Senior Cardiac Physiologist – Head of Cardiac Rhythm Management (NGH)

at  Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust

Cardiac Investigations are looking for a highly experienced Cardiac Physiologist with a minimum of 2 years’ experience as a band 7 within a Cardiac Investigations department. You will lead the Cardiac Rhythm Management service forward delivering high quality care to patients within Northamptonshire, whilst managing a team of highly specialised Cardiac Physiologists.
The right candidate will have BSc or equivalent and applicants should have IBHRE/BHRS. There is currently a Recruitment and Retention bonus, aligned across UHN Cardiac Physiologist teams and will give you significant exposure to highly specialised and complex procedures to develop your skills and qualifications.
The Cardiac Rhythm Management Department at NGH is part of a large multidisciplinary team and situated within the wider Cardiology Department. The CRM Department is a diverse team, encompassing Cardiac Physiologists, STP and ETP trainees along with admin support.
We have and continue to explore developing our services to include a Physiologist-led Pacing and High Voltage service with extensive home monitoring and large numbers of new implants of brady, tachy and CRT devices.
We offer community hospital clinics and home visits for many of our pacemaker and ICD patients.
We have a comprehensive Heart Failure service as part of a truly multi-disciplinary team, including Physiologist-led CR optimisation optimisation and follow up clinics.
High volume complex PCI (including frequent retrogrades) with routine use of IVUS, OCT, laser and rotablation delivered through 2 cath labs.
All of our Cardiac Physiologists are trained to the highest level and can work independently with all diagnostic tests within Cardiac Investigations, including Echo, Complex implants, follow-ups and all areas of PCI.
Our device service includes all aspects of CRM implants and Follow-ups; this includes HISBundle Pacing, SICD’s and Micra (Follow-up)
As such the post holder will be expected to have a high level of skill and autonomy in their clinical skills, equivalent to the independence expected of a senior clinical member of staff at band 8a including:
1. Clinical leadership. IBHRE/BHRS accreditation. Carrying out complex scientific and clinical roles, working directly with patients and the multidisciplinary team within cardiology. Help steer practice and develop the service alongside Group Principal Cardiac Physiologist and Directorate Manager in line with national guidance, advancing clinical science and developing technologies.
2. Managerial leadership. Lead the CRM service at NGH, including development and deliver of policies, recruitment, training, education, behaviour and overall culture of the CRM team.
3. Strategic leadership. Assist the Directorate Manager and Principal Cardiac Physiologist in CRM service development and service provision with the aim of long-term sustainable services.
Northampton General Hospital is one of the largest employers in the area and we are on an exciting journey. All of our divisions are committed to doing things better, with more efficiency as we update, modernise, and advance. We have also entered into a Group Model with neighbouring Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.
Our Excellence Values
Compassion
Accountability
Respect
Integrity
Courage
We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and help to unleash everyone’s full potential. As an organisation, we value how we communicate and promote our vacancies to all communities.
We are a Defence positive trust, supporting our reservists, veterans, spouses and partners.
The Hospital Group encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups, especially those from BAME, Disabled and LGBTQ+ backgrounds as these are underrepresented in our hospitals.
We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.
We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds. This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.
The post holder is a senior member of the cardiac department and is expected to manage a team of specialised Cardiac Physiologists within Cardiac Investigations. This includes non-invasive Physiologists (non-Echo).
The post holder will be expected to work as an independent practitioner and work unsupervised as part of the multidisciplinary team.
The post holder will lead in the delivery of access, governance and financial targets, ensuring that patient safety and standards of patient care are delivered in line with best practice.
The post holder will be responsible for the overall training and professional development for all staff within the specialist Service.
The post holder will be responsible for organising the daily running of the busy department ensuring that all areas are covered whilst maintain patient and staff safety.
The post holder will take responsibility for meeting the mandatory training requirements within the specialist team, including annual appraisals.
1. Role Responsibilities
1.1 Lead and develop the team to deliver evidence based, patient centred services.
1.2 Provide advice, support, guidance and leadership to staff within Cardiac Investigations.
1.3 Act as the lead for the service, with a particular focus on the benchmark indicators as set out within the trusts strategy. Ensuring objectives assessment is undertaken and action plans developed which are patient focused and clinically effective.
1.4 Act as a mentor and proactive leader to enhance the performance and capability of staff within the service.
1.5 To maintain confidentiality and to convey information in line with legislation and trust policies.
2. Managerial Responsibilities
2.1 Responsibility for the development and implementation of service related policies and patient access pathways.
2.2 Responsible for the capacity planning and cover of Cardiac Investigations including organising consultant led clinics where there is vacant session’s due to annual leave/sickness and vacancy.
2.3 Responsible for the oversight of the team’s timetable and allocation of sessions as applicable for operators aligned to the service.
2.4 The post holder will be a credible leader, with the ability to empower and develop the team and the service
2.5 To demonstrate established negotiating skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations, e.g. to deal with complains sensitivity, avoiding escalation, staffing/operator issues.
2.6 To be proficient with IT systems, compile reports and analyse highly complex data, often in the context of frequent interruptions.
2.7 Be highly visible, approachable and accessible to staff at all times, so that open and honest communication channels are created and effective assessments of care delivery can be undertaken.
2.8 Ensure that the service developments are underpinned by the most up to date evidence and research practice.
2.9 Support the Principal Cardiac Physiologist in service development to enable the service to be clinically led and managerially supported.
2.10 Establish and maintain clear systems and processes for staff accountability by providing a clear and robust structure fully accredited team of Cardiac and Respiratory Physiologists.
2.11 In adherence to trust policy ensure annual appraisal and mandatory training is up to date for all staff in order to develop existing roles for staff.
3. Clinical Responsibilities
3.1 Keep abreast of new developments in products and techniques within the department.
3.2 Maintain a high standard of care and discipline within the department.
3.3 Communicate with patients and carers, ensuring their understanding of the tests and equipment, particularly where there may be barriers to understanding.
3.4 Work autonomously.
3.5 To work within codes of practice and professional guidelines both locally and nationally.
3.6 Assist and lead to escalate clinical emergencies.
3.7 Prioritise workflow within the department.
4. Professional Responsibilities
4.1To take responsibility for own personal development and continued education, to include mandatory training as specified by the trust.
4.2 Continue to keep clinical skills up to the highest standard.
4.3 Report on a wide range of cardiology investigations including investigations performed by other physiologists.
4.4 Delegate responsibility, as appropriate, to staff within the service whilst maintaining overall responsibility.
4.5 Responsible for profiling and service level demand and capacity available to deliver activity affiliated to national profiles.
4.6 Lead on the annual training needs analysis with the support of the senior staff, and associated action plan.
5. Educational and development responsibilities
5.1 Support staff in training to attain further accreditation in their chosen specialities.
5.2 Assist in training STP and apprentice students to a high standard.
5.3 Promote a learning environment for staff, ensuring that a robust education and training development and support plan is in place.
5.4 Develop education and training of staff within the service.
5.5 Develop and foster a competency-based training and development structure.
5.6 Maintain own self-development and skills.
6. General responsibilities
6.1 Ensure that policies and procedures are adhered to including mandatory training.
6.2 To protect the confidentiality of information relating to patients.
6.3 All trust employees are required to be familiar with, and comply with, trust policies and guidelines for infection control and hand hygiene, in order to prevent the spread infection. For clinical staff with direct patient contact, this will include the uniform and dress code policy and the appropriate use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). All staff are required to attend mandatory training in infection control and be compliant with all measures known to reduce the spread of infection and protect themselves and the patients.
6.4 To share responsibility for abiding by health and safety policies and regulations, infection prevention and control policies and act in accordance with the Risk Management Policy

Please refer the Job description for details