Trainee Healthcare Scientist (Echocardiographer)

We have two training positions available, one based at Guy's & St Thomas' Hospitals and one based at Harefield Hospital, both offering exceptional training opportunities., The Trainee Echocardiographer will be employed for a fixed term of 18 months during which time they will work through a programme of learning.
In conjunction with and supported by the Designated Training Officer, the Trainee Echocardiographer will be responsible for their own progression through the training programme, completing a mixture of work based competence and experience in NHS scientific departments, completing the learning outcomes as outlined in the Curriculum Library, undertaking the complementary academic Post Graduate Certificate in Clinical Echocardiography and preparing for and completing the BSE Transthoracic Accreditation process.
At all times the Trainee Echocardiographer is expected to work within standard operating policies and procedures and adhere to high standards of professionalism, health and safety, risk reduction, confidentiality, patient care and dignity, and respect for equality and diversity as set out in the NHS Constitution.
The Trainee Echocardiographer will be employed by Guy's and St Thomas' Foundation Trust for a fixed term of 18 months during which time they will work through a programme of learning. This will be combined with an academic programme at Post Graduate level over the first year of the programme.
The trainee will undertake the full training programme in order to progress through the academic and practical elements of the training scheme. In so doing they will learn how to perform and interpret clinical and specialist scientific processes underpinned by theoretical and applied knowledge and practical experience and will learn how to:
+ Perform and interpret routine cardiac investigations.
+ Perform specialised diagnostics investigations.
+ Carry out complex scientific and clinical roles, including those working directly with patients.
+ Analyse and interpret and data compare investigative and clinical options.
+ Make judgements, including clinical and differential judgements, involving complicated facts or situations that impact on patients.
+ Initiate and undertake innovation, improvement and R&D and be involved in the education of healthcare science trainees and other learners in the workplace.
+ Carry out audit to continuously improve patient care and service needs.
+ Participate in the training and development of both external university students and junior team members.
+ Communicate and interact effectively within a multidisciplinary team to ensure a positive patient experience.
+ Assist the Principal Cardiac Physiologist and other senior members of the team in the day to day organisation and delivery of the cardiothoracic diagnostic service.
They will be expected to complete all work-based training and assessment alongside the academic course to exit the programme with eligibility for registration with the BSE and the Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS). Trainees must meet the AHCS Standards of proficiency for Healthcare Science Practitioners.
Post qualification and with appropriate additional experience and competencies, graduates from this scheme would be eligible to apply for Clinical Scientist equivalence and HCPC registration.
In addition, they will be expected to undertake work based experience to enable them to communicate complex technical, scientific and sensitive information to colleagues within their department in both verbal and written forms.
2. Key Relationships
The trainee will work closely with the training coordinator/officer and more senior members of staff to follow the curriculum for the Echocardiography Training Programme.
The trainee will work in specified areas of the department and be responsible to the Designated Training Coordinator/Officer for their own work and progression through the scheme.
All trainees will be expected to travel to national academic centres and undertake relevant courses regularly throughout their training. In some cases, this may involve overnight and/or residential stays. Trainees will undertake a Post Graduate Certificate in Clinical Echocardiography at a designated academic institution specific for the training pathway. Trainees will be predominantly based at Guys and St Thomas' but may need to attend other local/regional/national scientific services in order to complete the required pathway work-based curricula, as deemed appropriate by the Designated Training Officer.
Trainees will be a part of a national training programme and will be registered with the National School of Healthcare Science based in the West Midlands Multi-Professional Workforce Deanery., · Professional/Clinical responsibilities
+ Undertake a range of clinical and scientific investigations as appropriate to the role.
+ Acquire and maintain a high level of professional competence in the performance of all tests, investigations and measurements carried out.
+ Interpret and act upon results of tests, investigations and measurements in accordance with departmental policies, procedures and quality systems.
+ Comment and advise on new proposals and protocols, especially for service improvements.
+ Assist in the provision of advice to medical, nursing and other healthcare staff on the optimal and safe use of scientific procedures and highly complex equipment, including assisting in the design of new facilities.
+ Assist with the procurement, acceptance and use of medical devices and consumables.
+ Be responsible for the safe use of complex scientific and medical equipment, including recording all maintenance and calibration procedures performed and any corrective actions undertaken.
+ Use reagents, consumables, hazardous materials and equipment safely and in accordance with Health and Safety policies.
+ Participate in risk management procedures including risk assessment and the investigation and reporting of adverse incidents.
+ Participate in internal and external audit processes and quality systems
+ Undertake R&D within the department as an integral part of training and acquire relevant skills to undertake clinical audit.
+ Teaching and professional development
+ Successfully complete the training and assessment programme in conjunction with the local Training Coordinator and designated Academic institution to achieve certified competence awarded by the BSE.
+ Undertake suitable training within the host department and other placements to successfully acquire core competencies and thereafter maintain the required standards of competence when undertaking duties.
+ Take responsibility for own learning and development by recognising and taking advantage of all opportunities to learn, including appraisal, supervision, academic courses and problem-based learning and maintaining a personal portfolio of learning.
+ Ensure that own learning needs, identified with the Training officer and reflecting the requirements of the curriculum, are met.
+ Retain sufficient flexibility and adaptability in learning in order to ensure full contribution to improving services in response to changing health care needs.
+ Maintain knowledge of recent scientific developments and undertake supplementary training to develop both knowledge and skills.
+ Attend mandatory training (both vocational and academic) as required.
+ Participate in internal and external assessment processes.
+ Assist with supervision and training of support staff, students and new appointees, and participate in departmental seminars and scientific meetings to disseminate knowledge acquired through study or research.

· Patient Management and Clinical Care
+ Provide support to specialist clinics and specialist treatment interventions
+ Perform, report and interpret a range of investigations undertaken indirectly for or directly with patients within a range of care settings
+ Specialist care and treatment interventions for patients across the range of clinical pathways and health care settings
+ Appropriate clinical and scientific advice and interpretation of analytical results
+ Participate in multidisciplinary meetings
+ Apply and promote evidence-based practice and use of relevant clinical protocols and procedures
+ Ensuring that all equipment used on patients and the public is handled and applied in accordance with health and safety requirements and other national or international guidelines

· Communication
+ Communication and interpretation of complex clinical, scientific and technical information to a wide range of people including clinicians, managers, patients and the public
+ Liaise with senior scientists and clinical users of the service on appropriateness of investigations, interventions and tests

· Quality Audit
+ Contribute to audits to inform patient management and clinical care
+ Contribute to quality audits relating to accreditation and regulation
+ Perform quality assurance, process and outcomes audits relevant to the specialism

· Clinical Governance
+ Maintain standards for health & safety procedures
+ Comply with quality and governance procedures within the department including risk management and risk mitigation
+ Maintain high standards of professional and personal conduct
+ Ensure that patient safety and experience and effectiveness of service are maximised.

· Occasional Duties
+ To carry out any other reasonable duties to achieve learning and experience that may be required, which are commensurate with the grade and nature of the post
+ This job description outlines the main current duties and responsibilities of the training post. The job description will need to be reviewed and subsequently may be altered. Any resulting changes will be subject to consultation
+ In addition to regular assessment and planning meetings, the trainee will have a biannual meeting to discuss progress and to consider issues relevant to the wider training programme
Guy's and St Thomas' celebrates, respects and values the diversity of its staff and patients. We review our policies, procedures and practices to ensure that all employees, patients and carers are treated equitable according to their needs. We are actively committed to ensuring that no one who applies for a job, works or study's at the Trust, or accesses our services is discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, religion or belief, age, gender identity , gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity/paternity, or marital/civil partnership.
Applications are welcomed from applicants with a disability. We can make reasonable adjustments and offer support and advice in a variety of ways throughout the application process. Equality of opportunity is our policy.
As an organisation we are committed to developing our services in ways that best suit the needs of our patients. This means that some staff groups will increasingly be asked to work a more flexible shift pattern so that we can offer services in the evenings or at weekends.
Flexible working
We are committed to supporting all employees to achieve a healthy work life balance and to work in a way that is best for them and our patients. We will consider all requests to work flexibly, taking in to account the individual's personal circumstances as well the needs of the service. We encourage all prospective applicants to discuss their individual circumstances with the recruiting manager as part of the on-boarding process.
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We are delighted to join forces with the National School of Healthcare Science and Health Education England to support the Echocardiography Training Programme (ETP). This is a full-time, 18-month training post designed to support the successful candidate towards level 2 British Society of Echocardiography (BSE) accreditation. On completion of the programme, you will be awarded a post graduate certificate in Clinical Echocardiography., These positions would ideally suit a PTP (Practitioner Training Programme) graduate with a good grounding in cardiac physiology and an interest in developing their skills within echocardiography. However, if you feel you have the relevant skills and experience to be successful in this post, we would also be interested to hear from you.

Guy's and St Thomas' is among the UK's busiest and most successful NHS foundation trusts. We provide a full range of hospital and community services for people in south London and as well as specialist care for patients from further afield including cancer, renal, orthopaedic, respiratory and cardiovascular services.
Guy's is home to the largest dental school in Europe and a £160 million Cancer Centre opened in 2016. As part of our commitment to provide care closer to home, in 2017 we also opened a cancer centre and a kidney treatment centre at Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup. St Thomas' has one of the largest critical care units in the UK and one of the busiest emergency departments in London. It is also home to Evelina London Children's Hospital.
Evelina London cares for local children in Lambeth and Southwark and provides specialist services across south east England including cardiac, renal and critical care services. We lead a number of specialist service networks aiming to ensure children are treated locally where possible, but have access to specialist expertise when they need it. Our community services include health visiting, school nursing and support for families of children with long-term conditions.
Our adult community services teams deliver care at the heart of the local communities we serve, working in partnership with GPs, local authorities and other healthcare and voluntary sector organisations. Working with our partners in Lambeth and Southwark, we are focusing on new ways of working to improve care for local patients.
In February 2021 the Royal Brompton and Harefield joined Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, bringing together world-leading expertise in the care and research of heart and lung disease. Our merger provides a once in a generation opportunity to build a lasting, world-renowned heart and lung centre, providing the highest quality care for patients and conducting world-leading research.
We have a reputation for clinical excellence and high quality teaching and research. We are part of King's Health Partners, one of eight accredited UK academic health sciences centres. In partnership with King's College London we have dedicated clinical research facilities including an MHRA accredited Phase I clinical trials unit.
Patients are at the heart of everything we do and we pride ourselves on ensuring the best possible patient experience as well as safe, high quality care. We are proud to have one of the lowest mortality rates in the NHS. Following a comprehensive Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in 2019 we maintained our overall rating of 'good'. Our adult community services achieved a rating of 'outstanding'.
The commitment of our 23,500 staff is key to our success. We are one of the largest local employers and we aim to develop and support all our staff so they are able to deliver high quality, safe and efficient care. The 2019 NHS staff survey results show that we have one of the most engaged and motivated workforces in the NHS. We know this has a positive impact on the care provided to our patients.
We have one of the most ambitious capital investment programmes anywhere in the NHS., St Thomas' is situated in the heart of London, immediately opposite the Houses of Parliament and Guy's is at London Bridge, opposite The Shard. The echo department has an excellent track record in training and has been instrumental in the development of national standards for echocardiography and the new clinical scientist discipline.
Harefield Hospital is situated in Uxbridge, Middlesex and is one of the largest and most experienced centres in the world for heart and lung transplants. It has jointly pioneered work in the development of 'artificial hearts' (also known as left ventricular assist devices or LVADs).
Each position will have its primary base location with the opportunity for cross-site rotation including Royal Brompton Hospital. Together we have exceptional credentials in training and development and a superior individual BSE success rate.