Specialist Sleep Physiologist / Scientist

Sleep Physiologist / Scientist – Band 7

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a dynamic and enthusiastic Band 7 Clinical Physiologist / Scientist to join our expanding Liverpool Sleep and Ventilation Service. We welcome applications from colleagues who have a particular interest in caring for patients within the respiratory medicine speciality. Opportunities are available to the successful candidate to have exposure in Respiratory function testing and Cardiology diagnostics if Desired.

The successful candidate will use your determination and compassion to care and manage patients throughout their journey from referral, diagnosis, selection of appropriate treatment pathway, holistic assessments, through to long term care and support for those patients who require ventilatory support. This will include reviewing patients in the outpatient and inpatient setting, via telephone or face to face who present with a variety of sleep related disorders.

The Specialist Sleep physiologist / Scientist will be expected to manage their workload and work closely within the specialist Sleep MDT.

The Successful candidate will support the service lead and take on a managerial role within the department. Advising on professional matters, developing and maintaining protocols and management of department operational issues. They will also assist in the co-ordinating of sleep physiology education in house and externally.

Extensive knowledge and/or management of individuals with sleep related disorders is essential. The role will include care of patients with both breathing related sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) or obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) and non-breathing related sleep disorders such as Narcolepsy, REM behaviour disorders and circadian rhythm disorders.

Thorough history taking is essential, with the ability to perform appropriate clinical examination. Review patients, set them up with CPAP therapy, review efficacy of this therapy & identify further testing if required. Patients with OSA or OHS may be of a high clinical risk and the physiologist / scientist should identify deterioration, can escalate care when needed and be able to perform and interpret Arterial Blood gases.

To perform, analyse, interpret and produce reports on basic (Oximetry, Polygraphy, Actigraphy) and advanced sleep studies (PSG, MSLT, MWT). Ensure quality control within the department and development of an inter scorer reliability programme. Participation in the specialist sleep MDT.

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was created on 1 October 2019 following the merger of two adult acute Trusts, Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust.

The merger provides an opportunity to reconfigure services in a way that provides the best healthcare services to the city and improves the quality of care and health outcomes that patients experience.

The Trust runs Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital, Liverpool University Dental Hospital and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

It serves a core population of around 630,000 people across Merseyside as well as providing a range of highly specialist services to a catchment area of more than two million people in the North West region and beyond.

To hear more about our achievements click herehttps://www.liverpoolft.nhs.uk/media/13089/1606-annual-report-booklet_final.pdf

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• Perform a wide range of specialist sleep tests and assessments within the sleep service. Plan, implement and evaluate care delivery using advanced clinical knowledge and clinical skills.
• Assist with service development and service improvement objectives.
• Assist with operational management of the sleep service including appraisals, staff sickness and absences in line with trust policy.
• Assist with the delivery of all Staff development and educational needs in all levels of learners (2, 4, 6 and 7). This includes coordination of trainee placements and assessment of competency.
• Lead on governance, quality and patient safety ensuring that complaints, incidents, and risks are managed in line with trust policy.
• Lead clinical care by managing a patient caseload providing expert assessment, planning and evaluation.
• Contribute towards a multi-professional approach in the management of patients within the specialist area, especially in relation to ongoing care needs and discharge arrangements.
• Establish and maintain effective communication with patients and carers. 
• Support patients and their families and ensure that they receive the required information to enable them to self-manage, lead or participate in their care.
• Recognise changes in patients’ condition that require the intervention of others and refer on as appropriate.
• To support, assist and encourage the multi-disciplinary team in resolving patient problems, by the provision of new and innovative models of case management.
• To provide specialist input and support to all members of the Sleep MDT to contribute to the service, in the delivery of high standards of patient care.