Job summary
- Main area
- 317 Lung Function - FH
- Grade
- Band 4
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Part time - 22.5 hours per week (22 Hours 30 Minutes/Week)
- Job ref
- 317-2025-29-10-DR
- Employer
- The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Trustwide
- Town
- 317 Trustwide
- Salary
- £27,485 - £30,162 pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 27/07/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 13/08/2025
Employer heading
Associate Practitioner (Respiratory Physiology)
Band 4
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest and largest NHS foundation trusts in the country, with around 15,000 staff and an annual budget of £1.6 billion.
We have a long history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, and innovation in medical research regionally, nationally and internationally.
We’re in the top five providers of specialised health services in the country, supporting people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders.
Our staff oversee around 6,500 patient contacts each day, delivering high standards of healthcare.
We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.
Newcastle Hospitals are proud to be one of the exemplar organisations across the NHS on sustainability, with a long history of delivering Sustainable Healthcare in Newcastle (Shine) and the first healthcare organisation in the world to declare a climate emergency. Our strategy includes commitments to being Net Zero by 2030, for our direct carbon footprint, and Net Zero by 2040 for our footprint plus. Delivering these ambitions will not be possible without the help, support and action of every single member of our team.
Job overview
An opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and motivated individual to join the Lung Function Department at the Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Trust. Lung Function has departments in the Cardiothoracic Centre at the Freeman Hospital, the Chest Clinic at the Royal Victoria Infirmary and also the Community Diagnostic Centre at the Metro Centre Gateshead.
- Interview Date: 13 August 2025
- 22 hours 30 minutes/week
- You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy.
NO AGENCIES PLEASE
Main duties of the job
We provide a comprehensive diagnostic service for a wide range of patients with respiratory or sleep related disorders. The postholder will work alongside qualified Respiratory Physiologists at the Freeman Hospital and the RVI. They will also need to cover at the new community diagnostic centre which has recently opened at the Metro Centre and regional outreach clinics in Middlesborough and Carlisle.
The successful applicant will perform a range of routine lung function tests including spirometry, flow volume loops, gas transfer, static lung volumes, pulse oximetry, respiratory muscle tests and field exercise tests. They will be expected to be involved with department infection control and quality control of equipment and also to take on administrative duties.
They will also take an active part in the sleep apnoea service including the setting up of diagnostic studies on an evening and attend outreach cystic fibrosis clinics out of hours.
We are seeking someone with a mature approach to work with excellent organisational and communication skills. Previous experience of working in a healthcare setting and knowledge of basic lung function tests would be advantageous but is not essential as training will be provided.
Working for our organisation
Our staff oversee over 6,500 patient contacts every day, delivering high standards of healthcare from the following sites:
• Freeman Hospital
• Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)
• Health Innovation Neighbourhood (on the former Newcastle General Hospital and Centre for Ageing and Vitality site)
• Newcastle Dental Hospital
• Newcastle Fertility Centre
• Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria
• Northern Genetics Service
• Cramlington Manor Walks
These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting-edge care (supported by state-of-the-art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS.
We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.
Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under ‘Documents to download’ or ‘Supporting documents’.
For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- The Associate Practitioner will function at a higher competency level than that of Assistant Technical Officers with responsibility for actively participating as part of the multidisciplinary team within Respiratory Medicine, to provide a seamless service to patients with minimal supervision from qualified respiratory physiologists.
- Participate in the delivery of a specialist clinical service and deliver a high standard of care to all patients.
- Perform a range of routine lung function tests including spirometry, flow volume loops, gas transfer, static lung volumes, pulse oximetry, respiratory muscle tests and field exercise tests.
- Participate in an out of hours rota for the diagnosis and treatment of sleep related breathing disorders and neurological disorders.
- Rotate through the Lung Function Department, including cross site working, to extend knowledge of lung function and sleep investigations.
- Continue theoretical and practical training in house training and by attendance on designated courses.
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first month’s pay.
Person specification
KNOWLEDGE
Essential criteria
- Underpinning theoretical knowledge of routine respiratory investigations, procedures and associated pathology and physiology
- Understanding of patient confidentiality and the Data Protection Act.
- Basic IT skills with knowledge of software programmes such as Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access.
- Good familiarity with medical technology.
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge and understanding of routine respiratory investigations and procedures.
- Knowledge and understanding of sleep investigations and CPAP.
SKILLS
Essential criteria
- Clear communicator with excellent writing, data entry and presentation skills: capable of constructing and delivering clear information and instructions to other staff, patients and relatives.
- Ability to work under pressure in a busy working environment and able to multi-task.
- Ability to work alone and as a member of a team
- Organisational and time management skills
- Good analytical and judgement skills.
Desirable criteria
- Basic manual handling skills.
EXPERIENCE
Essential criteria
- Experience of working with people ideally in a healthcare setting
Desirable criteria
- Practical experience of undertaking routine respiratory investigations
QUALIFICATIONS EDUCATION
Essential criteria
- Educated to NVQ 3 level in a relevant subject or equivalent level of qualification or significant equivalent previous proven experience, plus additional knowledge / training to diploma level.
Desirable criteria
- ARTP qualification e.g. ARTP Part I or Associate examination
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
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Peter Close
- Job title
- Head of Lung Function
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01912448201
- Additional information
Alternative contact:
Jessica Hartley, Deputy Head of Lung Function
Telephone 0191-2448262
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