Job summary
Are you an enthusiastic and driven Exercise Physiologist with a deep passion for cardiac rehabilitation? If so, we have a rare and exciting opportunity for you to make a real impact within a nationally recognised, NACR Green Accredited cardiac rehabilitation service.
Join our forward-thinking, multi-disciplinary team where you'll play a pivotal role in delivering high-quality, evidence-based Phase 2 and Phase 3 cardiac rehabilitation programmes. These programmes span a variety of formats -- from in-person sessions to telephone-led home programmes and innovative virtual/app-based platforms -- ensuring accessibility and excellence for patients with diverse cardiovascular conditions.
In this role, you'll conduct functional capacity and mobility assessments, lead engaging individual and group exercise and education sessions, tailor exercise prescriptions to accommodate co-morbidities and physical limitations, and provide supportive counselling and lifestyle guidance. This is your chance to contribute to a service that's not only clinically robust but also at the cutting edge of digital health delivery.
Important: This position is specifically for an Exercise Physiologist, not a Physiotherapist. Previous applicants need not apply.
Main duties of the job
Deliver, develop and maintain safe and effective group exercise sessions for patients with a wide range of cardiovascular conditions and work within the standards and protocols set by the BACPR & ACPICR.
Formulate, risk stratify and deliver individual and group exercise plans, programmes and recommendations for patients based on highly developed specialist knowledge, clinical assessments and reasoning skills utilising evidence based practice.
To undertake autonomous appropriate functional testing assessments both pre and post cardiac rehabilitation and interpret results in order to guide safe individualised exercise prescription.
Demonstrate the ability to co-ordinate the cardiac rehabilitation service in absence of the Band 6 Senior Cardiac Rehabilitation Exercise Physiologist and Cardiac Rehab Team Leader.
About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Job Description and Person Specification are attached to this job, please review for the full details and responsibilities
Deliver, develop and maintain safe and effective group exercise sessions for patients with a wide range of cardiovascular conditions and work within the standards and protocols set by the BACPR & ACPICR
Adopt a flexible and dynamic approach to patient care and service planning and development.
Formulate, risk stratify and deliver individual and group exercise plans, programmes and recommendations for patients based on highly developed specialist knowledge, clinical assessments and reasoning skills utilising evidence based practice.
Along with the Band 6 Senior Cardiac Rehabilitation Exercise Physiologist, deliver and develop high quality cardiac rehabilitation exercise programmes. Amongst others, these will include a high intensity circuit based cardio vascular exercise programme and a chair based exercise programme providing low intensity functional exercise.
As an autonomous practitioner, hold responsibility for a given caseload of patients within a defined area of cardiac rehabilitation.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Job Description and Person Specification are attached to this job, please review for the full details and responsibilities
Deliver, develop and maintain safe and effective group exercise sessions for patients with a wide range of cardiovascular conditions and work within the standards and protocols set by the BACPR & ACPICR
Adopt a flexible and dynamic approach to patient care and service planning and development.
Formulate, risk stratify and deliver individual and group exercise plans, programmes and recommendations for patients based on highly developed specialist knowledge, clinical assessments and reasoning skills utilising evidence based practice.
Along with the Band 6 Senior Cardiac Rehabilitation Exercise Physiologist, deliver and develop high quality cardiac rehabilitation exercise programmes. Amongst others, these will include a high intensity circuit based cardio vascular exercise programme and a chair based exercise programme providing low intensity functional exercise.
As an autonomous practitioner, hold responsibility for a given caseload of patients within a defined area of cardiac rehabilitation.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- BSc in Physiology/Sports Science or equivalent
Desirable
- MSc Clinical Exercise Physiology or related exercise field.
- BACPR Specialist Exercise Instructor Phase IV Qualification (or working/willing to work towards)
- Register of Exercise Professionals Level 2 gym instructor
- Register of Exercise Professionals Level 3 Advanced Qualification
- Motivational Interviewing and change management
- Basic Life Support
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with patients with cardiac disease
- Experience of working within a healthcare setting
- Working in a multi-disciplinary team and an understanding of other roles and responsibilities of the cardiac rehab team.
- Ability to deliver educational talks and lead both group and individual exercise programmes to patients with cardiac disease.
- Previous exercise teaching experience
Desirable
- Experience in health promotion
- Functional capacity testing
- Experience of data collection and analysis
- Participation in research/audit
- Experience in adapting exercise to those with co-morbidities
- Evaluating the outcomes of cardiac rehab
Knowledge
Essential
- Up-to-date knowledge of national and local strategies relating to cardiac rehabilitation
- Thorough knowledge of BACPR and ACPICR standards
- Knowledge of existing exercise & functional testing and prescription guidelines
- Demonstrable and competent knowledge of exercise physiology and impact of varied clinical pathologies.
- An understanding of the cause, process and associated risk factors of cardiac disease.
- Recognises boundaries of own responsibilities
Desirable
- Experience of clinical audit and the principles of clinical governance
Personal skills
Essential
- Ability to assess clinical information and structure patient care accordingly
- Ability to manage potentially difficult situations
- Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- Ability to work autonomously
- Ability to work on own initiative
- High level of computer literacy with good use of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Video Conferencing Platforms.
- Good verbal and written skills
- Ability to prioritize and organise workload and manage time effectively.
Other
Essential
- Ability to travel routinely within/around Bedford carrying equipment as required for the role.
- Physically fit and able to comply with Trust Manual Handling Guidelines.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- BSc in Physiology/Sports Science or equivalent
Desirable
- MSc Clinical Exercise Physiology or related exercise field.
- BACPR Specialist Exercise Instructor Phase IV Qualification (or working/willing to work towards)
- Register of Exercise Professionals Level 2 gym instructor
- Register of Exercise Professionals Level 3 Advanced Qualification
- Motivational Interviewing and change management
- Basic Life Support
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with patients with cardiac disease
- Experience of working within a healthcare setting
- Working in a multi-disciplinary team and an understanding of other roles and responsibilities of the cardiac rehab team.
- Ability to deliver educational talks and lead both group and individual exercise programmes to patients with cardiac disease.
- Previous exercise teaching experience
Desirable
- Experience in health promotion
- Functional capacity testing
- Experience of data collection and analysis
- Participation in research/audit
- Experience in adapting exercise to those with co-morbidities
- Evaluating the outcomes of cardiac rehab
Knowledge
Essential
- Up-to-date knowledge of national and local strategies relating to cardiac rehabilitation
- Thorough knowledge of BACPR and ACPICR standards
- Knowledge of existing exercise & functional testing and prescription guidelines
- Demonstrable and competent knowledge of exercise physiology and impact of varied clinical pathologies.
- An understanding of the cause, process and associated risk factors of cardiac disease.
- Recognises boundaries of own responsibilities
Desirable
- Experience of clinical audit and the principles of clinical governance
Personal skills
Essential
- Ability to assess clinical information and structure patient care accordingly
- Ability to manage potentially difficult situations
- Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- Ability to work autonomously
- Ability to work on own initiative
- High level of computer literacy with good use of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Video Conferencing Platforms.
- Good verbal and written skills
- Ability to prioritize and organise workload and manage time effectively.
Other
Essential
- Ability to travel routinely within/around Bedford carrying equipment as required for the role.
- Physically fit and able to comply with Trust Manual Handling Guidelines.
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).
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).
