Job summary
We are looking for an experienced and motivated Respiratory Physiologist to join Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust as our Respiratory Physiology Lead, Band 8a.This is an exciting opportunity to provide professional, clinical and operational leadership across our Respiratory Physiology and Sleep Services within the Clinical Measurement Unit.The successful candidate will combine senior leadership with an active clinical role, providing expert respiratory physiology practice while leading a team committed to delivering safe, high-quality and responsive diagnostic services.You will have the opportunity to shape the future of the service, develop our workforce and pathways, and work collaboratively with respiratory clinicians, the wider Clinical Measurement Unit and system partners.

Main duties of the job
As Respiratory Physiology Lead, you will:

• Provide clinical, professional and operational leadership for Respiratory Physiology and Sleep Services.
• Maintain an active advanced clinical role, undertaking and reporting highly specialised respiratory investigations.
• Lead the delivery of respiratory diagnostics, lung function testing, sleep diagnostics and CPAP pathways.
• Provide expert clinical advice and ensure abnormal findings and clinical concerns are appropriately escalated.
• Lead workforce development, competency, training and professional development.
• Oversee service performance, capacity and diagnostic waiting times, including delivery against national standards.
• Lead clinical governance, quality assurance, risk management and continuous service improvement.
• Support innovation, pathway redesign and development of sustainable respiratory services.

About us
As the only provider of NHS acute care in Walsall, we offer a unique opportunity to be part of a Trust making a genuine difference to local health outcomes. The Trust is a busy district general hospital offering compete range of acute services, alongside extensive community services.

A new Urgent Emergency Care Centre was opened in March 2023. The two-storey development has significantly improved emergency care facilities and capacity and has provided almost 5,000 square metres of additional clinical space.

Our strategy is aligned to delivering exceptional care together while supporting a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We offer clear career development pathways, access to training and education, and opportunities to contribute to service innovation and improvement.

Job responsibilities
The post holder will act as the Trusts lead specialist for Respiratory Physiology, providing expert clinical and professional leadership across respiratory diagnostics and sleep services.You will be responsible for the day-to-day delivery and development of the service, ensuring effective use of workforce and capacity while maintaining high standards of patient safety, quality and clinical governance.A key part of the role will be developing and supporting the respiratory physiology workforce, strengthening quality and competency frameworks and working collaboratively across the organisation and with partner services.We are particularly keen to hear from experienced senior Respiratory Physiologists who are passionate about clinical excellence, developing people and improving services for patients.

Qualifications
Essential

• BSc Clinical Physiology (Respiratory) or equivalent qualification/ experience
• Professional registration with RCCP/ AHCS or eligibility to register
• Evidence of advanced specialist training within Respiratory Physiology
• Evidence of continued professional development relevant to respiratory diagnostics and leadership

Knowledge and Experience
Essential

• Significant experience working as a Senior Respiratory Physiologist within a specialist respiratory diagnostic service to Masters level or equivalent
• Extensive experience performing, analysing and reporting highly specialised respiratory investigations
• Experience of managing Respiratory Physiology and Sleep Services including CPAP pathways and sleep diagnostics
• Experience of staff management including recruitment, appraisal, performance management, training and development
• Experience of managing service performance, including waiting lists, demand and capacity planning and delivery of national diagnostic standards

Competencies
Essential

• Ability to provide expert clinical leadership within Respiratory Physiology
• Able to independently perform, interpret and provide advice on complex respiratory investigations
• Ability to manage operational pressures, prioritise workload and make autonomous decisions

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.

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. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.