Associate Respiratory Physiologist

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

The closing date is 04 May 2025

Job summary

We are looking to recruit a Respiratory Associate to join our friendly and enthusiastic team at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals. Consideration will be given to candidates who do not have an associate qualification to start as Band 3 Assistant and progress to Band 4 on completion of assessments. This post is ideal for a graduate or school leaver who is keen to pursue a career in healthcare science.

The successful candidate will have or work towards the attainment of the ARTP Associate assessment. Upon completion of training you will assist in the provision of high quality lung function and sleep services, perform investigations independently, liaising with medical staff and senior colleagues on appropriate use of tests and investigations.

Our department is actively involved in delivering training and have an excellent record supporting the Practitioner Training Programme (PTP) and the Scientist Training Programme (STP).

The post holder will work with the rest of the team to ensure patients with a suspicion of cancer receive timely investigations.

The post holder will be based at Worcester Royal Hospital but will be required to work on other Trust sites. Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust comprises of 3 hospitals: The Alexandra Hospital, Worcestershire Royal Hospital, and Kidderminster Treatment Centre. All sites have good road links to M42 and M5 motorways.

Main duties of the job

Initially, the main duties will be to gain experience in the respiratory physiology department, learning departmental processes, how to issue sleep studies and perform lung function tests. Completing competencies while working towards ARTP qualification if the candidate is not already registered.

Upon completion of competencies the candidate will perform a full range of routine testing procedures without supervision on a variety of patients of all ages and conditionsincluding:

Spirometry and related tests, Flow Volume Loops, response to bronchodilators etc.
Lung function, including: lung volumes via body plethysmography, Helium dilution, N2 washout and gas transfer via the single breath method,
6-minute walk tests, skin prick testing, ear-lobe capillary blood gases, muscle function assessments and issuing sleep study equipment.
CPAP mask fit guidance with pressure titration and monitoring.

Identify patients requiring support from senior colleagues or the Sleep and Ventilation MDT.

Facilitate departmental representation at lung cancer and ILD MDT meetings.

To provide technical interpretation to all investigations by self and junior members of staff, in accordance with the current standards, guidelines and departmental protocols and policies.

Acting appropriately in the event of significant adverse findings, alerting physicians or senior staff when immediate medical attention is required.

To work in partnership with other care providers to maintain high quality care throughout.

About us

Our purpose is simple - Putting Patients First. We are looking for exceptional colleagues who can help us achieve this.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.

The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester

Our workforce is over 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.

We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us to achieve our Vision - working in partnership to provide the best healthcare for our communities, leading and supporting our teams to move 4ward. Our 4ward behaviours, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.

Our objectives are simple:

Best services for local people
Best experience of care and best outcomes for our patients
Best use of resources
Best people

Better never stops, and our Clinical Services Strategy provides a clear future vision for our Trust, our hospitals, our services and our role in the wider health and care system.

We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.

Date posted

17 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£26,530 to £29,114 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9365-25-0349

Job locations

Charles Hastings Way

Worcester

Worcestershire

WR5 1DD

Kidderminster General Hospital

Bewdley Road

Kidderminster

Worcestershire

DY116RJ

The Alexandra Hospital

Woodrow Drive

Redditch

Worcestershire

B987UB

Job description

Job responsibilities

WORCESTERSHIRE ACUTE HOSPITALS NHS TRUST

JOB DESCRIPTION

Post Title: Respiratory Associate Physiologist

Pay Band: Band 4

Hours: Full Time 37.5 Hours Per Week

Location and Department: Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Alexandra Hospital Redditch and Kidderminster treatment Centre Cardiopulmonary departments

Accountable to: Countywide Respiratory Physiology Lead

Reports to: Lung Function Lead

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: All categories of patients within the trust. All levels of Medical, Nursing, Clerical, Ancillary and Engineering personnel. External: All categories of patients and relatives, general public, General Practitioners and staff, Paramedics, Company representatives and technical training advisors.

Job Purpose:

The post holder will support the respiratory physiology service in the provision of respiratory diagnostics and sleep therapies to the Worcestershire population.

The post holder will provide leadership and support to all junior clinical and administrative staff, escalate any concerns to the lung function service lead while monitoring waiting list targets are being met.

The post-holder will be expected to function independently (upon qualification) as a respiratory associate and assist in other clinical areas as required. You will be working with a group of clinical scientists and clinical physiologists and consultants/nurses who are committed to providing the highest standards of patient care.

The post-holder will work closely with the staff within the wider Cardiopulmonary department and will be expected to travel to each of the 3 sites to offer support when required.

The post holder will support the admin and clerical staff to ensure efficient use of NHS resources optimising the waiting lists, and ensure appointment lists are fully booked.

Assisting in maintaining quality of the clinical investigation service provision, including audit, research and development, procurement and quality assurance of all equipment.

Providing support in the provision and maintenance of IT systems supporting the department, ensuring system resilience and compliance, working with trust IT department and outside suppliers.

Translate complex technical information through patient care to patients, their relatives and healthcare professionals.

Key Duties:

Professional/Clinical Leadership

Consistently provide high quality leadership in a visible and highly professional manner, acting as a positive role model.

Act as a source of reference to other members of the department giving support, advice and recommendations.

Demonstrate continuous professional development, maintaining a high level of clinical competence.

Support service leads to ensure that all staff have a clear understanding of the care and environmental standards they are expected to maintain.

Act as a clinical role model, assessing and delivering care needs as a significant part of their role. They will also ensure high standards of clinical care are consistently achieved and monitored.

Role model the trusts values and expected behaviours.

Ensure all communication, which may be complex, contentious or sensitive, is undertaken in a responsive, inclusive and timely manner, focusing on improvement and ways to move forward.

Ensure all communication is presented appropriately to different recipients, according to levels of understanding, type of communication being imparted and possible barriers such as language, culture, understanding or physical or mental health conditions.

Ensure that waiting times are monitored and reported on a weekly basis and that any potential problems are escalated appropriately.

Clinical and professional responsibilities

The post requires knowledge in the field Respiratory Physiology, and Sleep Medicine.

This is an Associate post and following the training period and qualification ARTP Associate exam you will be expected to be competent at performing the following duties independantly

Issuing sleep diagnostic equipment including overnight oximetry and multi-channel sleep studies.

Undertake and interpret measurements of blood gases by either capillary and/or arterial sampling.

Undertake routine lung function measurements.

Be accountable for own professional actions and attain professional registration.

Independently acquire results for a range of specialised procedures and forwarding results to the appropriate referring practitioner when required and also highlighting any urgencies or concern

Report urgent outcomes to the appropriate medical teams or clinicians.

To attend training courses to update ones own technical, physiological and pathological knowledge of specialist procedures and to update ones knowledge, in respect of specialised clinical use of equipment.

To deliver services ensuring they are delivered in line with Health & Safety and other Trust guidelines

Clinical governance and quality

To contribute to the maintenance of all trust policies and procedures within the departments.

Support systematic clinical audit and monitor improvements.

Ensure that physiological tests and interventions are delivered in line with best practice at all sites.

Help ensure a safe, secure environment for patients, visitors and staff.

Ensure that confidentiality of patient records is strictly maintained and comply with the Data Protection Act.

Ensure the update and smooth running of departmental databases and archive systems.

support and monitor the safety of equipment, ensure service / maintenance is carried out to a high level, taking action when faulty equipment is detected.

The job description is not intended to be exhaustive and it is likely that duties may be altered from time to time in the light of changing circumstances and after consultation with the post-holder.

The post holder might be required to work across the Trust at any time throughout the duration of their contract, which may entail travel and working at different hospital sites

Job description

Job responsibilities

WORCESTERSHIRE ACUTE HOSPITALS NHS TRUST

JOB DESCRIPTION

Post Title: Respiratory Associate Physiologist

Pay Band: Band 4

Hours: Full Time 37.5 Hours Per Week

Location and Department: Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Alexandra Hospital Redditch and Kidderminster treatment Centre Cardiopulmonary departments

Accountable to: Countywide Respiratory Physiology Lead

Reports to: Lung Function Lead

Key Working Relationships:

Job Purpose:

The post holder will support the respiratory physiology service in the provision of respiratory diagnostics and sleep therapies to the Worcestershire population.

The post-holder will work closely with the staff within the wider Cardiopulmonary department and will be expected to travel to each of the 3 sites to offer support when required.

The post holder will support the admin and clerical staff to ensure efficient use of NHS resources optimising the waiting lists, and ensure appointment lists are fully booked.

Assisting in maintaining quality of the clinical investigation service provision, including audit, research and development, procurement and quality assurance of all equipment.

Providing support in the provision and maintenance of IT systems supporting the department, ensuring system resilience and compliance, working with trust IT department and outside suppliers.

Translate complex technical information through patient care to patients, their relatives and healthcare professionals.

Key Duties:

Professional/Clinical Leadership

Consistently provide high quality leadership in a visible and highly professional manner, acting as a positive role model.

Act as a source of reference to other members of the department giving support, advice and recommendations.

Demonstrate continuous professional development, maintaining a high level of clinical competence.

Support service leads to ensure that all staff have a clear understanding of the care and environmental standards they are expected to maintain.

Act as a clinical role model, assessing and delivering care needs as a significant part of their role. They will also ensure high standards of clinical care are consistently achieved and monitored.

Role model the trusts values and expected behaviours.

Ensure all communication, which may be complex, contentious or sensitive, is undertaken in a responsive, inclusive and timely manner, focusing on improvement and ways to move forward.

Ensure that waiting times are monitored and reported on a weekly basis and that any potential problems are escalated appropriately.

Clinical and professional responsibilities

The post requires knowledge in the field Respiratory Physiology, and Sleep Medicine.

This is an Associate post and following the training period and qualification ARTP Associate exam you will be expected to be competent at performing the following duties independantly

Issuing sleep diagnostic equipment including overnight oximetry and multi-channel sleep studies.

Undertake and interpret measurements of blood gases by either capillary and/or arterial sampling.

Undertake routine lung function measurements.

Be accountable for own professional actions and attain professional registration.

Independently acquire results for a range of specialised procedures and forwarding results to the appropriate referring practitioner when required and also highlighting any urgencies or concern

Report urgent outcomes to the appropriate medical teams or clinicians.

To deliver services ensuring they are delivered in line with Health & Safety and other Trust guidelines

Clinical governance and quality

To contribute to the maintenance of all trust policies and procedures within the departments.

Support systematic clinical audit and monitor improvements.

Ensure that physiological tests and interventions are delivered in line with best practice at all sites.

Help ensure a safe, secure environment for patients, visitors and staff.

Ensure that confidentiality of patient records is strictly maintained and comply with the Data Protection Act.

Ensure the update and smooth running of departmental databases and archive systems.

support and monitor the safety of equipment, ensure service / maintenance is carried out to a high level, taking action when faulty equipment is detected.

The job description is not intended to be exhaustive and it is likely that duties may be altered from time to time in the light of changing circumstances and after consultation with the post-holder.

The post holder might be required to work across the Trust at any time throughout the duration of their contract, which may entail travel and working at different hospital sites

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

Experience with customer service or patient care
Experience in analysing complex information and relaying in laymans terms

Desirable

Experience in giving advice/teaching.
Experience in coaching or motivating clients
Caring for or testing patients.

Knowledge and skills

Essential

Knowledge of cardiac and respiratory anatomy and physiology.
Computer literate.
Must be prepared to attend training courses appropriate to post.

Desirable

Familiarity with Microsoft Excel
Familiarity with Microsoft Word
Familiarity with Bluespier
Familiarity with PAS allscripts

Qualifications

Essential

GCSE in Biology, Maths and English at C or better (Or Equivalent)
An A level in Biology, Chemistry, Maths or Physics (Or equivalent)

Desirable

BLS/ILS certificate
Degree in Biological Science
ARTP Qualification

Eligibility to work in the UK

Essential

This post is unlikely to be eligible for sponsorship due to UK government rules. You need to be eligible to work in the UK without sponsorship.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

Experience with customer service or patient care
Experience in analysing complex information and relaying in laymans terms

Desirable

Experience in giving advice/teaching.
Experience in coaching or motivating clients
Caring for or testing patients.

Knowledge and skills

Essential

Knowledge of cardiac and respiratory anatomy and physiology.
Computer literate.
Must be prepared to attend training courses appropriate to post.

Desirable

Familiarity with Microsoft Excel
Familiarity with Microsoft Word
Familiarity with Bluespier
Familiarity with PAS allscripts

Qualifications

Essential

GCSE in Biology, Maths and English at C or better (Or Equivalent)
An A level in Biology, Chemistry, Maths or Physics (Or equivalent)

Desirable

BLS/ILS certificate
Degree in Biological Science
ARTP Qualification

Eligibility to work in the UK

Essential

This post is unlikely to be eligible for sponsorship due to UK government rules. You need to be eligible to work in the UK without sponsorship.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.