Job overview
*Please note this post is open to internal applicants only*
We are looking for an enthusiastic, forward-thinking team member to join the Cardiac Rehab team based at Southlands Hospital at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust. Your role will include; the assessment and treatment of complex cardiac conditions, seeing patients on the wards, in out-patient clinics and community exercise venues running exercise groups. You will have some Cardiac Rehab experience and be committed to supporting the patient to manage their condition. Excellent communication skills are a must, as well as an interest and proven ability in the supervision and clinical support of others. You will also have experience in working as part of a team.
Main duties of the job
1. To provide assessment and treatment for a range of cardiac patients referred to the cardiac rehabilitation service, in cross-site & community settings, in accordance with the BACPR guidelines and national/local health and safety standards.
2. To work in collaboration with the wider MDT and health professionals in primary care.
3. To supervise, teach and appraise Physiotherapy Associate Practitioners and students
4. To Support the Team lead and Band 6s
5. To participate in CPD, IST, audit, evidence based projects and service development projects
6. To be prepared to participate in future 7-day service provision if applicable.
Working for our organisation
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.
As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.
We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please note: This role does not meet the minimum criteria for visa sponsorship under the current UK immigration rules, which set specific salary and skill thresholds. As such, we are unable to provide sponsorship for this post. Applicants will therefore need to already have the right to work in the UK to be considered. We include this information at the outset to provide clarity and avoid unnecessary inconvenience for applicants.
Communication
7. To maintain high levels of communication with patients, carers, other health professionals, and stake holders.
8. Attend and feedback in team discussion / work including MDT and agencies.
9. Demonstrate good communication both informally and formally.
10. Employ a range of non-verbal communication skills that are non-judgmental and appropriate to the situation.
11. Recognise potential area of conflict or difficult conversations, know when to resolve and which channels to refer to if outside own scope, liaising with manager as necessary.
12. Keep accurate clinical records to agreed standards.
13. To establish and maintain effective communications with all members of the multi-disciplinary patient team and with other wards/departments within the hospital during the patients journey e.g. daily handover, MDT meetings.
Service Delivery and Improvement
14. Manage specific clinical area, e.g. ward, exercise group or clinic, prioritising and delegating as appropriate.
15. To prioritise and manage clinical work and non-clinical activities in accordance with departmental requirements.
16. Participate in relevant service development e.g. audit, service evaluation, user feedback and data collection.
17. Deliver safe and effective group sessions, adapting, monitoring, and progressing patient treatment / exercise as appropriate and give advice regarding on-going exercise between sessions and at discharge.
18. Use initiative and problem-solving skills to resolve queries and problems, recognising when to escalate to senior staff.
People Management and Development
19. Take responsibility for the line management and /or professional development of other staff, including carrying out appraisal and supervision and monitoring of competencies. i.e. band 4’s, students, and volunteers.
20. Supervise junior members of the team, and volunteers in group sessions.
21. Take an active role in teaching of team and volunteers as appropriate.
22. Ensure new and existing volunteers are competent in the use of gym equipment, reviewing annually and maintaining an up-to-date register.
23. To be actively involved in recruitment and selection process.
Patient Care Delivery
24. Take responsibility for entire episodes of care for defined groups within a specialism, in which competence has been demonstrated, independently and/or with infrequent support and supervision.
25. To independently carry out comprehensive and appropriate assessments, treatments, including exercise prescription of patients with a variety of conditions and possibly complex presentations.
26. To recognise when a patient is progressing or regressing and make adaptions to the management Plan accordingly and recognise when to escalate to senior staff.
27. To be able to recognise when a patient has become unwell or has acutely concerning signs of ill health and be able to arrange the medical assistance required with the appropriate degree of urgency, escalate to senior staff and document appropriately e.g. Datix.
Person specification
Professional Registration
Essential criteria
28. Relevant Registration with HCPC/RCN
Skills
Essential criteria
29. Manage own caseload independently
30. Ability to prioritise own work and delegate appropriately to others
31. Ability to take responsibility and independently manage caseload
Desirable criteria
32. Ability to deal with non-routine and unpredictable nature of workload
Experience/Qualifications
Essential criteria
33. Previous experience in specific speciality
34. Knowledge of cardiac anatomy and physiology, and management of related pathologies.
Desirable criteria
35. Knowledge of BACPR guidelines and Standards
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Essential criteria
36. Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
37. Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
Important information for applicants:
A Note on AI Use in Applications
We value the individuality and authenticity that each candidate brings to the application process. While AI tools are increasingly accessible, we strongly discourage their use in completing your application. Your responses should reflect your own voice, experiences, and motivations—elements that are essential to a fair and accurate evaluation.
Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content may misrepresent your abilities and could result in your application being rejected. We encourage you to take the time to present your genuine self, as this helps us better understand your potential and ensures a transparent selection process.
Closing Adverts Early: In the event of exceptional interest, we may close adverts earlier than specified.
Some of our adverts are capped for a limited number of applications; therefore, the advert will close once the cap has been reached. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible if you are interested in the position to prevent you from missing out on applying for the opportunity.
Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.
DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check. We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.
Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for the roles that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that you meet this criteria.
UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications