Senior Medical Scientist Surveillance

Overview

To participate as a Senior Medical Scientist, in providing a high quality and efficient laboratory service to Consultants, Doctors and their patients within the hospital and the community.

Organisational Context

The Dublin North East Region includes the following hospitals;

 

• Beaumont Hospital
• Cavan General Hospital
• Connolly Hospital
• Louth County Hospital
• Monaghan General Hospital
• Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital
• Rotunda Hospital

 

The HSE provides a national service and a regional service to the Dublin and the North East Region and is committed to the provision of world-class care, exceptional clinical services with respect and compassion.

 

Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda which is part of the RSCI Hospital Group, is a major teaching hospital providing a range of acute medical, surgical and maternity services, day care, outpatient, diagnostic and support services.  Emergency services are provided on a 365-day, 24 hour basis.  Multi-disciplinary teams representative of medical, nursing, midwifery allied health professionals, management and general support staff play a pivotal role in the development, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of these services.  The hospital has a current bed complement of 471 beds. 

 

The Pathology Department provides services to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Louth County Hospital, District Hospitals, Nursing Homes and General Practitioners.  It is a comprehensive clinical diagnostic Laboratory Service which includes Biochemistry, Haematology, Blood Transfusion, Microbiology and Histology.

           

The Pathology Department provides a comprehensive Consultant led service and is accredited to the ISO 15189:2022 International Standard. 

Key Responsibilities

The postholder:

• Will report to the Chief Medical Scientist / Senior Medical Scientist or other nominated personnel in the department they are assigned to.

• Will be responsible to Laboratory Manager.
• Will report to Consultant Staff on clinical matters through/with their nominated manager.

 

Service Management

 

The Medical Scientist Senior (Surveillance)will:

• In association with members of the Infection Prevention and Control Team continue and expand the surveillance programmes currently in place in the Louth Hospitals
• Will 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 Pharmacist
• 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
• 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 multi-drug resistant organisms in the Louth Hospitals
• 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
• 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
• Develop and lead the introduction of new ideas and methods pertaining to and impacting on surveillance activities
• Actively participate in and promote continuing education and research activities consistent with the position
• Demonstrate behaviour consistent with the values of the Hospital and ethical code
• Maintain and promote a patient focused orienta