Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity for a Band 5 Sleep Practitioner to join the new Dorset Sleep Service which will be providing Sleep Diagnostics and CPAP Therapy for Dorset residents in partnership with the Respiratory team from University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust. The role is full-time during office hours; flexible working is available, and job-sharing would be considered. There may be the opportunity to train as a Respiratory Physiologist, which would involve studying for a BSc in Healthcare Science - Respiratory & Sleep (funded by the NHS) alongside your work-based training.
Main duties of the job
The job will consist of issuing, downloading and analysis of sleep studies; overseeing CPAP patients' activity and actioning issues arising from the monitoring database; performing CPAP set-ups including choosing appropriate machine settings and fitting masks; performing CPAP reviews; supervising and assisting with training of junior staff; and undertaking routine clinical and administrative duties such as cleaning equipment, updating patient records, and filing. Training will be provided - including working towards nationally recognised professional qualifications, with clear career progression pathways within the service.
We're looking for someone with a degree in a healthcare-related field, or a degree and suitable healthcare experience; and who has worked in a respiratory and/or sleep department and is familiar with overnight oximetry, polygraphy, Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, and CPAP therapy. You will need to be able to work independently and to prioritise your own workload. The ability to work some time outside of office hours (7am-7pm) and/or occasional Saturdays, and to travel to additional sites would be advantageous.
About us
At DCHFT, we pride ourselves on the care we provide for our patients, and on the culture, we are creating for our staff. We work hard to create a fair, inclusive environment for our staff
Our Mission is to provide outstanding care for people in ways which matter to them, and our vision is Dorset County Hospital, working with our health and social care partners, will be at the heart of improving the well-being of our communities.
We are a Trust that celebrates diversity, and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applications from people in all under-represented groups.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Dorset Sleep Service is a brand-new development starting in Autumn 2023 which will provide diagnostic sleep studies and CPAP treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea for Dorsets population of around 380,000 residents. We expect to be performing around 1,700 sleep studies a year to begin with and will be taking over the care of about 5,000 patients already on CPAP therapy; we expect this to rise to about 3,000 sleep studies a year and almost 8,000 CPAP patients over the next five years.
The team will consist of Administrators, Sleep Practitioners at Associate, Practitioner, and Senior level, and a Head of Department, and will be overseen by a Consultant in Respiratory Medicine. We will be open mostly during office hours, with potential scope for early starts/late ends and weekends to support Flexible Working (we have no plans for night shifts yet). The department will be based initially at Southwalks House in Dorchester, with plans to expand to additional sites in the east of the county during the first year.
You will be coming into a fresh new service and will be an integral part of creating responsive and effective procedures from the beginning; we value innovation and new ways of thinking to solve problems. We aim to create a diverse, inclusive, and supportive environment where everyone colleagues and patients alike are treated with respect and consideration.
We have vacancies for clinical roles from Band 3 to Band 7, so please check our other adverts for further opportunities within this service.
Clinical Responsibilities
- Holding or working towards gaining ARTP qualifications as a Pulse Oximetry and Polygraphy Practitioner, as a CPAP Practitioner, and potentially as an Associate Practitioner in Respiratory Physiology.
- Seeing patients at sleep study appointments, taking basic measurements of height, weight, and collar size, and recording patients sleep histories and symptoms
- Preparing, demonstrating, issuing, receiving, cleaning, and downloading sleep study devices
- Analysing and interpreting sleep study results, creating reports, and escalating any complex queries to senior staff
- Overseeing the monitoring database of CPAP patients activity, actioning issues and escalating complex queries to senior staff
- Performing CPAP set-up appointments, including choosing appropriate machine settings, fitting masks, demonstrating the equipment, explaining usage and cleaning of equipment, and arranging suitable follow-up
- Actioning patients CPAP requests from telephone calls, voicemails and email, or forwarding/escalating to other staff as appropriate
- Setting out replacement CPAP equipment for patients to collect or arranging delivery of equipment, checking patient identities at collection, and solving any issues at collection.
- Performing CPAP reviews including replacing or re-fitting equipment, adjusting mask fit and machine settings, advising on adjusting to therapy, suggesting suitable activities, troubleshooting, and escalating complex issues to senior staff as necessary
- Cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilising equipment as requires
- Working independently and prioritising own workload, adhering to National, Trust, and Departmental policies
Administrative Responsibilities
- Providing routine administrative support such as photocopying, filing, updating patient records, maintaining the department diary, provision of information leaflets, etc.
Service Development Responsibilities
- Collaborating with colleagues by contributing ideas and suggestions to develop departmental procedures, processes, and guidelines
- Promoting our ethos of continuous improvement
- Actively participating in team meetings and disseminating new knowledge to the team
Physical and Financial Resources Responsibilities
- Assisting with tracking of sleep study and CPAP equipment
- Engaging with effective use of resources to deliver the best value for money
Human Resources Responsibilities
- Participating in welcome, induction, mentoring and training of new staff as appropriate
- Supervising and mentoring apprentices
- Fully participating in the Trusts appraisal system and personal development planning process
- Taking a proactive role in managing risk in the workplace, in accordance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974
Information Resources Responsibilities
- Training to use Office, Trust, and Departmental software and maintain accurate, timely and legible records in accordance with Trust policy
- Upholding excellent standards of information governance and confidentiality at all times
Research and Audit Responsibilities
- Participating in research projects, service audits, or staff surveys as necessary
Teamworking Responsibilities
- Maintaining service delivery by assisting colleagues during absences and peaks of work
- Undertaking other reasonable clinical and administrative duties as and when required as directed by line manager
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Dorset Sleep Service is a brand-new development starting in Autumn 2023 which will provide diagnostic sleep studies and CPAP treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea for Dorsets population of around 380,000 residents. We expect to be performing around 1,700 sleep studies a year to begin with and will be taking over the care of about 5,000 patients already on CPAP therapy; we expect this to rise to about 3,000 sleep studies a year and almost 8,000 CPAP patients over the next five years.
The team will consist of Administrators, Sleep Practitioners at Associate, Practitioner, and Senior level, and a Head of Department, and will be overseen by a Consultant in Respiratory Medicine. We will be open mostly during office hours, with potential scope for early starts/late ends and weekends to support Flexible Working (we have no plans for night shifts yet). The department will be based initially at Southwalks House in Dorchester, with plans to expand to additional sites in the east of the county during the first year.
You will be coming into a fresh new service and will be an integral part of creating responsive and effective procedures from the beginning; we value innovation and new ways of thinking to solve problems. We aim to create a diverse, inclusive, and supportive environment where everyone colleagues and patients alike are treated with respect and consideration.
We have vacancies for clinical roles from Band 3 to Band 7, so please check our other adverts for further opportunities within this service.
Clinical Responsibilities
- Holding or working towards gaining ARTP qualifications as a Pulse Oximetry and Polygraphy Practitioner, as a CPAP Practitioner, and potentially as an Associate Practitioner in Respiratory Physiology.
- Seeing patients at sleep study appointments, taking basic measurements of height, weight, and collar size, and recording patients sleep histories and symptoms
- Preparing, demonstrating, issuing, receiving, cleaning, and downloading sleep study devices
- Analysing and interpreting sleep study results, creating reports, and escalating any complex queries to senior staff
- Overseeing the monitoring database of CPAP patients activity, actioning issues and escalating complex queries to senior staff
- Performing CPAP set-up appointments, including choosing appropriate machine settings, fitting masks, demonstrating the equipment, explaining usage and cleaning of equipment, and arranging suitable follow-up
- Actioning patients CPAP requests from telephone calls, voicemails and email, or forwarding/escalating to other staff as appropriate
- Setting out replacement CPAP equipment for patients to collect or arranging delivery of equipment, checking patient identities at collection, and solving any issues at collection.
- Performing CPAP reviews including replacing or re-fitting equipment, adjusting mask fit and machine settings, advising on adjusting to therapy, suggesting suitable activities, troubleshooting, and escalating complex issues to senior staff as necessary
- Cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilising equipment as requires
- Working independently and prioritising own workload, adhering to National, Trust, and Departmental policies
Administrative Responsibilities
- Providing routine administrative support such as photocopying, filing, updating patient records, maintaining the department diary, provision of information leaflets, etc.
Service Development Responsibilities
- Collaborating with colleagues by contributing ideas and suggestions to develop departmental procedures, processes, and guidelines
- Promoting our ethos of continuous improvement
- Actively participating in team meetings and disseminating new knowledge to the team
Physical and Financial Resources Responsibilities
- Assisting with tracking of sleep study and CPAP equipment
- Engaging with effective use of resources to deliver the best value for money
Human Resources Responsibilities
- Participating in welcome, induction, mentoring and training of new staff as appropriate
- Supervising and mentoring apprentices
- Fully participating in the Trusts appraisal system and personal development planning process
- Taking a proactive role in managing risk in the workplace, in accordance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974
Information Resources Responsibilities
- Training to use Office, Trust, and Departmental software and maintain accurate, timely and legible records in accordance with Trust policy
- Upholding excellent standards of information governance and confidentiality at all times
Research and Audit Responsibilities
- Participating in research projects, service audits, or staff surveys as necessary
Teamworking Responsibilities
- Maintaining service delivery by assisting colleagues during absences and peaks of work
- Undertaking other reasonable clinical and administrative duties as and when required as directed by line manager
Person Specification
Education, Training & Qualifications
Essential
- Degree with experience in healthcare
- Basic Life Support training
Desirable
- Degree in a healthcare-related subject
- ARTP Pulse Oximetry & Polygraphy certificate
- ARTP CPAP Practitioner certificate
- ARTP Part 1 & 2 (or equivalent)
- Registered or eligible to register with RCCP or equivalent
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Good understanding of sleep studies, Obstructive Sleep Apnoea and CPAP therapy
- Min 1 year of working in a respiratory, sleep medicine, or ventilation service
- Min 1 year of working in a respiratory, sleep medicine, or ventilation service
- Practical experience of working with CPAP
- Excellent IT skills with proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite of Applications
Desirable
- Experience of supervising junior staff
- Ability to analyse and interpret sleep study results
- Able to analyse and interpret CPAP data reports
- Experience of training/mentoring junior staff
- Experience of working in a busy outpatient environment
- Knowledge of local and national NHS plans and strategies
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Holds or willing to work towards gaining required professional qualifications
- Commitment to continuing professional development
- Commitment to upholding values of respect, dignity, integrity, safety, teamwork, compassion, excellence, and inclusivity
- Able to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- Excellent communication skills, able to adapt communication approach to suit situation
- Good understanding of when to seek help or escalate to senior staff
- Good organisation and attention to detail
Desirable
- Able to prioritise own workload
- Good fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination
- Innovative and creative approach to problem solving
- Able to apply learning and experience to new situations
- Enthusiastic about developing a new service
- Able to travel to work at other sites across Dorset
Person Specification
Education, Training & Qualifications
Essential
- Degree with experience in healthcare
- Basic Life Support training
Desirable
- Degree in a healthcare-related subject
- ARTP Pulse Oximetry & Polygraphy certificate
- ARTP CPAP Practitioner certificate
- ARTP Part 1 & 2 (or equivalent)
- Registered or eligible to register with RCCP or equivalent
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Good understanding of sleep studies, Obstructive Sleep Apnoea and CPAP therapy
- Min 1 year of working in a respiratory, sleep medicine, or ventilation service
- Min 1 year of working in a respiratory, sleep medicine, or ventilation service
- Practical experience of working with CPAP
- Excellent IT skills with proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite of Applications
Desirable
- Experience of supervising junior staff
- Ability to analyse and interpret sleep study results
- Able to analyse and interpret CPAP data reports
- Experience of training/mentoring junior staff
- Experience of working in a busy outpatient environment
- Knowledge of local and national NHS plans and strategies
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Holds or willing to work towards gaining required professional qualifications
- Commitment to continuing professional development
- Commitment to upholding values of respect, dignity, integrity, safety, teamwork, compassion, excellence, and inclusivity
- Able to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- Excellent communication skills, able to adapt communication approach to suit situation
- Good understanding of when to seek help or escalate to senior staff
- Good organisation and attention to detail
Desirable
- Able to prioritise own workload
- Good fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination
- Innovative and creative approach to problem solving
- Able to apply learning and experience to new situations
- Enthusiastic about developing a new service
- Able to travel to work at other sites across Dorset
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).
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.
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).
