Job Description

At Band 7/8a depending on experience the post holder will lead the Inherited Cardiac Conditions and functional assessment imaging service. They will be an integral part of the team of echocardiographers responsible for the delivery of clinical echocardiography performed at Alder Hey. This post will also meet the growing requirements to manage, deliver and develop the Functional Assessment & Inherited Cardiac Conditions service here at Alder Hey.



Paediatric cardiac physiology experience would be helpful but is not essential.



Main Duties and Responsibilities



The post holder will be expected to maintain a clinical workload by performing and reporting highly specialist and complex clinical cardiac investigations and be responsible for managing and the development of the Functional Assessment & Inherited Cardiac Conditions service within the cardiac department.



The post holder would be expected to exercise initiative and judgement in solving problems and making decisions that affect own areas of work.



Independently obtain and analyses complex data, performs complex calculations, determines interpretation and independently compiles accurate written complex technical reports for case notes.



As one of Europe's biggest and busiest children's hospitals, at Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust, we treat everything from common illnesses to highly complex and specialist conditions. In addition to our main hospital site, we offer paediatric services at a number of community sites and hold local clinics across Merseyside, Cumbria, Shropshire, Wales and the Isle of Man. We also provide specialist inpatient care for children with complex mental health needs in our recently relocated and newly opened state of the art facility.



Alder Hey has a thriving research portfolio and leads research into children's medicines, infection, inflammation and oncology. We are becoming recognised as one of the world's leaders in children's healthcare and research. We contribute to public health, lead cutting-edge research and teach the next generation of children's specialists. Alongside this is our Innovation Hub, a dedicated space where clinicians and industries can come together to create new products and technologies.



We know that a children's hospital is different and that our job is more than just treating an illness. To us, every child is an individual. As well as giving them the very best care, we set out to make them feel happy, safe and confident as they play, learn and grow. At Alder Hey we are here to look after a child and their family and that includes mums, dads, brothers and sisters.



Main Duties and Responsibilities

The post holder will:

be expected to maintain a clinical workload by performing and reporting highly specialist and complex clinical cardiac investigations.



be responsible for managing and the development of the Functional Assessment & Inherited Cardiac Conditions service within the cardiac department.



be an integral part of education and training for physiologists and medical staff.



Communication



Communicates independent interpretations of complex technical and physiological data to guide physicians throughout high-risk provocative procedures (e.g., during complex device implantation).



Actively participates in multi-disciplinary clinical review meetings.



Communicate with other departments involved in supporting the effective operation of the service.



Analytical Skills



Exercise initiative and judgement in solving problems and making decisions that affect own areas of work recognising when there is a need to refer problems to Senior Management or Consultant staff.



Independently obtains and analyses complex data, performs complex calculations, determines interpretation and independently compiles accurate written complex technical reports for case notes.



Patient Care



To maintain a clinical workload by performing and reporting highly specialist and complex clinical cardiac investigations.



Policy/Service Development



To act as the lead for Functional Assessment & Inherited Cardiac Conditions (ICC) within the echocardiography department and the development of a regional ICC service.



Responsible for service development, ensuring that high quality patient centred services are based on the best available evidence and be a driving force in the development of a protocol driven service.



To be aware of and implement the Trust and Cardiology guidelines with respect to Health and Safety



Financial and Physical Resources



To actively develop the Inherited Cardiac Conditions service and explore other modes of income generation for projects which require cardiac diagnostic support.



Human Resources



Provide leadership and development for all extended role practitioners in the clinical physiology department.



Regularly supervises individuals working/observing in the clinical environment including visitors from other trusts and organisation.



Work with external organisations (e.g., European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging, British Society of Echocardiography and the Department of Health) to promote and develop the role of cardiac physiologists within the field of echocardiography.



Be a mentor for individuals from a range of professional groups.



Work in collaboration with the National School for Healthcare Science and the North-West Healthcare Science network to facilitate the effective implementation of Modernising Scientific Careers.



Contribute to the strategy for meeting the training requirements of the paediatric echocardiography service for the Cardiac Physiologist, Medical and Nursing staff groups.



To attend training courses to update one's own technical, physiological and pathological knowledge of specialist cardiac procedures and to update one's knowledge in respect of specialised clinical use of equipment.



Ensure staff training is organised and delivered to satisfactory local strategic service developments and clinical standards as determined by Modernising Scientific Careers framework.



Takes personal responsibility for continuing professional development to ensure skills remain optimal to the role and new elements can be added to the skills portfolio.