Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to work in a busy, tertiary, Cardio Thoracic Centre, the Heart & Lung Centre has 18 Cardiologlist, 6 Cardiac Surgeons and 2 Thoracic Surgeons.
The Cardiology Department provdes a 24/7 primary PCI Service, TAVI, MitraClip, left atrial appendage occlusion, PFO Closure, Heart Failure Clinic, Adult Congential Heart Desease Clinic, Complex EP Service and the full range of Implantable Electronic Cardiac Devices.
The Echocardiography Department is BSE accredited in all 4 available demains, training, transtharacic, transoesophageal and stress echo cardiography. The Unit undertakes approximately 17,000 TTE per year, twice weekly elective TOE lists, and regular echo stess lists.
There are physiologist led contrast lists, Herceptin lists and a valve clinic with opportunity for expansion.
The department has established links with higher education and an excellent track record in training physiologists. We have recently acquired a HeartWorks Simulator for TTE and TOE practical training.
Consideration will be given to candidates who have newly completed/near to complete the ECHO Training programme, who are already mostly independant with practical and reporting ECHO skills and close to completion of the BSE log book, as the successful applicant will be supported to attend regular BSE Conference and Educational courses relevant to the role.
Main duties of the job
Supporting Cardiac Investigation Department at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, working across centres. with Echocardiograms.
Effectively organise and prioritise own day-to-day caseload according to the clinical urgency, providing timely appropriate service.
Perform interpretation of complex clinical findings.
Produce clinical reports on own specialist workload, acting promptly and appropriately to advise the referrer when life-threatening conditions arise.
About us
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust is one of the largest NHS trusts in the West Midlands providing primary, acute and community services and we are incredibly proud of the diversity of both our staff and the communities we serve. We are building a workforce that can help us to fulfil our values, improve the quality of care for patients, and solve the health care problems of tomorrow. We're passionate about the value that diversity of thinking and lived experience brings in enabling us to become a learning organisation and leader in delivering compassionate care for our patients.
We are delighted that we have been rated as "Good" by CQC. We have achieved numerous awards; The Nursing Times Best Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Best UK Employer of the Year for Nursing Staff in 2020.
The Trust is a supportive working environment committed to creating flexible working arrangements that suit your needs and as such will consider all requests from applicants who wish to work flexibly.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Effectively organise and prioritise own day-to-day caseload according to the clinical urgency, providing timely appropriate service.
Respond to the need for unplanned or emergency cases appropriately.
Perform echocardiograms, which require a high degree of precision and sensory coordination, from all medical and surgical disciplines including cardiac surgery, CITU and GITU, also on occasion including complex congenital adult cases.
Where necessary, move expensive, sensitive equipment (which may be light or heavy) from one area to another in order to provide the same quality service away from the main department. This may involve working in confined or awkward spaces, and general patient preparation.
Perform interpretation of complex clinical findings.
Produce clinical reports on own specialist workload, acting promptly and appropriately to advise the referrer when life-threatening conditions arise.
Supervise non BSE accredited staff, which may be from various disciplines and grades, taking responsibility for ensuring all necessary views and measurements are obtained. Also, responsible for producing a clinical report on these studies.
Provide specialist training of technical and medical staff as directed.
Process requests for and results of tests and make sure they are available to the referrer via the correct route (orally/written or electronically), within departmental time standards, ensuring any complex clinical information which may bring about a change in patients treatment is identified to the appropriate person.
On occasion, provide advice to other local hospitals on their echocardiographic findings when these are complex and they require additional support.
Effectively communicate with all patients in a reassuring and helpful manner, in order to obtain information necessary prior to performing the test and to gain their co-operation during the test.
Recognise the sensitivity of the information received and ensure that patient confidentiality is maintained at all times.
Occasionally deal with confused and aggressive patients, relatives and carers with tact and diplomacy.
Responsible for keeping own skills up to date and the acquisition of additional specialised techniques.
Undertake training appraisals of junior staff, identifying their training needs within the specialist area in order to give directional support and motivation.
Adhere to departmental policies/procedures and provide guidance / assistance to junior staff.
Participate in regular section meetings, to develop improvements to the service and implement any agreed changes
Responsible for daily maintenance, preventative maintenance and arranging service of expensive and complex equipment used, including contacting of appropriate companies and arranging for repair or service of equipment.
Participate in technical appraisals of new equipment.
Be involved in and assist with clinical trials and audit as identified by the Consultant Echocardiographer.
Undertakes and adheres to departmental policies for: -
Risk Management
Health & Safety
Confidentiality
Data protection/Clinical Governance
Fire
Infection control
Child protection
Equipment malfunction
Identification of patients
Uniform
Job description
Job responsibilities
Effectively organise and prioritise own day-to-day caseload according to the clinical urgency, providing timely appropriate service.
Respond to the need for unplanned or emergency cases appropriately.
Perform echocardiograms, which require a high degree of precision and sensory coordination, from all medical and surgical disciplines including cardiac surgery, CITU and GITU, also on occasion including complex congenital adult cases.
Where necessary, move expensive, sensitive equipment (which may be light or heavy) from one area to another in order to provide the same quality service away from the main department. This may involve working in confined or awkward spaces, and general patient preparation.
Perform interpretation of complex clinical findings.
Produce clinical reports on own specialist workload, acting promptly and appropriately to advise the referrer when life-threatening conditions arise.
Supervise non BSE accredited staff, which may be from various disciplines and grades, taking responsibility for ensuring all necessary views and measurements are obtained. Also, responsible for producing a clinical report on these studies.
Provide specialist training of technical and medical staff as directed.
Process requests for and results of tests and make sure they are available to the referrer via the correct route (orally/written or electronically), within departmental time standards, ensuring any complex clinical information which may bring about a change in patients treatment is identified to the appropriate person.
On occasion, provide advice to other local hospitals on their echocardiographic findings when these are complex and they require additional support.
Effectively communicate with all patients in a reassuring and helpful manner, in order to obtain information necessary prior to performing the test and to gain their co-operation during the test.
Recognise the sensitivity of the information received and ensure that patient confidentiality is maintained at all times.
Occasionally deal with confused and aggressive patients, relatives and carers with tact and diplomacy.
Responsible for keeping own skills up to date and the acquisition of additional specialised techniques.
Undertake training appraisals of junior staff, identifying their training needs within the specialist area in order to give directional support and motivation.
Adhere to departmental policies/procedures and provide guidance / assistance to junior staff.
Participate in regular section meetings, to develop improvements to the service and implement any agreed changes
Responsible for daily maintenance, preventative maintenance and arranging service of expensive and complex equipment used, including contacting of appropriate companies and arranging for repair or service of equipment.
Participate in technical appraisals of new equipment.
Be involved in and assist with clinical trials and audit as identified by the Consultant Echocardiographer.
Undertakes and adheres to departmental policies for: -
Risk Management
Health & Safety
Confidentiality
Data protection/Clinical Governance
Fire
Infection control
Child protection
Equipment malfunction
Identification of patients
Uniform
Person Specification
Qualification
Essential
- BSc Clinical Physiology or equivalent level of experience
- Member of the British Society of Echocardiography or equivalent
Communication
Essential
- Evidence of excellent communication skills at all levels.
- Ability to demonstrate good communicating skills to junior staff.
- Ability to communicate with all patient ages (including children) and those with hearing and speech impairments.
- Ability to overcome language barriers.
Person Specification
Qualification
Essential
- BSc Clinical Physiology or equivalent level of experience
- Member of the British Society of Echocardiography or equivalent
Communication
Essential
- Evidence of excellent communication skills at all levels.
- Ability to demonstrate good communicating skills to junior staff.
- Ability to communicate with all patient ages (including children) and those with hearing and speech impairments.
- Ability to overcome language barriers.
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
