Job overview
We are seeking a highly motivated Cardiac Physiologist to join our friendly and dynamic team, working in Echocardiography to provide high standards of care and support to patients in the Luton and Dunstable Hospital.
This post will either be a Band 7 or Band 6 depending on your qualifications and experience. We offer a 10% Recruitment and Retention Bonus for Band 7 BSE or EACVI Accredited Echocardiographers.
You will play a key role in the continuous development of our vibrant and growing echo service. Our department delivers inpatient and outpatient echocardiography. The outpatient echo service includes clinics for valve surveillance, physiologist led Bubble/Contrast echos, chemotherapy surveillance, adult congenital, heart failure, as well as open access GP clinics. You will work alongside our enthusiastic Consultant Cardiologists specialised in Echocardiography who perform Transesophageal Echocardiograms (TOE), Stress Echocardiograms and Contrast/Bubble Echocardiograms.
We hold a Weekly Echo Meeting in which interesting cases are presented and discussed with an open-minded attitude, facilitating learning and development of echo and clinical skills.
Our department has a strong track record for teaching and developing Echocardiographers. As such, you will have the rewarding experience of contributing to someone else’s career development by sharing your expert advice and guidance.
Main duties of the job
To perform and report inpatient and outpatient echocardiograms according to the BSE standards and guidelines.
To review echo reports from echo trainees and provide valuable and constructive feedback.
To assist our Consultant Cardiologists in the performance of Transesophageal Echocardiograms (TOE), Stress Echocardiograms and Contrast/Bubble Echocardiograms.
To assist in the day to day management of procedures/workload/organisation within the department.
To act as a role model for junior members of the team and to contribute to their development.
To participate in the weekly echo meeting, open-mindedly sharing and discussing interesting findings/cases.
To triage and prioritize echocardiogram requests according to the BSE guidelines.
To communicate effectively with the multi-disciplinary team, informing the relevant medical professionals when significant findings are diagnosed.
(Only if the candidate is skilled – not essential for this post): To perform and report other non-invasive diagnostic tests like Holter analysis, Exercise Stress Test, Tilt Test, Loop Recorder Monitors.
To demonstrate effective IT skills to assist in clinical activities and audit.
Working for our organisation
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
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For a more detailed job description of the main responsibilities, please read the Band 7 and Band 6 Job Description documents provided.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. BSc Hons Clinical Physiology or equivalent
2. British Society of Echocardiography (BSE) accreditation or EACVI Adult Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE) Certification
3. Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable criteria
4. Passed the theory BSE/EACVI accreditation exam
5. Completed ILS
6. Registered with AHCS
Experience
Essential criteria
7. Experience scanning and reporting full echo clinics to a high standard of quality (unsupervised)
8. Experience scanning and reporting full echo clinics to a high standard of quality (under supervision)
9. Supervising and training junior members of staff/students
Desirable criteria
10. Experience with clinical audits
11. Development of protocols and guidelines
12. Assisting consultant cardiologists in TOE, Stress echo and contrast/bubble echo
Knowledge
Essential criteria
13. ECG analysis and interpretation
14. Cardiovascular anatomy and physiology
15. Clinical Governance
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.