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Job summary

Main area
Medicine - Cardiology
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Flexible work patterns may be considered)
Job ref
418-CARD0031-EH
Employer
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Luton & Dunstable Hospital
Town
Luton
Salary
£46,148 - £52,809 per annum. There is an additional 10% R&R Bonus
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
06/06/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust logo

Chief Cardiac Physiologist

NHS AfC: Band 7

Job overview

We are seeking a highly motivated Cardiac Physiologist Specialised in Echocardiography to join our friendly and dynamic team, providing high standards of care and support to patients in the Luton and Dunstable Hospital.

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) and Stress 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.

You will have the rewarding experience of contributing to someone else’s career development by sharing your expert advice and guidance with students/trainees.

The Health and Safety of our team members is important to us therefore this post will not involve scanning full time. We are considerate and flexible in our weekly rota to allocate sessions with other relevant tasks, allowing you to rest from the physical strain of scanning patients.

We offer a 10% Recruitment and Retention Bonus for BSE or EACVI Accredited Echocardiographers.

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.

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

Please read the documents attached to this vacancy for more details on job description and main responsibilities.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • British Society of Echocardiography (BSE) accreditation or EACVI Adult Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE) Certification
  • BSc Hons Clinical Physiology or equivalent
  • Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable criteria
  • Registered with AHCS
  • Completed ILS

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience scanning and reporting full echo clinics to a high standard of quality
  • Supervising and training junior members of staff/students
Desirable criteria
  • Experience with clinical audits
  • Development of protocols and guidelines
  • Assisting consultant cardiologists in TOE, Stress echo and contrast/bubble echo

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Cardiovascular anatomy and physiology
  • ECG analysis and interpretation
  • Clinical Governance

Communication

Essential criteria
  • Able to provide and receive complex, sensitive information
  • Effective communication and interpersonal skills, in both written and verbal form
Desirable criteria
  • Presentation skills

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyAge positiveArmed Forces Covenant (Silver Award)Care quality commission - GoodDisability confident employerNational Preceptorship for Nursing Quality Mark 2024Employer with Heart

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.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Nick Santos
Job title
Lead Physiologist for Cardiac Services
Email address
[email protected]
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