University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
Senior Healthcare Scientist Assistant
The closing date is 23 November 2026
Job summary
This is a very exciting time for our Cardiology Department. We have been fortunate to secure and complete a full departmental rebuild and refurbishment. This is just part of a multi-million-pound investment in redevelopment across the whole hospital, to establish us as the largest and most modern NHS Hospital in the Southwest.

We are also part of the Plymouth Community Diagnostics Centre (CDC) offering 5 ECG/ambulatory monitoring bays as well device follow-up, echo and an array of other diagnostics. We work across 3 main sites:

• UHP - predominantly IP diagnostics
• Dartmoor building (on UHP site) - support for Cardiology consultation clinics
• PCDC - outpatient diagnostics in the city centre

We are a Centre of Excellence, looking to expand our cardiac physiology team with opportunities for specialists in electrophysiology, cardiac devices and echocardiography.

As the tertiary hospital and cardio-thoracic centre for the Southwest, we provide a full range of non-invasive and invasive procedures (including a large congenital non-invasive service). We work closely with surgical teams performing structural interventions and ablations. As a teaching hospital we have close links with the local university with PTP and PGCert students.

Please note that applications from temporary workers who have been engaged with the Trust for a minimum of 3 months are welcome.
Main duties of the job
Perform a range of routine and non-routine tasks within Cardiology, including providing support within the Ambulatory monitoring specialist field and Cardiology out-patient department.

• Application of 12-lead ECGs and ambulatory ECG monitors, measuring resting BP and basic patient observations and application of ambulatory BP monitors.
• To ensure patient records are kept up to date with results, including assisting with peri-procedural data input for invasive and non-invasive cardiology procedures on the cardiovascular image and information management system (CVIS).
• To advise patients on access to and use of other services within the Trust.
• To supervise and/or train less experienced staff within own area of work where/if needed.
• To assist all members of the departmental team in the delivery of a high-quality Cardiology service.
• To work as part of the multidisciplinary team in Cardiology including assisting Cardiac Healthcare Scientists in a range of cardiology diagnostic investigations.
• To continue to train and update as appropriate.
• To undertake clinical and non-clinical duties under the guidance and direction of the Cardiac Healthcare Scientists and medical staff.
• To actively participate in the development of the department.
• To participate in the implementation of directorate policy.

About us
We are a people business - every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment team on 01752 432100. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

Details
Date posted: 09 November 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 3
Salary: £25,760 to £27,476 a year. £25,760 - £27,476 Per Annum, Pro Rata if part time.
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working
Reference number: 216-EG-DC8367635
Job locations: University Hospitals Plymouth NHS trust, Plymouth, PL6 8DH, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

• Understanding the range of routine and non-routine work procedures, having a base knowledge of other cardiological investigations and knowledge in specialist fields acquired through training, with experience to ECG competency level.
• To exercise a responsibility to report any acute or abnormal readings to senior staff in the department, the on-call medical team or the patients physician.
• To make decisions in own area, e.g. identifying correct application of procedures, knowing when to report a problem and how to report concerns.
• Organises own workload daily and responds to requests, prioritising any urgent requests appropriately.
• Hand eye coordination for analysis of recordings and for programming of equipment via PCs.
• Provides basic / clinical technical services by undertaking routine and non-routine ambulatory monitoring to in-patients and out-patients.
• Follows policies and procedures for own work area, makes comment on any proposed changes for own area and makes suggestions for service development.
• Safe use of equipment by self and others, ordering supplies for area of work, ensuring safe storage of equipment.
• May be required to demonstrate own duties to other healthcare professionals, new employees or trainees. Help with training of new / less experienced staff (nursing, medical staff and cardiac physiologists).
• Records personally generated information / updates.

Duties may include:

• 12 lead electrocardiogram (ECG) recording.
• Perform / record / Interpret / Report all as a solo operator.
• Ambulatory monitoring investigations: both ambulatory ECG monitoring (for periods ranging from 24 hours and up to 5 days) and 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.
• Fit / Remove / Analyse all as a solo operator.
• Assist medical teams ensuring smooth running of out-patient clinics, including routine observations (height/weight/blood pressure).
• Greet patients / liaise with person seeing the patients / document observations / highlight any abnormal findings to person seeing the patients / facilitate an organised and timely clinic.
• Assisting with peri-procedural data input for invasive and non-invasive cardiology procedures on the cardiovascular image and information management system (CVIS).
• To ensure that patients privacy and dignity is maintained.
• To be responsible for the delivery and collection of faulty machinery for service or repair.
• To assist medical staff and technicians in emergency situations where teamwork is essential.
• To be responsible for the health and safety of oneself and others under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
• To implement and follow all policies and procedures of the trust within the work area and participate in all relevant health education, including statutory training programmes.
• To help ensure that disposable stock levels are maintained to adequate levels for an uninterrupted provision of service.
• To work in collaboration with staff in other areas across the directorate and trust to facilitate a seamless service for patients.
• The post holder is responsible for carrying out elements of care, for which they have received appropriate training, under supervision of a qualified staff member.
• To assist in stocking, storing and checking of supplies.
• Other duties that might occur as delegated by senior colleagues.
• Helping to maintain appropriate levels of cleanliness throughout the department.

For further details please see the attached JD & PS

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Possess a vocational qualification in care e.g. NVQ L3 or above in Health & Social Care, QCF Diploma in Clinical Healthcare L2 or above and/or demonstrable equivalent experience

Desirable

• SCST ECG certificate / award / diploma.

Knowledge & Experience
Essential

• 12-lead ECG competency.
• Demonstrable experience of working in a healthcare environment.

Desirable

• Basic Life Support (BLS) or Immediate life support (ILS)

Aptitude & Abilities
Essential

• Enthusiasm, motivation and the ability to work as part of a team.

Desirable

• Ability to work well in a busy environment.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website. From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement.

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Lead Cardiac Physiologist, Victoria Church, victoria.church@nhs.net, 01752432141