Trainee Clinical Physiologist | Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

An opportunity has arisen to join a team of Clinical Physiologists in the Respiratory Physiology Department, (encompassing Lung Function, Sleep and Non-invasive ventilation (NIV)) at Harefield Hospital.
The successful applicant will receive training to carry out a wide range of physiological investigations including pulmonary function tests, exercise and diagnostic sleep studies on respiratory, cardiac and transplant patients.
Additionally, the department is also responsible for providing treatment and aftercare for sleep disordered breathing and NIV and the successful candidate will be trained in the delivery of these services.
Job summary
The postholder will become competent in the procedures listed under physiological tests, with the appropriate supervision to be given.
The postholder will become competent in obtaining accurate and informative results from patients and any other subjects performing the tests.
To demonstrate care and respect, for both patients and fellow staff members.
Main tasks and responsibilities
• Communication
• The postholder will become competent in supervising and encouraging patients during their time in the department and deal with any queries or problems in a suitable manner. When appropriate, discuss results with patients using discretion, awareness of patient confidentiality and cross any barriers to understanding.
• To communicate effectively with department colleagues and other members of the trust in all aspects of patient care and respiratory physiology.
• Patient/Client Care (both direct and indirect)
• The postholder will become competent in performing the procedures listed under physiological tests, with appropriate supervision.
• The postholder will become competent in performing all relevant quality control procedures within the department including the performance of personal biological control procedures.
• The postholder will become competent in maintaining and repairing departmental equipment in conjunction with more senior staff.
• The postholder will become competent in sterilizing and disinfecting all departmental equipment if and when necessary.
• To take personal responsibility for compliance with all Trust and Departmental infection control policies and procedures. See Trust policies and Departmental local health and safety rules.
• To perform general administrative duties including lunch time cover for the departmental secretary / receptionist
Physiological Tests
 Spirometry
 Flow volume loops
 Lung volume measurements using Nitrogen washout technique
 Relaxed Vital Capacity
 Gas transfer measurements
 Lung volume measurements using body plethysmography
 Airways resistance measurements using the body plethysmograph
 Supine Spirometry
 MIPS & MEPS
 FENO (Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide)
 6 Minute Walk Test
 Histamine / PC20 studies
 Hyperventilation studies
 Bronchodilation tests
 Diagnostic Sleep Studies e.g. Simple Polysomnography & overnight Pulse Oximetry. Measuring varying parameters
 Home Titration Studies
 CPAP Servicing and Set Up
 Transcutaneous PCO2 Monitoring
 Actigraphy Studies
 Fitness to fly/Altitude tests.
 Any other tests as deemed necessary by the Lead Clinical Physiologists.
• Policy Development
• To implement the trust policies and protocols within the department.
• Service Development
• The postholder will become competent in implementing existing departmental procedures ensuring accurate data is obtained in an environment with the best possible patient care.
• Resource Management
• The postholder will become competent in safe use of complex equipment involving reporting of faults, routine maintenance and monitoring of stock levels.
• People Management
• To aim to complete objectives set during appraisal.
• Involvement in Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and attendance at relevant internal/external courses, seminars, lectures etc in which appropriate information can be gained relating to physiological, scientific and medical matters.
• Information Management
• To ensure all patient data is stored in a suitable manner.
Physical Effort
Assisting with positioning of patients >15kg occasionally
Working in an office daily
Manoeuvring heavy equipment >15kg on trolleys occasionally
Mental Effort
Responding to a telephone call frequently during day
Changing from concentrating on one task to another frequently during day
without prior warning
Communicate with MDT several times a day
Involvement with CPAP several times a day
Working under pressures of time constraints frequently
Emotional Effort
Involvement in management of terminally ill pt occasionally
Dealing with difficult family situations occasionally
Dealing with verbally aggressive, demanding
or challenging patients occasionally
Working Conditions
Equipment stored at high levels daily
Direct contact with dirty, foul-smelling equipment frequently
Verbal aggression from patients occasionally
Direct contact with:
Blood occasionally
Sputum frequently
• General
• To ensure all mandatory training courses such as Manual handling, Fire, Resuscitation, Infection Control, Health and Safety are attended on an annual basis and the knowledge gained adhered to.
• To abide by the Trust’s core behaviours for staff and all other Trust policies including standing financial instructions, research governance, codes and practices and health and safety policies
• To be able to perform any other duty as deemed necessary by the Lead Physiologists
Further sections
• To abide by the Trust’s Core behaviours for staff and all other Trust policies, codes and practices including standing financial instructions, research governance, clinical governance, patient and public involvement, codes and practices, and health and safety.
Other duties
To undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade as requested.
This job description is intended as a basic guide to the scope and responsibilities of the post and is not exhaustive. It will be subject to regular review and amendment as necessary in consultation with the post holder.
This advert closes on Sunday 14 Jan 2024