Highly Specialist Cardiac Physiologist (Echocardiography) inShipley inShipley PUBLISHED WED 9 OCT 2024

Highly Specialist Cardiac Physiologist: Echocardiography

Applications are invited for full or part-time Highly Specialist Cardiac Physiologist for Westcliffe Health Innovations based in Shipley, West Yorkshire. This is an exciting opportunity to join our long-standing community-based multi-disciplinary Cardiology team. The successful candidate(s) will be joining our innovative and reputable clinical team to progress the Cardio-respiratory Service with clinics based at various sites in the community within Bradford and Airedale.

We are seeking to appoint more Highly Specialist Cardiac Physiologists who have achieved BSE transthoracic echo accreditation and have sufficient proven experience in echocardiography.

The successful candidate will be enthusiastic, self-aware, conscientious, and committed to developing and advancing their practical expertise and clinical knowledge as well as contributing towards expansion and development of the role of Cardiac Physiologist in our team.

The cardio-respiratory Investigations in our Cardiology service focus on echocardiograms test and report, analysis of 12-lead ECGs and extended Holter one-lead devices such as Zenicor. There is opportunity to develop skills in the clinical management of patients should this be an area of interest as well as audit and piloting new devices therefore offering a varied yet different role to the traditional acute hospital-based services.

The job-holder will:

• Undertake echocardiography tests and procedures, analyse results and formulate reports where appropriate.

• Be involved in clinical supervision and training of junior and trainee physiology staff and induction and oversight of locum physiology staff

• Participate in Continuing Professional Development and other developmental activities, including research and clinical trials

• Work with Team Leaders and the Service Manager in further developing the clinical physiology service.

About us

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LOCATION Community-based clinics in Bradford & Airedale

The jobholder will provide cardiac physiology expertise within the specialist area of echocardiography ensuring optimal standards of care are provided to patients.

The job-holder will:

• Undertake echocardiography tests and procedures, analyse results and formulate reports where appropriate.

• Be involved in clinical supervision and training of junior and trainee physiology staff and induction and oversight of locum physiology staff

• Participate in Continuing Professional Development and other developmental activities, including research and clinical trials

• Work with Team Leaders and the Service Manager in further developing the clinical physiology service.

Professional

• Work independently, undertaking a range of advanced echocardiography investigations

• Produce, analyse, interpret and present a range of complex facts

• Skilled and knowledgeable in echocardiography providing specialist training, evaluating competency of physiologists working within that area and ensuring that all work is to the agreed standards of clinical practice, in line with Organisation Health and Safety policies

• Undertake active involvement in the planning and provision of service developments, including the formulation of protocols, policies and procedures

• Liaise with other healthcare professionals (Consultants, GPwSI, Nursing, HCA, Pharmacist and admin staff) to ensure service(s) meet changing health care needs

• Undertake risk assessments pertinent to technical equipment and environment within specialist area

• Record data, maintain and develop database(s)

• Contribute to development of working area and environment

• Able to work independently within all areas of clinical skills, predominantly guided by established policies and codes of practice, but on occasions working to individual plans in consultation with Lead Physician and/or external Technical Specialists To write departmental and implement Organisation wide/departmental policies, procedures and guidelines.

To write departmental and implement Organisation wide/departmental policies, procedures and guidelines.

Maintain a professional appearance in line with the Organisation dress code

Uphold the Organisations values and behaviours and behave in a manner fitting with the responsible position of the post holder, maintaining the public confidence

Maintain professional and courteous working relationships with staff and respect the equality and diversity of each and every person he/she comes into contact with in the course of his/her business

Uphold the privacy and dignity of the patient and respect the equality of patients at all time

2. Key Responsibilities

2.1 Leadership and management

• Provides leadership to the designated team
• Investigates and responds to accidents, complaints, untoward incidents and other significant events
• Ensures the safe use and efficient management of equipment and supplies within the team
• Takes responsibility for setting, monitoring and seeking to continuously improve standards and the quality of care delivered to patients
• Promotes evidence based practice, wherever possible
• Implements policies and proposes change to practice for own specialist area
• Contributes to the development of specialist protocols for specialist area
• Engages users on service delivery and development.

2.2 Clinical skills

• Acts in accordance with the Professional Code of Conduct
• Maintains a safe working environment
• Works as a specialist practitioner within established Organisation and departmental policies
• Act as a source of expertise within their designated area
• Undertake clinical procedures where dexterity and accuracy are required and performs a broad range of highly specialist and complex investigations providing accurate factual reports following analysis and interpretation of physiological data
• Routinely undertakes assessment of both direct access and out-patients prior to a range of cardio-respiratory investigations and uses own discretion in order to ensure the patient is suitable for the investigation
• Supervises and assesses the work of others within the designated team
• Works within and towards national guidelines and directives, e.g. NICE, NSF
• Reports clinical incidents and adverse events to the Service Manager and external agencies as required.
• Provides clinical leadership and acts as a role model to the designated clinical physiology team by delivering high quality care as an expert practitioner. Giving lead specialist advice as required

• Apply and use technology consistent with evidence of good practice
• Prepare and maintain specialist equipment, ensuring overall functionality and comparing overall performance with standardisations
• Participate in Clinical Research Trials as directed by lead Physician

2.3 Analytical skills

• Interpret and present findings and outcomes of all diagnostic procedures undertaken
• Make recommendations based on valid interpretation of available information

2.4 Teaching/Training/Assessing

• Take responsibility for own continuing professional development, identifying own development needs in relation to current practice, and attending relevant courses etc.
• Apply own learning to future development of service
• Contribute to, and support learning and development of others, accessing appropriate learning opportunities, and encouraging professional development
• Actively participate in training of trainees and other staff, with specialist training for clinical staff, to include planning and delivery of training activities

• Objectively assess the work of individuals within areas of specialisation, providing clear and constructive feedback, and agreeing courses of action to address issues, raising issues and related risks with relevant people

2.5 Planning & Policy

• Evaluate own and team work, making constructive suggestions as to how services can be improved, seeking appropriate support for recommended/necessary changes, and implementing change

2.6 Administrative

• Maintain accurate patient records
• Input data, test results and reports into computerised system
• Ensure others are processing data accurately, with an appropriate level of detail and in the agreed format, making amendments and highlighting problems as necessary
• Investigate and take appropriate action when there are problems with processing data, identifying sources of error and taking appropriate action to implement change
• Develop structure of systems/databases enabling others to input data more effectively

2.7 Communication

• Maintains accurate clinical and other records in accordance with Organisation policy
• Ensure appropriate clinical record keeping within the designated team
• Support patients and their families, communicating sensitive information about routine and complex investigations ensuring they receive the required information to enable them to participate in their care delivery
• Communicate effectively with technical, nursing medical and allied health profession colleagues, providing technical advice relating to specific patient care
• Communicate effectively with technical, nursing medical and allied health profession colleagues in a training/educational role
• Communicate effectively with manufacturers and technical specialists

2.8 Patient/Carer contact

• Able to treat patients and relatives/carers with respect and consideration, maintaining emotional awareness in distressing circumstances

• Communicate effectively with patients and relatives/carers, using verbal and non verbal communication, ensuring understanding of what is being communicated, and taking into account patient communication problems, difficulty in understanding, stressful situations/aggression, and requirement for persuasion/reassurance

2.9 Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults

• The postholder has a general responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in the course of their daily duties and for ensuring that they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.

3. Resources and Finance

Critical examine working practices within the department to identify cost improvements and effective measures, develop and implement action plans

To maintain the record of premium rate activity on the definitive list

To validate all claims for premium rate work against the relevant record in the definitive list

The post holder will ensure the proper use of the Organisations resources such as stationery, telephone usage, photocopying and other consumables in the course of business, ensuring minimal waste and minimal cost

4. Organisational Responsibilities

• To maintain the confidentiality of the Organisation in respect of patient and staff information obtained at all times, and use such information only as authorised for specific purposes. Report any concerns about the use of such information to the senior manager.

5. Personal Responsibilities

• The post-holder is responsible for taking reasonable care with regard to himself/herself as well as for any colleagues, patients or visitors who might be affected by any act or failure to act by the post-holder in accordance with the Organisations policies on Health and Safety at Work.
• To report any accident, untoward incident or loss relating to staff, patients or visitors according to Organisation policies.
• To undertake in-service training relevant to the post.
• Comply with Organisation Policies and Procedures.