Clinical Vascular Scientist, WRH

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post holder is a Clinical Vascular Scientist who plays a major role in the day-to-day running of the Vascular Laboratory Unit and outlying sites, in collaboration with the Vascular Surgery multidisciplinary team.

The post holder provides a high quality vascular ultrasound investigation service to support diagnosis and the decision making process for the patients treatment pathway within Worcestershire Royal Hospital and other sites within Worcestershire Acute Hospital NHS Trust and Wye Valley NHS trust.

The post holder also supervises, trains and assists appropriate staff in ultrasound, vascular imaging and assessment techniques.

Vascular ultrasound investigations of patients require judgement, involving complex facts and situations. This needs skilled analysis, comparisons and interpretation to provide reports to aid diagnosis and management of patients conditions.

The post holder also contributes to further development of the service.

Key Duties:

Clinical

To undertake and provide comprehensive written reports on range of vascular investigations and techniques as required by the vascular surgeons to diagnose arterial and venous conditions / disease.

o Colour Duplex ultrasound scanning:-

o Upper and lower limb arterial

o Upper and lower limb venous

o Carotid arteries

o Aortic aneurysms including non-visualized aortas from the National Abdominal Aneurysm Screening Programme

o Renal and visceral arteries

o Graft surveillance

o EVAR repair of aortic aneurysm

o Select vein for bypass grafting

o Mark varicose veins for surgery

o Other areas as required

o Cold water testing for Raynauds

o Thoracic outlet syndrome test

o Ankle brachial pressure index

o Treadmill testing

o Allen Test

o Vein mapping for bypass surgery

o Vein marking for varicose vein surgery

o Temporal artery imaging for giant cell arteritis

Assists in the planning of the daily workload of the Vascular Lab.

Provides specialist scientific expertise in ultrasound, vascular ultrasound and other non-invasive examinations.

Advises consultants and other medical professionals on specialist investigations for patients seen in the Unit.

Arranges and checks the service, maintenance and breakdown work carried out on equipment within the Vascular Studies Unit by the manufacturer.

Takes an active role in the Divisions multidisciplinary Clinical Governance programme.

Research, development and training

The post holder

Teaches and trains a variety of staff, students and trainees.

Supervises and assists students and trainees.

Takes part in multidisciplinary research and development activity, and in scientific and medical trials.

Is involved with IT. E.g. databases, Power Point presentations, patient data, spreadsheets. Is conversant with the computer systems within Clinical Imaging.

Takes a key role in the development and implementations of new vascular assessment services (new areas of activity and utilising new techniques.)

Presents results of research and development at local, National or International meetings to other healthcare professionals.

Maintains a portfolio of CPD in accordance with SVT (Society for Vascular Technology) guidance.

Participates in multidisciplinary vascular meetings as appropriate.

Assists in a Quality Assurance programme for patient care and equipment.

Participates in the Divisional appraisal.

Training can be provided to the post holder in areas of vascular ultrasound not previously within their experience.

Other

The post holder must hold a valid current driving licence and be able to use own car for business for cross site clinics/working.

Education and Training

Scientific/ Technical/ Specialist

Highly developed specialist knowledge is required of all areas of vascular ultrasound, maintained in accordance with individual SVT continual professional development.

Knowledge must be such as to be able to train appropriate staff in ultrasound and vascular ultrasound, including participation in evaluation and assessment of that role, in line with STP and SVT programmes.

Understanding of Quality Assurance of Ultrasound equipment.

Specialist training in the use of expensive and complex Vascular Ultrasound (and other non-invasive) equipment.

Uses high level of analytical and judgemental skills to assess complex information.

To participate in research and clinical audit and collection of statistical data as required.

Clinical

Expert knowledge of the application of ultrasound in the diagnosis of vascular disease.

Knowledge of vascular investigations (other than ultrasound) and treatments for vascular disease.

Provides specialist clinical technical service for patients care.

Managerial

Able to prioritise and manage own work on a day-to-day basis and longer term.

Able to exercise own initiative when dealing with issues within own specialist area of competence.

Contribute to the development and extension of the Vascular Lab.

Contribute to policies and protocols for use in the Unit.

Supervises, teaches and trains staff as appropriate.

To ensure safe and efficient maintenance of all equipment within the laboratory.

To ensure that all documentation including patients attendance, records and notes are completed in accordance with Trust Policy.

To ensure that appointments and waiting times are managed within access policy standards.

To ensure effective communication processes exist cross the health economy in matters relating to the Laboratory.

To ensure compliance with Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust policies and procedures.

Demonstrate an understanding of Clinical Governance and its implications for laboratory staff.

To be aware of clinical risk issues pertaining to the service taking an active role in identifying and reporting any clinical risk.

To be responsible for ensuring compliance with Health and Safety standards.

SKILLS

IT

Able to use Excel, Word, Power Point etc. to create databases, documents and spreadsheets on the computer and for presentations.

Data entry relating to patients is constantly required for management of appointments and for retrieval of records.

Physical skills and effort

Skills are attained through practice and training.

Skills are highly developed and accuracy is very important.

A high level of precision is necessary with high levels of hand, eye and audio coordination being essential to perform examinations on a variety of patients.

Heavy equipment has to be moved around the site.

Small equipment or heavy notes may need to be taken to other hospitals.

Transfer of quite immobile patients from beds and chairs.

Movement of patients on beds and chairs.

Use of equipment in confined spaces e.g. on the Intensive Care Unit.

Use of keyboards and computing is required.

Driving is also required to provide services at other sites.

Sitting, standing and walking required.

Mental

Great mental effort is required. Frequent, long periods of concentration are required during the examination process. Then careful concentration is needed for analysis and report writing.

Work patterns are unpredictable and interruptions are common.

Emotional

Able to deal with frequent exposure to highly distressing and highly emotional circumstances (e.g. breaking bad news to patients, relatives or carers, advising on lifestyle changes and advising on further examinations or treatment.)

Able to deal with quite ill patients who may be very sensitive. Patients, relatives or carers may be quite frightened, and can be unpredictable or aggressive.

Examinations may need to be performed in the highly charged atmosphere of the operating theatre or intensive care unit, where rapid responses are required and situations are constantly changing.

Communication

Able to communicate complex or sensitive or contentious information to large groups of medical and non-medical staff (e.g. at weekly multidisciplinary X-ray meetings).

Able to communicate complex or sensitive information to members of the public (e.g. groups of families or carers of patients).

Able to present scientific papers at national and international meetings and conferences.

Able to communicate with various staff groups, both medical and non-medical, for the day-to-day running of the Unit (e.g. arranging for patients to be sent to the Unit and their collection from wards etc., discussing of results with referring clinicians).

Able to teach and train groups of other professional staff.

Able to discuss development of the Unit with manager and other colleagues.

Able to deal with complex, sensitive and unpredictable situations.

Environment

There is frequent exposure to unpleasant working conditions and exposure to hazards, including infections, MRSA, various unpleasant bodily fluids, blood products, leg ulcers, wounds, drug abuse patients, theatre and intensive care situations.

Sometimes there is a need to work in fairly cramped conditions.

The purpose of this post should remain constant, but the duties and responsibilities may vary over time within the overall role and level of the post. The post holder may from time to time be asked to undertake other reasonable duties. Any such changes will be made in discussion with the post holder in the light of service needs.

Competence

The post holder is responsible for limiting his/her actions to those which s/he feels competent to undertake. If the post holder has any doubts as to his or her competence during the course of his/her duties then s/he should immediately speak to their line manager or supervisor.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Good 2nd Class honours degree in Science
• Should hold full Accreditation for the Society of Vascular Technology (AVS) or nearing completion, or equivalent (STP graduate)

Desirable

• Good 1st class honours degree in Science.
• Additional ultrasound skills

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Charles Hastings Way

Worcester

Worcestershire

WR5 1DD

Employer's website

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