Specialist Respiratory Physiologist

Job description

Job responsibilities

1. To plan, undertake and perform simple, specialist, complex and highly complex diagnostic assessments in accordance with ARTP/BTS guidelines.

a) Spirometry, peak flow rates, flow/volume loops

b) Gas transfer

c) Static lung volumes

d) Reversibility of airways obstruction with bronchodilators

e) Skin allergy tests

f) Field exercise tests (6MWT)

g) Overnight sleep apnoea screening

h) Arterial blood gas performance and analysis

i) Exhaled and nasal nitric oxide

j) Bronchial provocation tests for the diagnosis of asthma/ bronchial hyper-responsiveness (Mannitol, Exercise-induced asthma)

k) Respiratory muscle assessment

l) CPAP assessment and provision.

m) Hypoxic challenge

n) Pulmonary shunt assessments

o) Full cardio-pulmonary exercise tests (CPET)

p) Respiratory/ Multi channel sleep studies.

2. Production of reports

3. Verbal and written interpretation to referring medical team and other professionals where appropriate for simple and specialist assessments.

4. As a minimum be trained in Basic Life Support.

COMMUNICATIONS & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

1. Obtain brief patient medical history prior to testing to ensure safe practice.

2. Communicate requirements for accurate performance of appropriate investigations to patients/

participants/ subjects/ service users through building and maintaining good rapport.

3. Communicate basic interpretation of results to appropriate senior healthcare professionals, e.g. senior physiologists, consultants, nurses.

OTHER

Service development and improvement.

1. Ensure continual service development and improvement:

a) Through maintaining up to date knowledge of specialist area

b) Obtaining membership and securing roles within national professional body and/or international societies

c) Be regulated via a voluntary/mandatory register of practitioners, e.g. RCCP, HCPC

2. Ensure equipment used in lung function assessments is functioning correctly by performing a number of calibration and validation techniques including mechanical verification and biological control procedures for quality assurance and quality control

3. Ensure any faulty equipment is reported to senior colleagues and corrective maintenance is undertaken.

4. Occasionally, on request of senior staff within the department, undertake review of department standard operating procedures to ensure these are up to date and fits with current best practice.

5. Ensure that all consumable items required to maintain an efficiently running service are kept stocked and communicate to senior colleagues when ordering of such items are required.

6. Maintenance of Continual Professional Development.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Demonstrable experience working within respiratory and sleep physiological measures unit
• ARTP exam
• ARTP registration
• Competent in performing full PFT's
• Field exercise testing
• Demonstrable Experience with respiratory polygraph validation

Desirable

• HCPC Registration
• AHCS registration
• performance of ABG/CBG
• Bronchial provocation testing

KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE

Essential

• A thorough proven knowledge of Respiratory and Sleep Physiology
• A wide range of abilities in performing and reporting lung function tests.
• A proven sound knowledge of scoring sleep studies.
• Demonstrable experience as a Band 5 respiratory physiologist.

Desirable

• Respiratory muscle function testing
• Demonstrable Experience working in respiratory/sleep physiology

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Address

university hospitals plymouth

Derriford Road

Plymouth

PL6 8DH

Employer's website

https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)