Trainee Healthcare Scientist

Trainee Healthcare Scientist (Echocardiographer) Band 6

Your future begins here.

Would you enjoy the challenge of an exciting new role created to train and develop the next generation of echocardiographers?

We have two training positions available, one based at Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospitals and one based at Harefield Hospital, both offering exceptional training opportunities.

These positions would ideally suit a PTP (Practitioner Training Programme) graduate with a good grounding in cardiac physiology and an interest in developing their skills within echocardiography. However, if you feel you have the relevant skills and experience to be successful in this post, we would also be interested to hear from you.

St Thomas’ is situated in the heart of London, immediately opposite the Houses of Parliament and Guy’s is at London Bridge, opposite The Shard. The echo department has an excellent track record in training and has been instrumental in the development of national standards for echocardiography and the new clinical scientist discipline.

Harefield Hospital is situated in Uxbridge, Middlesex and is one of the largest and most experienced centres in the world for heart and lung transplants. It has jointly pioneered work in the development of ‘artificial hearts’ (also known as left ventricular assist devices or LVADs).

Each position will have its primary base location with the opportunity for cross-site rotation including Royal Brompton Hospital. Together we have exceptional credentials in training and development and a superior individual BSE success rate.

For more information or to arrange an informal visit to the department please contact either
- At Harefield Hospital

1. Job Summary

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.

At all times the Trainee Echocardiographer is expected to work within standard operating policies and procedures 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 Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation Trust 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.

The trainee will undertake the full training programme in order to progress through the academic and practical elements of the training scheme. In so doing they will learn how to perform and interpret clinical and specialist scientific processes underpinned by theoretical and applied knowledge and practical experience and will learn how to:

- Perform and interpret routine cardiac investigations.
- Perform specialised diagnostics investigations.
- Carry out complex scientific and clinical roles, including those working directly with patients.
- Analyse and interpret and datacompare investigative and clinical options.
- Make judgements, including clinical and differential judgements, involving complicated facts or situations that impact on patients.
- Initiate and undertake innovation, improvement and R&D and be involved in the education of healthcare science trainees and other learners in the workplace.
- Carry out audit to continuously improve patient care and service needs.
- Participate in the training and development of both external university students and junior team members.
- Communicate and interact effectively within a multidisciplinary team to ensure a positive patient experience.
- Assist the Principal Cardiac Physiologist/Echocardiographer and other senior members of the team in the day to day organisation and delivery of the cardiothoracic diagnostic service.

They will be expected to complete all work based training and assessment alongside the academic course to exit the programme with eligibility for registration with the BSE and the Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS). Trainees must meet the AHCS Standards of proficiency for Healthcare Science Practitioners.

In addition, they will be expected to undertake work-based experience to enable them to communicate complex technical, scientific and sensitive information to colleagues within their department in both verbal and written forms.
1. Key Relationships

The trainee will work closely with