Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Sleep Specialist Nurse, Physio or Physiologist. Maternity cover

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

*** This vacancy is currently only open to internal applicants at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust ***

We are looking to recruit a Nurse, Physiotherapist or Physiologist (Healthcare Scientist) to join our friendly and enthusiastic team at Worcestershire Royal Hospital to cover maternity leave. This post is ideal for an experienced healthcare worker wanting to develop existing skills further and help in the provision of excellent care to patients suffering from Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA).

The successful candidate will assist in the provision CPAP machines for patients newly diagnosed and perform follow up appointments on patients already established or having difficulty with CPAP therapy, working closely with the respiratory team, and to work in partnership with other departments throughout the trust to enable the provision of high-quality care. you will perform, analyse and report investigations independently, consulting with the medical staff on appropriate tests and use of investigations.

Our department is actively involved in delivering training and will ensure you return to your department with new skills on completion of the secondment.

The post holder will be based at Worcestershire Royal Hospital but may be required to work on other Trust sites. Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust comprises of 3 hospitals: The Alexandra Hospital, Worcestershire Royal Hospital, and Kidderminster Treatment Centre. All sites have good road links to M42 and M5 motorways

Main duties of the job

The Main duties of the role will be the undertaking of follow up and new appointments for patients diagnosed with OSA, Obesity related Hypoventilation syndrome (OHS), central sleep apnoea (CSA) and Cheyne-Stokes Respiration (CSR). Identification of barriers to compliance with PAP therapy and implement measures to improve compliance.

You will identify modifiable lifestyle factors for patients to improve their wellbeing and provide them with required guidance to achieve this. You need to clinically evaluate patients who remain sleepy on optimal therapy and provide guidance if additional investigations are required.

Perform and appropriately request a range of routine and complex procedures with a high level of knowledge and understanding. The range of tests can include: Earlobe capillary blood gases, Arterial blood gas sampling, sleep studies and analysis, CPAP/NIV titration and monitoring and Respiratory assessments.

Support the MDT CPAP and NIV service, which includes assessment, titration, escalation and monitoring of therapy.

Provide clinical interpretation and high technical expertise to all investigations by self and junior members of staff, in accordance with the current standards, guidelines and departmental protocols and policies. Acting appropriately in the event of significant adverse findings, alerting physicians when immediate medical attention is required.

To work in partnership with other care providers to maintain high quality care throughout.

About us

Our purpose is simple - Putting Patients First. We are looking for exceptional colleagues who can help us achieve this.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.

The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester

Our workforce is over 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.

We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us to achieve our Vision - working in partnership to provide the best healthcare for our communities, leading and supporting our teams to move 4ward. Our 4ward behaviours, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.

Our objectives are simple:

  • Best services for local people
  • Best experience of care and best outcomes for our patients
  • Best use of resources
  • Best people

Better never stops, and our Clinical Services Strategy provides a clear future vision for our Trust, our hospitals, our services and our role in the wider health and care system.

We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.

Details

Date posted

03 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,338 to £44,962 a year

Contract

Secondment

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number

C9365-25-0305

Job locations

Charles Hastings Way

Worcester

Worcestershire

WR5 1DD


Kidderminster General Hospital

Bewdley Road

Kidderminster

Worcestershire

DY11 6RJ


Job description

Job responsibilities

WORCESTERSHIRE ACUTE HOSPITALS NHS TRUST

JOB DESCRIPTION

Post Title: Specialist Sleep Physiologist, Nurse or Physiotherapist

Pay Band: 6

Hours: Full Time 37.5 Hours Per Week

Location or Department: Worcestershire Royal Hospital Cardiopulmonary

Accountable toCountywide Respiratory Physiology Lead

Reports toSleep Service Lead

Key Working Relationships

Internal: All categories of patients within the trust. All levels of Medical, Nursing, Clerical, Ancillary and Engineering personnel. External: All categories of patients and relatives, general public, General Practitioners and staff, Paramedics, Company representatives and technical training advisors.

Job Purpose

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 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 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 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 and 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.

Support service leads to 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 specialist knowledge in the field 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.

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 lung function measurements.

Be accountable for own professional actions and maintain professional registration.

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.

Job description

Job responsibilities

WORCESTERSHIRE ACUTE HOSPITALS NHS TRUST

JOB DESCRIPTION

Post Title: Specialist Sleep Physiologist, Nurse or Physiotherapist

Pay Band: 6

Hours: Full Time 37.5 Hours Per Week

Location or Department: Worcestershire Royal Hospital Cardiopulmonary

Accountable toCountywide Respiratory Physiology Lead

Reports toSleep Service Lead

Key Working Relationships

Internal: All categories of patients within the trust. All levels of Medical, Nursing, Clerical, Ancillary and Engineering personnel. External: All categories of patients and relatives, general public, General Practitioners and staff, Paramedics, Company representatives and technical training advisors.

Job Purpose

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 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 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 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 and 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.

Support service leads to 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 specialist knowledge in the field 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.

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 lung function measurements.

Be accountable for own professional actions and maintain professional registration.

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 of working with CPAP, APAP, BiPAP, Invasive ventilation or ASV therapy
  • Experience of caring for patients

Desirable

  • experience of writing clinical letters
  • experience of working in an outpatient department

Qualifications

Essential

  • Qualified (nurse, physiologist or physiotherapist)
  • Professional registration

Desirable

  • Arterial or capillary blood gas competency
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working with CPAP, APAP, BiPAP, Invasive ventilation or ASV therapy
  • Experience of caring for patients

Desirable

  • experience of writing clinical letters
  • experience of working in an outpatient department

Qualifications

Essential

  • Qualified (nurse, physiologist or physiotherapist)
  • Professional registration

Desirable

  • Arterial or capillary blood gas competency

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).

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.

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)


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)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Lead Respiratory Physiologist

Robert Macdonald

robert.macdonald2@nhs.net

01905760690

Details

Date posted

03 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,338 to £44,962 a year

Contract

Secondment

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number

C9365-25-0305

Job locations

Charles Hastings Way

Worcester

Worcestershire

WR5 1DD


Kidderminster General Hospital

Bewdley Road

Kidderminster

Worcestershire

DY11 6RJ


Supporting documents

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