Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity for a Band 7 Senior Sleep Practitioner to join the new Dorset Sleep Service which will be providing Sleep Diagnostics and CPAP Therapy for Dorset residents in partnership with University Hospital Dorset NHS Foundation Trust respiratory teams. The role is full-time during office hours; flexible working is available, and job-sharing would be considered.
Main duties of the job
This vacancy will consist of issuing, downloading, analysis and reporting of sleep studies; overseeing CPAP patients' activity and actioning issues arising from the monitoring database; performing CPAP set-ups and CPAP reviews, including working with patients with more complex needs; supervising and training junior staff; deputising for senior staff where necessary; and undertaking other suitable 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 healthcare science, clinical physiology, or a similar field, who holds ARTP qualifications in respiratory and/or sleep physiology, who has worked in a respiratory and/or sleep department for at least 6 years, and is familiar with overnight oximetry, polygraphy, Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, and CPAP therapy.
You will need to be able to work independently, to prioritise your own workload and to supervise junior staff. Professional qualifications in respiratory and sleep physiology and/or CPAP therapy, and 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 likely 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; applications from people who are LGBT+, BAME, neurodivergent, or disabled are welcome.
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
- Working towards gaining any necessary qualifications not already held
- Leading the day-to-day running of the Dorset Sleep Service, including overseeing the work of all junior staff
- Overseeing booking of appointments, ensuring that appropriate time, equipment and staff are available for the planned contacts and procedures
- Seeing patients at sleep study appointments, taking basic measurements of height, weight, and collar size, and recording patients sleep histories and symptoms
- Analysing, interpreting, and reporting on sleep study results
- Referring patients for treatment or to other services as appropriate
- Overseeing the monitoring database of CPAP patients activity, and actioning issues
- 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; with particular focus on patients with complex needs
- Actioning patients CPAP requests from telephone calls, voicemails and email, or forwarding to other colleagues and professionals as appropriate
- Performing CPAP reviews including replacing or re-fitting equipment, adjusting mask fit and machine settings, advising on adjusting to therapy, suggesting suitable activities, and troubleshooting, with a focus on patients with complex needs
- Liaising with other associated healthcare, social care, and related professionals to ensure excellent care is provided to all our patients and that essential information to enable this is provided promptly, accurately, and clearly.
- Providing expertise and advice to different members of the multi-disciplinary team across the organisation to inform decision-making
- Providing support for our colleagues in Lung Function by occasionally supervising or performing routine and complex lung function tests during times of significant service pressure
- Overseeing stock control, including monitoring stock levels, requesting reordering of supplies in a timely manner, unpacking and storing new stock deliveries, and tidying and organising storage areas
- Working independently, prioritising own workload and managing the day-to-day activities of the junior staff, adhering to National, Trust, and Departmental policies
- Assisting with the department preparations for IQIPS accreditation, including helping to develop or update departmental policies, logs, checklists, and processes.
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
- Contributing to departmental plans for expansion into providing NIV and ASV therapy, and to improve the Sleep Service overall
- 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, training and mentoring apprentices and supporting junior staff to move forward with their professional development
- Providing sympathetic, responsible and innovative leadership to promote recruitment and retention of staff
- 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
- Providing teaching and education sessions for other healthcare professionals in formal and informal settings
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 likely 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; applications from people who are LGBT+, BAME, neurodivergent, or disabled are welcome.
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
- Working towards gaining any necessary qualifications not already held
- Leading the day-to-day running of the Dorset Sleep Service, including overseeing the work of all junior staff
- Overseeing booking of appointments, ensuring that appropriate time, equipment and staff are available for the planned contacts and procedures
- Seeing patients at sleep study appointments, taking basic measurements of height, weight, and collar size, and recording patients sleep histories and symptoms
- Analysing, interpreting, and reporting on sleep study results
- Referring patients for treatment or to other services as appropriate
- Overseeing the monitoring database of CPAP patients activity, and actioning issues
- 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; with particular focus on patients with complex needs
- Actioning patients CPAP requests from telephone calls, voicemails and email, or forwarding to other colleagues and professionals as appropriate
- Performing CPAP reviews including replacing or re-fitting equipment, adjusting mask fit and machine settings, advising on adjusting to therapy, suggesting suitable activities, and troubleshooting, with a focus on patients with complex needs
- Liaising with other associated healthcare, social care, and related professionals to ensure excellent care is provided to all our patients and that essential information to enable this is provided promptly, accurately, and clearly.
- Providing expertise and advice to different members of the multi-disciplinary team across the organisation to inform decision-making
- Providing support for our colleagues in Lung Function by occasionally supervising or performing routine and complex lung function tests during times of significant service pressure
- Overseeing stock control, including monitoring stock levels, requesting reordering of supplies in a timely manner, unpacking and storing new stock deliveries, and tidying and organising storage areas
- Working independently, prioritising own workload and managing the day-to-day activities of the junior staff, adhering to National, Trust, and Departmental policies
- Assisting with the department preparations for IQIPS accreditation, including helping to develop or update departmental policies, logs, checklists, and processes.
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
- Contributing to departmental plans for expansion into providing NIV and ASV therapy, and to improve the Sleep Service overall
- 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, training and mentoring apprentices and supporting junior staff to move forward with their professional development
- Providing sympathetic, responsible and innovative leadership to promote recruitment and retention of staff
- 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
- Providing teaching and education sessions for other healthcare professionals in formal and informal settings
Person Specification
Education, Qualifications & Training
Essential
- BSc Clinical Respiratory Physiology, Healthcare Science, or suitable equivalent
- ARTP Part 1 & 2 or equivalent
- Basic Life Support training
Desirable
- MSc in a closely associated subject or equivalent workplace experience
- ARTP Pulse Oximetry & Polygraphy certificate
- ARTP Advanced CPAP Practitioner certificate
- Registered or eligible to register with RCCP or equivalent
- Mentorship or clinical assessor's qualification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Thorough understanding of sleep studies, Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, and CPAP therapy
- Min 3 years of working in a respiratory, sleep medicine, or ventilation service
- Performs and interprets overnight oximetry and polygraphy sleep studies independently
- Performs CPAP set-ups and reviews independently
- Excellent IT Skills including proficiency in the use of the Microsoft Office suite of Applications
Desirable
- Experience of training, mentoring, and supervising junior staff
- Experience of managing a team
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- 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
- Able to prioritise own workload
- Able to travel to work at other sites across Dorset
- Innovative and creative approach to problem solving
- Able to apply learning and experience to new situations
- Enthusiastic about developing a new service
- Able to take part in expended working hours
Person Specification
Education, Qualifications & Training
Essential
- BSc Clinical Respiratory Physiology, Healthcare Science, or suitable equivalent
- ARTP Part 1 & 2 or equivalent
- Basic Life Support training
Desirable
- MSc in a closely associated subject or equivalent workplace experience
- ARTP Pulse Oximetry & Polygraphy certificate
- ARTP Advanced CPAP Practitioner certificate
- Registered or eligible to register with RCCP or equivalent
- Mentorship or clinical assessor's qualification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Thorough understanding of sleep studies, Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, and CPAP therapy
- Min 3 years of working in a respiratory, sleep medicine, or ventilation service
- Performs and interprets overnight oximetry and polygraphy sleep studies independently
- Performs CPAP set-ups and reviews independently
- Excellent IT Skills including proficiency in the use of the Microsoft Office suite of Applications
Desirable
- Experience of training, mentoring, and supervising junior staff
- Experience of managing a team
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- 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
- Able to prioritise own workload
- Able to travel to work at other sites across Dorset
- Innovative and creative approach to problem solving
- Able to apply learning and experience to new situations
- Enthusiastic about developing a new service
- Able to take part in expended working hours
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).
