Senior Assistant Community Respiratory Physiologist

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job description

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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Quality Management

1. Responsibility to ensure that their own competency records are completed and maintained as necessary.
2. Responsibility to ensure the performance and recording of the required calibration and quality assurance and/or the withdrawal of equipment from use if required.
3. Responsibility for the adherence to schedule and recording of the departments Quality Assurance programme to include BioQC and other required departmental checks.
4. Responsibility for the reporting of non-conformities within the service.
5. Responsibility to represent Kings College Hospital positively whilst working at community locations.

Technical Duties and Responsibilities

Spirometry and FENO

1. Responsibility for the provision of a quality assured diagnostic spirometry and exhaled FENO service with no day to day supervision from a Senior Physiologist.
2. Independently performing quality assured baseline spirometry on adults in a community or primary care setting:

1. Ensuring that all required calibration and quality control procedures have been performed.
2. Obtaining verbal consent prior to testing and highlighting any patients who do not wish to consent to the lead Physiologist.
3. Ensuring that all spirometry measurements are performed to the required national standards for reproducibility and reliability.
4. Recognising errors in patient technique and providing direction for the correction of errors.
5. Ensuring that patients are aware of and have adhered to pre-tests instructions.
6. Documentation of deviations to pre-test instructions.
7. Documentation of any errors in patient technique so that it is taken into account during the reporting process.
8. Ensuring that all relevant contra-indications to spirometry testing have been assessed prior to testing and aware of the procedure if a contra-indication is present.
9. Adherence to protocols that ensure infection control and safety during spirometry measurements.
10. Ensuring that all equipment issues and faults are escalated to a senior physiologist.
11. Recognising if a patient requires highlighting to the clinic lead for urgent clinical intervention.
12. Administering bronchodilator to assess for reversibility.

The post holder will be required to obtain the ARTP Foundation Certificate in Spirometry.

Independently performing the measurement of Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FENO).

Preparation of reports for spirometry and FENO results for checking by Senior Physiologist.

Communication

• Independently explaining the purpose of clinical measurements to patients referred to the community clinics.
• Independently gaining verbal consent for testing.
• Independently explaining test procedures and correcting errors in technique where required.
• Ensuring that the appropriate level of coaxing and encouragement is given to each patient to ensure that the maximal results are achieved for spirometry.

Administration

• Assisting with the administration of spirometry clinics as required which will involve sending appointment letters and contacting the patients via telephone or e-mail.
• Assisting with the production and sending of reports to the patients GP.

Information Management

• Supporting the teams 6 week diagnostic targets and highlighting potential deviation from targets to the clinical lead.
• Ensuring that confidential and sensitive information relating to patients is kept confidential and secure in line with Trust policies.
• Recording information on EPIC in an accurate and timely manner.
• Recording activity data and patient outcome data into databases and spreadsheets as required.

Human resources

• To be an active team member by supporting other members, offering assistance, being flexible and approachable particularly during changing service demands and staffing levels.

Physical resources

• Ensure all equipment is functioning correctly and arrange for repair or replacement as necessary keeping the Senior Physiologists in the area informed of progress.
• Responsibility for the calibration, quality control and maintenance of all equipment used and reporting defects in equipment in a timely manner to the clinical lead.
• Undertaking cleaning of equipment used.
• Responsibility for stock control for consumables required for spirometry, FENO and exCO.

Service Development

• Ensuring that all respiratory department and Trust policies are adhered to.
• Commenting on changes to departmental policies, procedures and service developments as required.

Training, Education and Research

• Participating in the King's College Hospital Employee Performance Appraisal system and to fulfil its requirements.
• Responsibility for personal lifelong learning (LLL) attending appropriate courses following discussion with the lead clinician.
• Participation in the provision of accredited spirometry training courses for external delegates as required.

Person specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential criteria

• 2 Science A levels or Equivalent.

Desirable criteria

• ARTP Foundation Level Certificate in Spirometry.

Skills and Competencies

Essential criteria

• Attention to detail and accuracy.

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience as an Assistant Respiratory Physiologist.
• Experience of performing quality assured spirometry and FeNO.

Communication & Relationship skills

Essential criteria

• Excellent interpersonal skills that are required to work as part of a team including medical, nursing and technical members.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

• Job Description Community Senior Assistant Respiratory Physiologist (PDF, 326.7KB)
• Denmark Hill Site Map (PDF, 1.2MB)