Highly Specialised Respiratory Physiologist

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post holder will support the sleep service in the provision of respiratory diagnostcs and sleep therapies to the Worcestershire population.

The post holder will provide leadership and support to all junior clinical and administrative staff, escalate any concerns to the sleep service lead while monitoring waiting list targets are being met.

The post holder will support the service manager in ensuring the quality and operation at the Kidderminster and Alexandra sites.

The post-holder will be expected to function independently as a sleep specialist and assist in other clinical areas as required. You will be working with a group of clinical scientists and clinical physiologists and consultants/nurses who are committed to providing the highest standards of patient care.

The post holder will be expected to work fully autonomously in a range of simple and complex tests in respiratory and sleep, providing leadership and training to junior members of staff.

The post-holder will work closely with the staff within the wider Cardiopulmonary department and will be expected to travel to each of the 3 sites to offer support when required.

Assisting in maintaining the quality of the clinical investigation service provision, including audit, research and development, procurement and quality assurance of all equipment.

Providing support in the provision and maintenance of IT systems supporting the department, ensuring system resilience and compliance, working with trust IT department and outside suppliers.

Translate complex technical information through patient care to patients, their relatives and healthcare professionals.

Key Duties:

Professional/Clinical Leadership

Provide clinical leadership which inspires and motivates others, enabling them to empower the team to contribute ideas, support continuous improvement and to resolve clinical issues.

Consistently provide high quality leadership in a visible and highly professional manner, acting as a positive role model.

Act as a source of reference to other members of the department giving support, advice and recommendations.

Demonstrate continuous professional development, maintaining a high level of clinical competence.

Ensure that all staff have a clear understanding of the care and environmental standards they are expected to maintain.

Act as a clinical role model, assessing and delivering care needs as a significant part of their role. They will also ensure high standards of clinical care are consistently achieved and monitored.

Role model the trusts values and expected behaviours.

Ensure all communication, which may be complex, contentious or sensitive, is undertaken in a responsive, inclusive and timely manner, focusing on improvement and ways to move forward.

Ensure all communication is presented appropriately to different recipients, according to levels of understanding, type of communication being imparted and possible barriers such as language, culture, understanding or physical or mental health conditions.

Ensure that waiting times are monitored and reported on a weekly basis and that any potential problems are escalated appropriately.

Clinical and professional responsibilities

The post requires highly specialist knowledge in the field of Respiratory Physiology and Sleep Medicine.

Initiate patients on CPAP therapy explaining sleep study results, device workings, care and cleaning of equipment, provision of lifestyle advice and DVLA guidance.

Follow-up with patients on CPAP therapy interpreting device therapy and compliance data alongside results of overnight oximetry and assessment of patient symptoms.

Issuing sleep diagnostic equipment including overnight oximetry and multi-channel sleep studies.

Issue results letters to patients following sleep studies and have clinical discussions with patients to assess suitability of CPAP Therapy

Initiate patients on BiPAP therapy in either spontaneous mode or adaptive servo ventilation.

Undertake and interpret measurements of blood gases by either capillary and/or arterial sampling.

Undertake routine and complex lung function measurements and provide training in these areas

Be accountable for own professional actions and maintain professional registration.

Identify limitations in own clinical knowledge, skill or interventional capability and escalate to senior clinicians accordingly.

Independently acquire and report results for a range of highly specialised procedures and forwarding results to the appropriate referring practitioner when required and also highlighting any urgencies or concern

Analyse and interpret clinical investigations and report urgent outcomes to the appropriate medical teams or clinicians.

To attend training courses to update ones own technical, physiological and pathological knowledge of specialist procedures and to update ones knowledge, in respect of specialised clinical use of equipment.

To deliver services ensuring they are delivered in line with Health & Safety and other Trust guidelines

Clinical governance and quality

To contribute to the maintenance of all trust policies and procedures within the departments.

Support systematic clinical audit and monitor improvements.

Ensure that physiological tests and interventions are delivered in line with best practice at all sites.

Help ensure a safe, secure environment for patients, visitors and staff.

Ensure that confidentiality of patient records is strictly maintained and comply with the Data Protection Act.

Ensure the update and smooth running of departmental databases and archive systems.

support and monitor the safety of equipment, ensure service / maintenance is carried out to a high level, taking action when faulty equipment is detected.

The job description is not intended to be exhaustive and it is likely that duties may be altered from time to time in the light of changing circumstances and after consultation with the post-holder.

The post holder might be required to work across the Trust at any time throughout the duration of their contract, which may entail travel and working at different hospital sites.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience with acute or domiciliary CPAP
• Caring for or testing patients.
• Experience in BiPAP and complex ventilation needs.
• Experience in complex and basic lung function tests.
• Experience of providing leadership of staff in a Clinical environment

Desirable

• Experience in giving advice to patients
• Teaching and development of staff.
• Practical experience and expert knowledge of basic and advanced Cardiopulmonary investigations

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree in Clinical Physiology, or equivalent
• Professional Registration
• GCSE in Maths and English at C or equivalent

Desirable

• Registration for RCCP or AHCS or NMC or Chartered Physiotherapist or HCPC
• BLS/ILS certificate

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).

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)