Advanced Healthcare Scientist @ University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Job summary

Available as Annex 21 training role (if not BSE accredited applicants) for a suitable candidate.

This is a very exciting time for our Cardiology Department. We have been fortunate to secure and complete a full departmental rebuild and refurbishment. This is just part of a multi-million-pound investment in redevelopment across the whole hospital, to establish us as the largest and most modern NHS Hospital in the Southwest.

We are also part of the Plymouth Community Diagnostics Centre (CDC) offering 4 echo rooms as well device follow-up, ECG/ambulatory monitoring and an array of other diagnostics . We are currently starting to work towards physiologist led valve service and looking to expand our echocardiography service with a focus on patient pathway improvement and are open to all forward thinking and innovative ideas/solutions.

We are a Centre of Excellence, looking to expand our cardiac physiology team with opportunities for specialists in electrophysiology, cardiac devices and echocardiography.

As the tertiary hospital and cardio-thoracic centre for the Southwest, we provide a full range of non-invasive and invasive procedures (including a large congenital non-invasive service). We work closely with surgical teams performing structural interventions and ablations. As a teaching hospital we have close links with the local university with PTP and PGCert students.

Main duties of the job

Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as 'Priority' and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.

• To act as a specialist advanced reporting echocardiographer (sonographer).
• To develop the Echocardiography services with the Imaging Cardiologists, Lead Cardiac Physiologists and Service line manager with an emphasis on Physiologist led services.
• To provide a leadership role for the Echocardiography team performing staff supervision, training and appraisals.
• To update existing and create new local policies, procedures and guidelines promoting best clinical practice.
• To use their highly developed specialist knowledge and practical experience to provide complex clinical investigations for the provision of cardiac services.
• To act as a source of expert advice and knowledge for others involved in difficult diagnostic and treatment scenarios.
• To undertake routine and complex diagnostic cardiac investigations and interpret results to provide accurate clinical reports that can be clearly understood.
• To take an active part in promoting a culture of continuing CPD.

For further details please se the attached JD & PS

About us

We are a people business - where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment team on 01752 432100. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission.

We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

Job description

Job responsibilities

1 -To be highly competent in performing a broad range of routine and complex Cardiac Physiology clinical-technical procedures / techniques and be an advanced practitioner in at least one specialist field.

2 -As an advanced practitioner, to take a proactive role, together with the Lead Physiologists and other Cardiac Physiologists in the department, in developing and providing organised and efficient clinical-technical input to the diagnostic investigations and therapeutic services of the department.

3 -As a professional Advanced Healthcare Scientist, manage accordingly the maintenance of standards and quality in the clinical-technical Cardiac Physiology services, including responsibility for the training of trainees, junior staff and peers when they are rostered to the specialist areas in which the post-holder is highly competent.

4 -To foster and develop good working relationships through adequate, timely and appropriate communication with all other staff, and Patients, with whom the post-holder interacts during their work.

5 -To participate in providing the out-of-hours emergency Cardiac Physiology clinical-technical service to achieve 24-hour/7-day/365-days cover.

PRIMARY DUTIES

Echocardiography

• Transthoracic Adult Echocardiography: Preparing and manipulating Patient / operating ultrasound scanning equipment / imaging / recording / measurements / analysis / interpretation / diagnostic reporting / signing-off.
• Contrast Echocardiography: Preparing and manipulating Patient / operating ultrasound scanning equipment / preparing contrast agent / administering agent / imaging / recording / measurements / analysis / interpretation / diagnostic reporting / signing-off.
• Physiological Stress Echocardiography: Patient preparation / ECG recording / BP measurements / supervising exercise / operating ultrasound scanning equipment / imaging / recording / measurements / analysis / diagnostic reporting / signing-off.
• Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography: Patient preparation / ECG recording / BP measurements / operating ultrasound scanning equipment / imaging / recording / measurements / analysis / diagnostic reporting / signing-off.
• Trans-Oesophogeal (endoscopic) Echocardiography [TOE]:Preparing Patient / operating ultrasound scanning equipment / manipulation of probe / operating pulse oximetry equipment / imaging / recording / measurements / analysis / interpretation / diagnostic reporting / signing-off.
• Adult Congenital Heart Disease: Preparing and manipulating Patient / operating ultrasound scanning equipment / imaging / recording / measurements / analysis / interpretation / diagnostic reporting / signing-off.

For further details please see the attached JD & PS

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• oPost-graduate professional qualification (equivalent to masters level) in the specialist area of echocardiography (i.e BSE or equivalent professional accreditation)
• oRelevant BSc (Hons) or equivalent professional qualification (BTEC, ONC or HNC (MPPM), Dip HE in Clincal Physiology.
• oCurrent ILS certification.
• oEligibility for RCCP registration

Desirable

• oTeaching qualification or work based assessor certification
• oBSE TOE or stress echo accreditation (or equivalent)

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

• oPost qualification demonstrable clinical experience.
• oDemonstrable experience as a highly specialised practitioner in echocardiography.

Desirable

• oDemonstrable experience in similar specialist lead or cardiac managerial role.
• oDemonstrable experience working in a centre with a range of complex echocardiography techniques/services including physiologist led services

Aptitude & Abilities

Essential

• oProven record of teaching and mentorship in cardiac physiology
• oExcellent organisational and administrative skills with a proven ability to organise own time.
• oAbility to work well in a busy environment and endure long periods of concentration.

Desirable

• oDemonstrable experience of NHS budgetary and procurement processes
• oConceptual flexibility - holds different options in focus simultaneously and evaluates their pros and cons.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Address

University Hospital Plymouth NHS Trust

Plymouth Hospitals Nhs Trust

Plymouth

PL6 8DH

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)