Job Description

At Cleveland Clinic Health System, we believe in a better future for healthcare. And each of us is responsible for honoring our commitment to excellence, pushing the boundaries and transforming the patient experience, every day.

We all have the power to help, heal and change lives \xe2\x80\x94 beginning with our own. That\xe2\x80\x99s the power of the Cleveland Clinic Health System team, and The Power of Every One.

Job Summary

We are seeking a Cardiac Physiologist (equivalent to NHS AFC Band 5/6). Working at Cleveland Clinic London, this individual will work autonomously, performing varied roles within Non-Invasive and Invasive cardiology. Diagnostics will include ECG holter monitoring, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and exercise tolerance testing. Invasive Cardiology will include angiograms, right heart catheters, coronary intervention and structural intervention.

The candidate will be competent within Non-Invasive cardiology duties listed above and assisting /working towards independence within Invasive cardiology.

We have a strong commitment to continued professional development. Training and education will be embedded into the department infrastructure. Flexible working can be offered (4-day working week) with potential on-call commitment paid at competitive rates; once appropriately trained.

There are opportunities to be involved in research and development. AHCS/RCCP clinical physiologist registration is encouraged and supported. We also provide professional growth through contributions to projects including service improvement and quality assurance.

Currently, Cleveland Clinic London has two locations, an outpatient centre in Portland Place, which opened September 2021 and a 184-bed state of the art hospital in Belgravia, which opened in March 2022. A third city location is due to open November 2023 in Moorgate. At all locations there are opportunities to work alongside world renowned cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons with specialisations in valve disease, heart failure, inherited cardiac diseases, electrophysiology and coronary artery disease.

Job Responsibilities:

Patient/customer care

• Participates to a high level of competency and, when necessary, assists senior and chief Cardiac Physiologists in the supervision of, all sections of the Non-invasive and invasive cardiac physiology departments including Cardiac Cath labs procedure (EP or CRM inc PCI and right heart caths) inc non-invasive exercise (ETT) ECG holters & analysis. Required to concentrate for long periods of time (for periods in excess of 2 hours).

• Interprets technical information/data from patient investigations and prepares reports, bringing any clinically significant findings to the attention of the consultant.
• Non-Invasive Cardiology: Attends the delivery of ECG Holters, ambulatory blood pressure and event recorders from fitting, removal and analysis providing a technical report.
• Provides technical support to all wards for non-invasive throughout the hospital and maintains cardiology related stock levels in all the aforementioned areas.
• Carries out ETT who may have pacemaker/ICD\xe2\x80\x99s in situ. During all cardiac investigations where the patient is at immediate risk of arrhythmia or arrest, monitors patient\xe2\x80\x99s ECG, reports immediately in the event of any rhythm change/arrest and responds immediately to rescue the patient (provides life support /external defibrillation).
• Assists in cleaning clinic/laboratory at the end of each investigation/procedure. Moves heavy equipment.
• Undertakes complex device follow up and interpretation inc pacemakers, ILRs, CRT and ICDs.
• Assist in either EP or CRM implantation inc pacemakers, ILR, CRT and ICDs.
• Trained and participates in Immediate Life Support (ILS) and/or Advanced Life Support (ALS).
• Invasive Cardiology: Attends the delivery of EP or CRM services, PCI and right heart caths and associated specialist equipment i.e. IABP, impella, IVUS.
• Acts tactfully and sympathetically towards patients who may be extremely anxious especially when giving them information or results or when they are admitted in critical condition. During catheter laboratory procedures explains to patients\xe2\x80\x99 reasons for relevant tests and comforts patient during stressful events.
• Where patients / patient\xe2\x80\x99s relatives have objections to, or are uncertain with regards to, procedures or have complaints within the Cardiology Department/ Cardiology Outpatients, acts sympathetically to persuade/overcome the objection, satisfying the complaint using persuasion and tact.
• Participate on emergency on-call out of hours rota, if required.

Policy development

• Participates in Cardiology Department meetings providing input to the development of policies and investigation procedures for the Department. Assists in the implementation of these policies.

Service development

• Participates in Cardiology Department meetings providing input to service developments of the Department. Assist in the implementation of these. Undertake department audits and patient/public presentations.
• Assist in the development of the Cardiac Physiology Service by continuing critical reviews of working practices, staying abreast of new developments in technology and maintaining a good overall knowledge of investigative cardiology. To this end will attend and participate in scientific and technical meetings both within the UK and abroad.
• Reports any discrepancies in the required level of service or patient safety to the appropriate the Senior lead/Principal Cardiac Physiologist.

People management

• Assists in the induction of all new members of the Department\xe2\x80\x99s staff.
• Assists the Senior lead Cardiac Physiologists in a programme of training in the Department, to ensure all trainee physiologists are trained to the highest standard in cardiology techniques and are updated with regard to good technical practice.
• Monitors and physically cleans, maintenance and housekeeping standards within the department.

Communication

• Assists and provides input to all Cardiology Department meetings. Participates in a programme of quality control and technical audit as part of the Trust\xe2\x80\x99s clinical governance programme and the Cardiology Directorates aim of clinical excellence.
• Maintains a high standard of clinical practice.
• Ensures that all patients, their relatives and visitors are acknowledged in an appropriate and friendly manner at all times.
• Ensures that patient\xe2\x80\x99s privacy, dignity, religious and cultural beliefs are respected.
• Answers the telephone in an appropriate manner and directs calls to the relevant person/department when required. Answers queries from patients, GP\xe2\x80\x99s, other hospitals relating to patient investigations and the results of the same, along with technical questions concerning any technical equipment.
• Uses and develops effective communication skills. Able to communicate appropriately with other staff members, other departments throughout the trust, consultants, patients and their relatives. Facilitates good liaisons and working relationships with other disciplines working within the department.
• Aware of procedures involving patient/visitor/staff complaints and escalates to senior lead.

Resource management

• Participates in departmental stock control and assists in ensuring that there is adequate stock for the Cardiology Department.
• Liaises with the Biomedical Engineering Department to ensure that all non-disposable equipment particularly within the cardiology department is kept operational and maintained appropriately at all times.

Information management

• Enters data into the departmental databases. Enters reports on cardiac investigations performed onto relevant computer-based system. Checks all entered patients\xe2\x80\x99 details to allow efficient tracking of results.
• Enter data and track flow using local stock control system.
• Manages the archiving of all patient results following investigations.
• Ensures adequate documentation of all patient records. Reviews technical reports following patient investigations, prior to their release to other hospitals, GP\xe2\x80\x99s, consultants.

Research

• Participates in and reports, for publication or internal use, on research into appropriate aspects of cardiac physiology. Assists in the development of new techniques in Invasive and non-invasive cardiology department

Further sections

• To ensure all team members have a real voice in the development of the Cardiac Physiology service to patients/customers.
• Assists a safe and attractive working environment for team members within available resources
• To represent CCL at regional and national conferences and on working groups as appropriate
• To abide by the CCL behaviours for staff and all policies including standing financial instructions, research governance, clinical governance, patient and public involvement, codes and practices, and health and safety policies.
• 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

Education:

• BSc (Hons) in Cardiac Physiology or equivalent science-based degree with relevant experience in a cardiac physiology department.
• Intermediate or Advanced Life Support (ILS/ALS).
• Working towards postgraduate Certification in Cardiology specialty e.g. HRUK/IBHRE/BSE accreditation. (Desirable)
• All round IT proficiency. (Desirable)
• Eligible to register with RCCP or AHCS as a clinical physiologist. (Desirable)

Competencies (Complexity of Work):

• Experience in a wide range of invasive and non-invasive techniques involved in assessment and therapy provision for patients with cardiac disease.
• Minimum 2 years concentrated experience in area of specialism.
• Experience in teaching, presentation skills. (Desirable)
• Solo CRM experience (implants and follow up) and complex PCI. (Desirable)
• CRM accreditation or closely working towards. (Desirable)

Work Experience:

• Technical skills enabling measurement and analysis of physiological parameters.
• Understands the use of word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software.
• Use of EPIC, PaceArt and GE holters, GE cardiosoft exercise software and Siemens sensis haemodynamics. (Desirable)

Personal Protective Equipment:

• Follows standard precautions using personal protective equipment as required

CCL is committed to applying its Equal Employment Opportunity/Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Policy at all stages of recruitment and privileging. Shortlisting, interviewing and selection will always be carried out without regard to any Protected Characteristics. When aware of the need to do so and when required, CCL will make reasonable adjustments to its arrangements for interviews and to conditions of employment/engagement for disabled applicants to ensure, so far as practicable, that they do not place such applicants at a substantial disadvantage in comparison to non-disabled applicants.

Cleveland Clinic London