 115,000
people in Westmeath and Longford and specialised services to a border population of
>250,000 including Laois/Offaly and the surrounding areas.
The hospital provides the following services: 
Paediatrics/Special Care Baby Unit
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Obstetrics and Gynaecology
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General Surgery
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General Medicine
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Accident and Emergency
These services are provided 24 hours a day throughout the year. The hospital provides a
comprehensive medical, surgical investigation, diagnosis and treatment service for
physical illnesses, conditions, injuries or disease for adults and children, and
comprehensive maternity service for women and their partners.
Reporting
Relationship
The successful candidate will report to the Laboratory Manager and Hospital Manager at
Midlands Regional Hospital Mullingar as required
Purpose of the Post
1. The purpose of this role is to manage the collection, analysis and dissemination of all
Healthcare Associated Infection data in the Midlands Regional Hospital at Mullingar
and the surrounding community
2. To develop, implement and co-ordinate the Surgical Site Infection Surveillance
Programme at the hospital - initially for Caesarean sections and then other surgeries
as required.
3. Be involved in the Implementation of the Critical Care Surveillance Programme
4. To fully implement all the requirements of the HIQA National Standards for the
Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infection for Surveillance at the
Midlands Regional Hospital Mullingar
NRS0945 Medical Scientist Specialist (Surveillance)
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5. To provide a link between the Pathology Laboratory, Public Health and the Health
Protection Surveillance Centre in relation to the surveillance and reporting of infectious
diseases and antimicrobial resistance via CIDR and EARS-Net
6. Be responsible for the development, co-ordination and implementation of quality
processes within Pathology and for all documentation required for Surveillance of
pathogens and antimicrobial resistance patterns on direction of the Laboratory
Manager, HPSC and Consultant Microbiologist
7. Participate fully as a member of the Infection Prevention and Control Team in the
Hospital
8. Co-ordinate the Surveillance Programme within the Hospital in conjunction with the
IPCT – as required by HIQA
Principal Duties and
Responsibilities
Service Management
The Medical Scientist Specialist (Surveillance)will:
 The post holder will co-ordinate the HCAI surveillance programme within the Hospital
in conjunction with the Consultant Microbiologist and IPCT
 The post holder will be responsible for the development of and management of the
Surgical Site Infection Surveillance programme (for Caesarean sections initially and
then other surgeries as required) – initially to include working with the obstetrics teams
in the Hospital and GPs and Public Health Nurses in the Community. The post holder
will liaise with the Infection Prevention and Control Team in the development and
management of this programme
 The Scientist will also work closely and liaise with medical, paramedical and other
health service staff as appropriate, in particular Public Health and HSPC personnel,
Infection Control personnel and Antimicrobial Pharmacists.
 Will maintain CIDR/EARS - Net records and facilitate communication with appropriate
national and international agencies
 Participate in implementing a laboratory service that supports the clinical needs of the
patients and is consistent with the mission, vision, values and strategic plan of the
Health Service Executive
 Participate with the Laboratory Manager, Chief Medical Scientist (Microbiology) and
relevant others in identifying and implementing operational processes to the standard
of ‘best practice’ in order to optimise use of resources
 Contribute as part of a core Management Team to the development of the Pathology
service at Midlands Regional Hospital Mullingar
 Keep the Chief Medical Scientist (Microbiology) and Laboratory Manager appraised of
any significant developments in the field of Surveillance
 Ensure the laboratory is compliant with all relevant legislation pertaining to the
surveillance of notifiable diseases and other diseases of interest
 Manage the surveillance of bacteraemia, healthcare associated infections and multidrug resistant organisms in the hospital
 Promote and support activities that serve to implement the Strategy for Control of
Antimicrobial Resistance in Ireland (SARI)
 Ensure the quality and integrity of surveillance data
 Liaise as required with local, regional and national groups concerned with the
assessment of HCAI or the furtherance of surveillance
 Participate in the assessment and management of outbreaks as required
 Liaise with and support the local infection control service and participate in the
Infection Prevention and Control Team (IPCT) and the Healthcare Associated
Infections Committee (incorporating hand hygiene, etc)(HCAI )
 Have a working knowledge of Health Information & Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards
as they apply to the role, for example, National Standards for the Prevention and
Control of Healthcare Associated Infections
 Provide output for inclusion in local, regional and national publications
 Participate in Continuous Professional Development activities
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Develop and lead the introduction of new ideas and methods pertaining to and
impacting on surveillance activities
Participate in the implementation of a quality management programme which is patient
centred and which measures and audits performance and user satisfaction
Actively participate in and promote continuing education and research activities
consistent with the position
Be responsible for maximising the use of available resources within the Service and
identifying requirements to meet future needs
Demonstrate behaviour consistent with the values of the Hospital and ethical code
Maintain and promote a patient focused orientation in the delivery of service
Participate in the production of an annual departmental report as well as other relevant
annual reports
Participate in the determination of departmental policies for improvement of the service
in relation to surveillance.
Ensure that policy relating to laboratory record keeping is followed
Participate on Hospital and/or external committees as required
Quality
The Medical Scientist Specialist (Surveillance)will:
 Ensure appropriate compliance with international and national guidelines and legal
and professional standards for the provision of relevant laboratory services and
actively participate in internal and external quality assurance
 Participate in setting policies, standards and best practice guidelines in conjunction
with appropriate scientific, clinical and management groups in relation to surveillance
 Participate in the implementation of quality management programmes which are
patient orientated and which measure and audit performance and client satisfaction
 Participate in the maintenance of the ISO15189 accreditation standard (Integrate
Lean, Six Sigma and other techniques into the Laboratory and Surveillance activities
to improve efficiency and reduce errors
Financial
The Medical Scientist Specialist (Surveillance)will:
 Provide appropriate statistical and management information to the Laboratory
Management team and or Hospital.
Information Technology
The Medical Scientist Specialist (Surveillance)will:
 Participate in the efficient operation of computer systems for the Laboratory, ensuring
these integrate well with surveillance activity
 Collect, interpret and present data and information as appropriate.
Staff Management
The Medical Scientist Specialist (Surveillance)will:
 Promote a professional, punctual and dedicated team approach with good open
communications
 Create and promote healthy working relationships with relevant Laboratory Staff
Education & Training
The Medical Scientist Specialist (Surveillance)will:
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Arrange training for the laboratory team as appropriate
Actively participate in and promote continuing education and research activities
consistent with the position
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Facilitate arrangements for educating and training undergraduates, interns and postgraduate students if appropriate.
Ensure sufficient cover to enable the surveillance service to continue smoothly in
his/her absence. This should include relevant training and competence assessment
Risk, Health & Safety
The Medical Scientist Specialist (Surveillance)will:
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Participate in ensuring that effective safety procedures are in place to comply not only
with the Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Act, but also within the spirit of the
Hospital's mission, vision and values
To support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste
initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.
Eligibility Criteria
Qualifications and/ or
experience
The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties
involved and consequently the post holder may be required to perform other duties
as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and
to contribute to the development of the post while in office. The primary role will be
to ensure compliance with surveillance and other relevant standards within the
scope of the duties above.
Candidates must have at the latest date of application: 1. Professional Qualifications, Experience, etc
(a) Possess the Bachelor in Science (Applied Science) Honours Degree (Biomedical
Option) from the University of Dublin/ Dublin Institute of Technology, Kevin St;
Or
(b) Possess the Bachelor in Science Honours Degree in Biomedical Science from the
joint University College Cork/ Cork Institute of Technology course;
Or
(c) Possess the Diploma in Medical Laboratory Science of the Dublin Institute of
Technology, Kevin St or Cork Institute of Technology, awarded prior to 1994;
Or
(d) Possess an equivalent qualification at least equivalent to (a) or (b) above;
Or
(e) Possess a recognised qualification at least equivalent to (c) above awarded prior
to 1994;
And
(f) Possess a post graduate degree in the field of Biomedical Science;
Or
(g) Have attained the Fellowship examination of the Institute of Biomedical Science;
And
(h) Possess Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Laboratory Science (FAMLS) or be
eligible for Fellowship;
And
(i) Possess four years experience in a medical laboratory since qualifying as a
Medical Scientist;
2. The requirements 1 (f), (g) and (h) will not come into effect until 1 st October 2009
in respect of a candidate who
(a) holds a qualification set out in 1(a), (b), (d) or (e), and
(b) is a member or is eligible for membership of the Academy of Medical Laboratory
Science (MAMLS) and was employed as a Medical Scientist (Medical Laboratory
Technician) in the health service on or before 1st April 2000
Health
A candidate for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of
NRS0945 Medical Scientist Specialist (Surveillance)
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undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would
indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.
Character
Each candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character.
Post Specific
Requirements
Other
requirements
specific to the post
Skills, competencies
and/or knowledge
Age
Age restrictions shall only apply to a candidate where he/she is not classified as a new
entrant (within the meaning of the Public Service Superannuation Act, 2004). A candidate
who is not classified as a new entrant must be under 65 years of age on the first day of the
month in which the latest date for receiving completed application forms for the office
occurs.
 Demonstrate experience in the surveillance of diseases within the legislative
framework
 Demonstrate depth and breadth of experience in Surveillance (e.g. use of
statistics, analysis of data, bioinformatics, infection control and surveillance of
specific clinical cases (e.g. ventilator associated pneumonia, wound surveillance,
surveillance of line associated infections)
N/A
Knowledge & Experience Relevant to the Role
 Demonstrate excellent understanding and have good experience of Surveillance
and general Bacteriology
 Provide evidence of extensive experience in the culture, identification and
susceptibility testing of organisms of interest as well as an in-depth knowledge of
resistance mechanisms and how they apply to the clinical environment
 Demonstrate evidence of good computer skills including a working knowledge of
laboratory IT systems. This knowledge should include in-depth experience of
Microsoft Office products such as Excel, Word and Powerpoint in order to analyse,
interpret and present complex data in a meaningful and easily understood way
 Demonstrate a knowledge of operation of Hospital IT systems
 Demonstrate knowledge of Health & Safety requirements in a laboratory setting
 Demonstrate a knowledge of setting and review of Key performance indicators
 Demonstrate knowledge of ISO accreditation standards and how they are applied
and participation in all training required meeting accreditation standards including
continuing professional training schemes.
Planning & Managing Resources
 Demonstrate evidence of effective planning and organising skills including
awareness of resource management and importance of value for money
 Demonstrate the ability to plan and manage change
 Demonstrate ability to manage deadlines and effectively handle multiple tasks
Commitment to Providing a Quality Service
 Demonstrate a commitment to providing a quality service
 Demonstrate an awareness of the laboratory user and the importance of the
patient/client at all times
 Demonstrate awareness of the importance of quality in laboratory practice
Leadership & Team Working Skills
 Demonstrate leadership and team management skills, including the ability to work
 with multi-disciplinary team members
Evaluating Information & Judging Situations
 Demonstrate an ability to evaluate information from a variety of sources
 Demonstrate good decision making and problem solving skills
Communication & Interpersonal Skills
 Demonstrate good interpersonal skills including the ability to manage conflict and
crisis situations
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Campaign Specific
Selection Process
Ranking/Shortlisting /
Interview
Demonstrate effective communication skills including the ability to present
information in a clear and concise manner and the ability to communicate
effectively with other staff and persons outside the core laboratory service
Demonstrate tact and courtesy when dealing with users of the service, colleagues
and other stakeholders
A ranking and or shortlisting exercise may be carried out on the basis of information
supplied in your application form. The criteria for ranking and or shortlisting are based on
the requirements of the post as outlined in the eligibility criteria and skills, competencies
and/or knowledge section of this job specification. Therefore it is very important that you
think about your experience in light of those requirements.
Failure to include information regarding these requirements may result in you not being
called forward to the next stage of the selection process.
Those successful at the ranking stage of this process (where applied) will be placed on an
order of merit and will be called to interview in ‘bands’ depending on the service needs of
the organisation.
Code of Practice
The Health Service Executive will run this campaign in compliance with the Code of
Practice prepared by the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA). The Code
of Practice sets out how the core principles of probity, merit, equity and fairness might be
applied on a principle basis. The Code also specifies the responsibilities placed on
candidates, facilities for feedback to applicants on matters relating to their application
when requested, and outlines procedures in relation to requests for a review of the
recruitment and selection process and review in relation to allegations of a breach of the
Code of Practice. Additional information on the HSE’s review process is available in the
document posted with each vacancy entitled “Code of Practice, Information for
Candidates”.
Codes of practice are published by the CPSA and are available on
www.hse.ie/eng/staff/jobs in the document posted with each vacancy entitled “Code of
Practice, Information for Candidates” or on www.cpsa.ie.
The reform programme outlined for the Health Services may impact on this role and as structures change the job
description may be reviewed.
This job description is a guide to the general range of duties assigned to the post holder. It is intended to be neither
definitive nor restrictive and is subject to periodic review with the employee concerned.
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Tenure
Medical Scientist Specialist (Surveillance)
Terms and Conditions of Employment
The initial vacancy for this post is permanent and whole time.
The post is pensionable. A panel will be formed from this campaign from which
future vacancies of permanent or specified purpose, full time or part time
duration will be filled.
The tenure of these posts will be indicated at “expression of interest” stage.
Remuneration
Working Week
Annual Leave
Superannuation
Probation
Protection of Persons
Reporting Child Abuse
Act 1998
Infection Control
Appointment as an employee of the Health Service Executive is governed by
the Health Act 2004 and the Public Service Management (Recruitment and
Appointment) Act 2004.
The Salary scale (as at 01/07/13) for the post is:
€53,410, €55,619, €57,580, €59,586, €61,653, €63,683, €65,000, €65,000,
€65,970
The standard working week applying to the post is to be confirmed at Job
Offer stage.
HSE Circular 003-2009 “Matching Working Patterns to Service Needs
(Extended Working Day / Week Arrangements); Framework for
Implementation of Clause 30.4 of Towards 2016” applies. Under the terms of
this circular, all new entrants and staff appointed to promotional posts from
Dec 16th 2008 will be required to work agreed roster / on call arrangements
as advised by their line manager. Contracted hours of work are liable to
change between the hours of 8am-8pm over seven days to meet the
requirements for extended day services in accordance with the terms of the
Framework Agreement (Implementation of Clause 30.4 of Towards 2016).
The annual leave applying to the post holder will be agreed at job offer stage
and as determined by the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997.
This is a pensionable position with the HSE. The successful candidate will
upon appointment become a member of the appropriate pension scheme.
Pension scheme membership will be notified within the contract of
employment. Members of pre-existing pension schemes who transferred to
the HSE on the 01st January 2005 pursuant to Section 60 of the Health Act
2004 are entitled to superannuation benefit terms under the HSE Scheme
which are no less favourable to those which they were entitled to at 31 st
December 2004
Every appointment of a person who is not already a permanent officer of the
Health Service Executive or of a Local Authority shall be subject to a
probationary period of 12 months as stipulated in the Department of Health
Circular No.10/71.
As this post is one of those designated under the Protection of Persons
Reporting Child Abuse Act 1998, appointment to this post appoints one as a
designated officer in accordance with Section 2 of the Act. You will remain a
designated officer for the duration of your appointment to your current post or
for the duration of your appointment to such other post as is included in the
categories specified in the Ministerial Direction. You will receive full
information on your responsibilities under the Act on appointment.
Have a working knowledge of Health Information and Quality Authority
(HIQA) Standards as they apply to the role for example, Standards for
Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare
Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards etc.
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