Trainee Echocardiographer

Job Title - Trainee Echocardiographer

Hours per week-37.5 hours per week

Perm/Fixed Term- Fixed Term for 18 Months

Salary-£35,392 - £42,618 per annum

Closing Date-3rd May 2024

Interview Date-21st May 2024

This post may close early due to high numbers of applications so you are advised to apply promptly.

All correspondence for this vacancy will be sent by email; please check your account regularly including your Junk and SPAM areas.

A great and friendly place to work, so bring your passion, commitment and expertise and enjoy the opportunities to make a difference every day.

Careers at George Eliot – ‘Where you make a difference’

The Cardio Respiratory Unit CRU) at GEH is advertising for an in-service Echocardiographer Trainee. The Echocardiographer Training Programme (ETP) is an eighteen-month integrated full-time post-graduate programme developed by the National School of Healthcare Science and funded by Health Education England..

Successful candidates will be trained to BSE accreditation level 2 and will awarded a Post-graduate Certificate in Clinical Echocardiography. For more information, please see the NSHCS website: https://nshcs.hee.nhs.uk/programmes/echocardiography-training-programme

The in-service route is only open to existing NHS staff working in CRU , who meet the qualification requirements and have been nominated by their employer.

Upon successful completion trainees will be issued with a Certificate of Completion for the Echocardiography Training Programme (CCETP) which confirms that all the relevant mandatory completion criteria for the programme have been met.

Here at George Eliot our vision to ‘ excel at patient care’ takes centre stage. An ever evolving clinically-led acute service provider we are on a journey to continually provide high quality, safe and responsive services delivered by inspiring, friendly and compassionate staff who share our corporate values which underpin everything we do. Our values are not just words on a piece of paper, they bond us together, reflect our ambition and shape who we are:

E ffective Open Communication

e x cellence and safety in everything we do

C hallenge but support

E xpect respect and dignity

L ocal health that inspires confidence

Benefits: On-site nursery, 27 days minimum annual leave plus bank holidays, cycle to work scheme, flexible working, extensive in-house course learning directory, buying and selling of annual leave, subsidised restaurant, tranquillity garden and generous subsidised on-site parking

Purpose

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.

The post holder will be expected to undertake a range of scientific and clinical functions initially under supervision. A major part of the training and development will take place within a specified host NHS organisation and is integrally linked to the knowledge and applied learning that forms part of the nationally recognised BSE accreditation programme. Post holders will also be expected to undertake mandatory training as deemed necessary by their host NHS Organisation.

At all times the Trainee Echocardiographer is expected to work within standard operating policies and procedures of the host department and NHS organisation 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 the host department 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.

Main duties and Responsibilities

Scientific and Clinical Practice

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.

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.

Education and Learning

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 course 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.

Patient Management and Clinical Care

Delivery of patient care – experience and contribution in the following areas:

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

Relationships

Liaises with

Liaises with other technical and scientific staff of department /section, and other Trainee Healthcare Scientists across a wide range of departments.

Key working 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 and other 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 mainly be based in the host department, but may need to attend other local/regional/national scientific services, in order to complete