Clinical Perfusion Lead (Education and Training)

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Oxford; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A large NHS teaching trust in Oxford is seeking an experienced Clinical Perfusionist to lead the education and training strategy within their Clinical Perfusion Department. This senior role requires strong clinical expertise and strategic leadership to support the development of training programs. The ideal candidate will have significant management experience and a passion for improving patient care through education.

Benefits

Pensionable 4.5% uplift for on-call participation

Generous relocation allowance

Compensation for excess on-call duties

Qualifications

• Proven management and leadership experience in a clinical perfusion setting.
• Expertise in cardiopulmonary bypass procedures and patient assessments.
• Ability to develop and implement training programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead the education and training strategy within the Clinical Perfusion Department.
• Collaborate with academic institutions for training progression.
• Ensure quality in training delivery across the workforce.

Skills

Management

Leadership

Clinical expertise

Patient care

Teaching and training

Team collaboration

Communication

Education

Significant post-accreditation experience

Management qualification

Job description

We are seeking an experienced and forward‑thinking Clinical Perfusionist to lead the education and training strategy within the Clinical Perfusion Department at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. This senior role combines clinical expertise with strategic leadership, supporting the development of our trainee programme and wider workforce education. You will work closely with the Chief and Deputy Perfusion Managers, the CAS Theatre Manager, CICU, and Bristol University to ensure our training provision remains nationally recognised for excellence. The role also includes contributing to the delivery of adult cardiopulmonary bypass services as part of our 24/7 team, supporting a caseload of approximately 800 patients annually.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, delivery, and evaluation of structured training programmes for LR and MSc trainee perfusionists
• Act as College Tutor, overseeing reaccreditation and ensuring logbooks and protocols reflect best practice
• Collaborate with Bristol University to support trainee progression and academic engagement
• Drive departmental CPD strategy, aligning learning opportunities with service needs and SCPS standards
• Support recruitment and onboarding of trainee perfusionists, fostering a culture of excellence and inclusion
• Ensure consistency and quality in training delivery across the workforce, working closely with the Deputy and Chief Perfusion Managers
• Maintain oversight of wet lab provision for routine and emergency procedures
• Promote Oxford's educational reputation through active participation in national forums (AGM, Spring Webinar, etc.)
• Contribute to clinical service delivery across Cardiac Surgery, CICU, Cardiology, ICU, Catheter Lab, and A&E
• Apply expert theoretical and practical skills to support patient care and the development of others
• Lead the development and continuous review of clinical protocols and documentation, report to and engage with the Deputy and Chief Perfusion Manager to ensure robust training is consistent across the workforce
• Engage with the wider perfusion department to ensure other educational needs are met, such as new techniques and skills are adequately documented and assessed
• Responsible for all wet lab requirements of the department for routine and emergencies procedures in accordance with SCPS minimum standards
• Play a key role in supporting the delivery of a highly specialised Perfusion Service across the Trust and referring region, ensuring the service is effective and well co‑ordinated
• Demonstrate advanced and expert specialist theoretical/practical skills, and knowledge/expertise in clinical practice, applying these skills to, and as a resource for, the supervision and training of others through all levels of the department and the multidisciplinary team
• Draw on knowledge of a range of theories to inform practice
• Develop strategies for the management and delivery of care for patient caseload
• Determine and develop protocols and procedures relating to Clinical Perfusion duties, continuously reviewing and updating documentation
• Provide a range of myocardial preservation techniques, antegrade/retrograde cerebral perfusion and alternative cerebro‑protective techniques
• Participate fully in the set‑up, priming and patient management for routine and emergency adult cardiopulmonary bypass procedures
• Ensure that the specialist skills and knowledge required for the Perfusion Service are represented across the department and that the level and quality of these skills are audited and augmented
• Ensure quality control, calibration and proactive maintenance of Clinical Perfusion equipment and its safe use during procedures
• Assess patients for relevant medical history, pathology and diagnosis, and make appropriate clinical decisions for the procedure
• Initiate and maintain cardiopulmonary bypass, constantly monitoring and manipulating complex clinical parameters, taking autonomous corrective action including blood transfusion
• Administer autonomously intra‑venous and intra‑arterial drugs as required by clinical indicators
• Monitor, where necessary, autonomous corrections to blood gases, electrolytes, metabolites, acid‑base balance, systemic vascular resistance, cardiac output and anticoagulation status
• Gather, analyse and interpret highly complex data to make autonomous clinical and technical decisions regarding perfusion technique, optimising patient care and outcome
• Ensure availability, function, accuracy and calibration of associated physiological measurement devices
• Participate fully in 24‑hour on‑call cover on a rotational basis
• Oversee departmental and individual projects, committing to research, evidence‑based practice and clinical effectiveness
• Support the Perfusion and CAT managers in development and maintenance of training and education, benchmarked against comparable units
• Evaluate service delivery as an ongoing process to sustain and improve patient care quality
• Evaluate and manage the training programme for trainee perfusionists, ensuring patient care remains focused upon
• Initiate and undertake clinical governance and audit projects within areas of expertise
• Ensure policies protect patients from infection spread
• Engage with and maintain Perfusion Data recording systems and their integration with theatre IT systems and electronic databases
• In the absence of the Clinical Perfusion Manager or Deputy, assist the CAS and Theatre manager to coordinate staff and implement team objectives, ensuring seamless service delivery within the multidisciplinary team
• Investigate and promote new educational and professional opportunities within and outside the directorate, raising the service profile within the trust and community
• Assume delegated tasks as requested by line management, including policy development within area of expertise
• Assist theatre and perfusion department in delivering Human Factors training to the multidisciplinary team
• Use expert knowledge to inform service policy developments as appropriate
• Assist in disinfection of heater‑cooler units, adhering to protocol and PPE guidelines
• Provide seamless and consistent perfusion line management when Perfusion Managers or Theatre Manager are unavailable
• Take an active role in student training within the team
• Act as an expert resource/advisor to junior colleagues, students and medical colleagues in care delivery
• Identify training needs and maintain/develop the training programme for Clinical Perfusionists, creating an environment of support and growth
• Provide specialist training in all areas of clinical expertise, acting as an effective role model
• Employ counselling skills to allow staff feedback after difficult or traumatic events, including patient fatality
• Maintain calm demeanor during emergency and high‑pressure situations, communicating effectively and clearly to all multidisciplinary colleagues
• Maintain sensitivity and respect the dignity of patients in emergency situations and when death occurs during cardiac surgical procedures
• Develop appropriate departmental strategies for dealing with patient fatality during procedures
• Develop strategies for dealing with frequent stress and stressful situations
• Utilise a variety of strategies to communicate highly complex sensitive information to staff, senior management, professional bodies and the public
• Develop and maintain relationships and proactive communication mechanisms with staff, their representatives and staff organisations, facilitating participation in and favourable reactions to the Directorate’s aims and objectives
• Contribute to clinical teams, both multidisciplinary and unidisciplinary, by discussing own and others’ input around patient needs, ensuring a well‑coordinated care plan
• Communicate complex condition‑related information from assessment to multidisciplinary team and other stakeholders
• Work closely with consultant colleagues and others in the multidisciplinary team, agreeing decision‑making relevant to patient management
• Advise colleagues on a range of clinical issues and facilitate their own problem‑solving skills
• Demonstrate skills in motivating the team to engage in departmental activities
• Form productive relationships with others who may be under stress or have challenging communication difficulties
• Significant post‑accreditation experience, Management qualification

Qualifications & Experience

Significant post‑accreditation experience, Management qualification

Remuneration and benefits

• A pensionable 4.5% uplift applies to the basic salary for participation in the 1:6 on‑call rota
• On‑call duties in excess of the 1:6 frequency are compensated through NHSP rates
• This post attracts a generous relocation allowance, subject to meeting eligibility criteria and terms and conditions
• The role is currently under review for a Recruitment and Retention Premia

About the Trust

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country, providing a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and serving as a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals – the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury. Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence, and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence. These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family.

We pledge zero tolerance for inappropriate sexual behaviour and are committed to the ten core principles of the NHS England sexual safety charter. Oxford University Hospitals promotes a safe, respectful hiring environment. If you want to make a difference with us, come and join our team. Together, we will uphold the highest standards of care and professionalism.