Specialist Respiratory Clinician

Job responsibilities

Main Duties & Responsibilities

1. Professional & Clinical

Provide an advanced level of specialist care and therapeutic options as appropriate to profession to patients with respiratory disease (COPD, ILD & Bronchiectasis) either face to face or via telephone.

Instigate diagnostic testing such as CXR, lung function tests, blood tests and action results as appropriate.

Prompt clinical triage of referrals into the Respiratory & Oxygen service from primary, community, acute care and patient self-referrals, offering specialist advice, home visits and clinic appointments to avoid hospital admission/readmission.

Caseload management including discharge management and continuing specialist support for patients who require ongoing complex care and respiratory disease.

Proactively identify and assess patients admitted to hospital with an acute exacerbation of COPD (COPD discharge bundle) referring onto Virtual Ward as appropriate.

Facilitate the discharge of patients admitted to hospital with acute exacerbation of COPD. This includes referral to Virtual Ward where appropriate.

Provide triage telephone advice during working hours to Virtual Ward regarding respiratory/oxygen management.

Arrange timely follow up in the community for patients discharged from hospital. This will include patients discharged from Virtual ward following AECOPD or requiring weaning of oxygen therapy.

Conduct respiratory assessments in the community for patients referred into service. This will include unstable disease and urgent exacerbation management (admission avoidance) and referral onto or signposting to other services.

Plan and deliver individual, effective, efficient, and high-quality treatment programmes for respiratory patients in the community. This will include elements of health coaching and self-management linked to patient agreed goals.

To evaluate the progression of a patient's goal achievement with respect to the treatment plan and adjustment of the management plan as necessary.

Refer patients to tertiary centres for interventions such as Hyperinflation MDT, ILD MDT and for NIV/sleep assessments.

Conduct oxygen assessments including performing a capillary blood gas in various settings.

Provide monitoring and reviews (including risk) of patients prescribed oxygen therapy including those discharged from hospital.

Titration of ambulatory oxygen therapy.

Spirometry interpretation.

Provide a key role in delivery of the Respiratory MDT across primary, community and secondary care.

Communicating highly complex information sensitively to patients including discussing advance care planning, end of life care with patients and families, utilising appropriate paperwork/ pathways as required.

Provide palliative support/advice for Health Professionals and patients with respiratory disease.

Liaise with other professionals (health, social, voluntary sector) in assessment, and management of respiratory patients including shared care with tertiary centres.

Be accountable for own clinical practice by maintaining and developing advanced levels of clinical competence including identifying any gaps in knowledge and seeking education/information (this includes guidelines and peer discussion).

Actively promote, facilitate, and disseminate research and evidence-based practice relating to respiratory disease.

Act as a role model of clinical excellence to other professionals.

Utilise Independent Prescribing to enhance quality and delivery of patient care

Ensure prescribing practice is evidence-based in line with local and national prescribing guidance.

Educate and empower patients and carers to identify early signs of change in condition providing them with necessary knowledge and skills to gain independence and make informed choices to safely manage their condition/s. This includes providing individualised self-management plans and use of digital options/apps.

Offer health promotion advice and support to families and patients with respiratory disease including smoking cessation.

Provide respiratory education and specialist advice for other healthcare professionals, including students.

Effective time management and prioritising of workload.

Management & Leadership

Provide day-to-day management for the delivery of the local Respiratory and Oxygen Services.

Responsible for the day-to-day management of a group of staff including work allocation, performance/attendance issues, participating in recruitment, appraisal and development.

Provide leadership, support, Clinical Supervision and development opportunities for other team members and healthcare professionals.

Ensure timely and effective communication with the Clinical Lead on all professional matters.

Financial responsibilities

Ensure effective use of resources, both financial and human.

Robust budget management as delegated from Clinical Lead.

Management and presentation of data and service information reports such as performance, activity and data error reports.

Information management

Ensure clinical information/records are maintained and activity data recorded in a timely manner as per trust policy.

Education & Professional Development

Develop, provide, and evaluate education and literature for patients and their support network.

Actively participate in and contribute to networking opportunities at local, regional, and national levels.

Lead and deliver local Respiratory Meetings providing support to other health professionals involved in respiratory care.

Facilitate and provide advice/education to the local Integrated Breathe Easy group.

Prepare and deliver educational sessions as required to peers, other Health Professionals

Operational Delivery

Be accountable for ensuring workload for self and others is prioritised, planned, and delivered according to service targets and needs including delivery of key performance indicators and collation of service data.

Project Management

Leading and delivering additional projects within respiratory service as required.

Risk & Governance Management

Take responsibility for recording near misses and risks as per trust policy and report to Clinical Lead. This will include oxygen risk assessment and use of DATIX.

Completion of appraisals for other team members

Be responsible for attending mandatory training as per trust policy.

Responsible for safe use and maintenance of equipment and supplies.

Service Development

Actively lead and participate in multi-disciplinary work to develop strategies relating to the respiratory pathway.

Collaborate with others in the development of pathways of care for the management/treatment of people with respiratory disease.

Work effectively with multi-agency teams and other organisations to develop existing services for people with respiratory disease- providing expert opinion

Research & Development

May be required to undertake surveys or audits, as necessary to own work; may occasionally participate in R&D, clinical trials or equipment testing.

Qualifications

Essential

• oCurrent NMC/HCPC registration as 1st Level Registered Nurse or Physiotherapist.
• oDegree and evidence of continuing professional development.
• oAdditional post registration specialist respiratory training/short courses equivalent to degree.

Desirable

• oMaster's degree
• oIndependent Prescriber (or willingness to undertake in first 12 months)
• oAdvanced Clinical Practice

Experience

Essential

• oPost qualification respiratory experience at a relevant level
• oExperience of multidisciplinary and partnership working
• oDelivering teaching/education to other Health Care Professionals
• oWorking in community or acute health setting or both at appropriate level.
• Minimum 3 years experience working in the NHS

Desirable

• oContributing to service or project planning and implementation
• oClinical audit experience.

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

Essential

• oGood IT skills
• oClinical assessment skills including chest auscultation.
• oAbility to carry out highly advanced range of assessments to a high standard to support a clinical diagnosis, develop a management plan and set goals.
• oDemonstrate initiative and ability to manage stressful situations.
• oKnowledge of respiratory guidelines and standards

Desirable

• oPrevious use of SystmOne
• oAbility to perform capillary or arterial blood gas
• oSpirometry interpretation.
• oAbility to raise concerns and improve standards as required.

Communication

Essential

• oExcellent verbal and written communicator, with people and their families, carers, partner agencies, community groups and stakeholders, adapting communication styles accordingly.

Desirable

• oChairing meetings across partner agencies.
• oEvidence of advanced communication skills training to include difficult/sensitive end of life discussions

Personal and People Development

Essential

• oEvidence of supervision and peer support to other staff members.

Desirable

• oAppraisal training
• oClinical Supervisor
• oPrevious experience in a special interest or patient support group.
• oFacilitating development of other staff members

Personal Attributes

Essential

• oAble to identify with the Trust's commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults.
• oProactive
• oAbility to work autonomously, under pressure and prioritise workload
• oEmpathy and sensitivity.
• oActs as a role model and leads by example
• oDemonstrate responsibility for the wellbeing of patients, colleagues and self
• oAbility to work collaboratively as part of a wider team.
• oSelf-awareness

Other

Essential

• oMust hold full and valid driving licence and have access to a vehicle
• oThe post holder will need to be passed fit to perform full duties of the post through occupational health with any reasonable aids and adaptations if necessary.
• oAble to communicate effectively in written and verbal English Language

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).