GI Physiologist, Band 7 (Maternity Cover)

Job overview

This position is to cover maternity leave.  The post holder will undertake a variety of clinical diagnostic tests on patients needing gastrointestinal (GI) physiology investigations for Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which includes interpreting results and providing accurate reports. They will be responsible for providing a professional service in relation to all patients, i.e. prioritization and list planning, organising appointments, conducting and reporting tests and instigating initial management plans for some conditions.  The post holder will work as part of the Upper and Lower GI MDT services.

Main duties of the job

- Provision of Clinical Services/Clinical Responsibilities

- Professional Development, Education and Training

- Management and Leadership

-  Communications and Working Relationships

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Provision of Clinical Services/Clinical Responsibilities

Patient Care

- Undertake the full range of Upper and Lower GI Physiology diagnostic tests and procedures as required by patients.

- Undertake interpretation of results and provision of reports.

- Work according to professional standards and guidelines of the Association Gastrointestinal Physiologist (AGIP)

- Will be trained and assessed in the competencies required to undertake these activities to ensure that high quality of patient care is maintained.

Professional Development, Education and Training

- Develop own skill and knowledge, following the Trust personal development and Review System.

- Attend appropriate scientific and educational meetings and courses for personal skill and knowledge development and updating.

- Participate in Continued Professional Development.

Management and Leadership

-  Establish and promote collaborative working relationships and effective communication between all members of the multidisciplinary team.

- To line manage/supervise staff and take a lead role in their training, education and development.

Research and Development

- To provide guidance and recommendations with regard to GI Physiological investigations within the department.

- Be accountable for service improvement that is conducive to the delivery of a high quality service.

- Maintain knowledge of developments and current practices relevant to the clinical area and use this knowledge to carry out clinical practice founded on research and evidence.

- Develop audit tools as required to justify, benchmark, quantify, develop and assess practice, designing and/or redesigning protocols and documents to assist the function of the Directorate

- Contribute towards designing and maintaining patient information leaflets for approval and publication to Trust Standards.

- Contribute to writing, reviewing and updating standard operating procedures for current and new patient diagnostic tests.

- Carry out regular audits of Laboratory activity and monitor the performance of the service and testing procedures.

- Provide complex technical support to clinical audits.

Communications and Working Relationships

- The post holder is required to obtain a detailed history, lifestyle, and dietary assessment and to council on appropriate modifications that may improve patient symptoms, depending on test results.

- To take informed consent prior to every patient diagnostic test.

- Ensure and promote effective methods of communication to both members of staff and patients attending for investigation.

- Communicates condition related information to patients and relatives, helping them to understand their diagnosis and future possible treatment pathways.

- To communicate in a manner that reassures patients whilst imparting complex information. This will require ability to overcome barriers in communication and ability to meet the needs of patients with disabilities.

- Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills will be required for imparting audit findings and sharing knowledge with national bodies/organisation

Financial/Physical Resources

- To order GI physiology consumables and other related supplies (e.g. pH/Impedance catheters, pharmacy supplies etc.) in collaboration with other departmental staff. This will require a working knowledge of acceptable stock levels and departmental demand.

- The post-holder is responsible for maintaining specialist test equipment where possible and reporting faults and escalating issues.

- Assist in the effective budget management within the department, in terms of resource requirements, equipment and related supplier

General Working Conditions

- The post-holder should be in good health and will be required to travel between wards and units.

- The post-holder should have highly developed skills including excellent dexterity, hand eye co-ordination and sensory skills for the related procedures e.g. intubation of oesophageal catheter duties