Associate Practitioner/ Respiratory Physiologist

NHS; Gateshead; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity awaits enthusiastic individuals to join a dedicated team at a leading healthcare provider. As an Associate Practitioner/Respiratory Physiologist, you will engage in vital respiratory diagnostic services, working alongside a multidisciplinary team to deliver high-quality care. Your role will involve performing diagnostic tests, educating patients on treatment options, and ensuring the accuracy of medical equipment. This position offers a pathway for professional growth, with opportunities to progress from Band 4 to Band 5. Join a forward-thinking organization committed to innovation and excellence in patient care.

Benefits

Flexible Working Arrangements

Staff Benefits

In-house Training Programs

Qualifications

• Candidates must have good communication skills and enjoy helping people.
• Educated to NVQ level 3 or equivalent with significant experience.

Responsibilities

• Perform a wide range of respiratory diagnostic tests including spirometry.
• Educate patients on CPAP devices for obstructive sleep apnoea.

Skills

Communication Skills

Analytical Skills

Organizational Skills

Basic IT Skills

Education

NVQ Level 3 in a Relevant Subject

BSc (Hons) Clinical Physiology

Tools

Medical Diagnostic Equipment

Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel)

Job description

Go back The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Associate Practitioner/ Respiratory Physiologist

The closing date is 11 May 2025

We have an exciting opportunity for two enthusiastic and motivated individuals to join the Respiratory-sleep Team at Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust. Applications are invited for two Band 4 to Band 5 progressive posts in Respiratory Physiology.

Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals provide a wide range of Respiratory and Sleep Diagnostic Services at both a local and regional level. We have departments located at the Freeman Hospital and Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle and the Community Diagnostic Centre located at the Metro Centre, Gateshead.

Candidates must have good communication skills and enjoy dealing with and helping people in a clinical setting. They will work closely with out-patients and in-patients, performing diagnostic tests using a variety of equipment and procedures, ensuring technical accuracy and quality at all times.

• 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

Candidates will work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team which includes consultants, specialist nurses, physiologists, associate practitioners and administrative teams.

They will perform a wide range of respiratory diagnostic tests including spirometry, CO transfer factor, static lung volume measurements, respiratory muscle testing, fractional exhaled nitric oxide and six minute walk tests.

They will be involved in the setting up of home diagnostic sleep investigations including overnight oximetry and respiratory polygraphy for the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea. They would also be involved in the setting up of in-patient polysomnography.

Candidates will educate patients starting to use continuous positive airway pressure devices (CPAP) for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea and support them once they are established on their treatment.

They will be involved with quality control procedures like daily calibrations, checks and Bio-checks to ensure that all diagnostic equipment is operating as expected and producing accurate and reliable results.

They will be responsible for the cleaning and decontamination of medical equipment between patients. They will also be responsible for maintaining an organised, tidy and safe working environment.

About us

Our staff oversee around 6,500 patient contacts every day, delivering high standards of healthcare from the following sites:

o Freeman Hospital

o Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)

o Health Innovation Neighbourhood (on the former Newcastle General Hospital and Centre for Ageing and Vitality site)

o Newcastle Dental Hospital

o Newcastle Fertility Centre

o Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria

o Northern Genetics Service

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

Job responsibilities

The candidates, with the support of a designated work based assessor, will run through a programme of learning including in-house training and competencies. They will also work towards and complete their ARTP practitioner qualifications. Employment will initially be at Band 4 progressing to Band 5 on successful completion of all training and qualifications within an 18 month period. If they do not qualify within this time period they would remain on a permanent Band 4 grade. If they obtain competencies and qualifications prior to the 18 months they will be upgraded to a Band 5 position immediately.

To be considered for the progression post you must be educated to NVQ level 3 in a relevant subject or equivalent level of qualification or have significant equivalent previous proven experience, plus additional knowledge / training to diploma level.

Candidates already holding the ARTP practitioner qualifications and with appropriate demonstrable competencies will be employed directly at a Band 5 level.

At Band 5 level the post holder will be expected to perform more involved diagnostic procedures such as hypoxic challenge tests and anatomical shunt assessments in addition to taking on specific responsibilities within the department with regards to health and safety, training and audit.

Band 4

• 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.

Band 5

• Participate in the delivery of a specialist clinical service and deliver a high standard of care to all patients.
• 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 more specialised lung function and sleep investigations.
• Continue theoretical and practical training in house training and by attendance on designated courses.
• Contribute to the delivery of training within the department.

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.

Person Specification

Meets All Band 4 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
• 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
• Experience of working with people ideally in a healthcare setting
• 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

Meets All Band 5 Criteria

• oUnderpinning theoretical knowledge of a range of respiratory investigations, procedures and associated pathology and physiology
• oUnderstanding of patient confidentiality and the Data Protection Act
• oGood familiarity with medical technology
• oGood interpersonal and communication skills
• oEffective report writing skills
• oOrganisational and time management skills
• oAbility to work alone and as a member of a team
• oGood analytical and judgement skills
• oBasic IT skills
• oBasic Life Support skills
• oPrevious recent clinical experience as a newly-qualified Respiratory Physiologist or have been employed in a training post within a Lung Function Department undertaking a range of investigations
• oBSc (Hons) Clinical Physiology (Respiratory Physiology) or equivalent
• oKnowledge and understanding of specialist respiratory investigations and procedures
• oPractical experience of undertaking specialist respiratory investigations
• oEligible for registration with Registration Council for Clinical Physiologists (RCCP).

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust