Senior Respiratory Physiologist

Senior Respiratory Physiologist in Integrated Care

Organisational Area: Mercy University Hospital and CHO4

Location of Post

The Senior Respiratory Physiologist role will be located in the Cork North City Integrated Care Hub, St. Mary's Campus Gurranabraher, Cork City, which is aligned to Mercy University Hospital (MUH). It is envisaged that there will be an element of rotation between the acute setting, MUH, and the Integrated care hub as the need arises.

Details of Service

In line with Slaintecare and the Department of Health's Capacity review, a shift in healthcare service provision is required to place the focus on integrated, person-centred care, based as close to home as possible. In order to enable this, the Integrated Care Programme for the Prevention and Management of Chronic Disease is supporting the national implementation of a model of integrated care for the prevention and management of chronic disease as part of the Enhanced Community Care Programme.

This Model of Care has a particular focus on preventive healthcare, early diagnosis, early intervention and the provision of supports to live well with chronic disease. The focus of the model is on providing an end-to-end pathway for the management of the four major chronic diseases in Ireland: COPD, asthma, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

This end-to-end pathway will reduce admissions to acute hospitals by providing direct GP access to diagnostics and specialist services in the ambulatory care hubs in a timely manner. For patients who require hospital admission, the emphasis is on minimising the hospital length of stay, with the provision of post-discharge follow up and support for people in the community and in their own homes, where required.

A shared local governance structure across the local acute hospitals and the associated CHO will ensure the development of a fully integrated service and end-to-end pathway for individuals living with chronic disease.

Primary Care Strategy and Planning has agreed to fund permanent, full time roles (which may operate across hospital and community settings) to provide ring-fenced direct access to spirometry testing for GPs, i.e. General Practitioners can refer both their GMS and non-GMS patients for spirometry testing.

The Senior Respiratory Physiologist will support the delivery of Integrated Respiratory Care Service. This Service will deliver:

• A holistic, multidisciplinary approach to the care of individuals with chronic respiratory disease.
• Provision of a reformed outpatient service that utilises telehealth and other ICT measures.
• Reduced waiting times for patients for hospital-based outpatient services.
• Timely access to specialist services and specialist opinion for patients with respiratory disease.
• Early intervention pathways/ rapid access clinics for acute, chronic or newly presenting respiratory conditions.
• Development of pathways for the management of chronic conditions. The early assessment and implementation of pathways that will support GP-led primary care, efficient discharge back to the community where appropriate and reduce the need for repeated hospital-based outpatient reviews.
• Provision of oversight and implementation of self-management support services for chronic respiratory disease, including pulmonary rehabilitation, in the ambulatory care hubs.
• Facilitating access and the evaluation and reporting of non-invasive respiratory testing e.g. spirometry for GPs.
• Providing improved integration of early discharge, outreach and potentially admission avoidance programmes.
• Developing and managing oxygen assessment and review clinics.

Senior Respiratory Physiologist Reporting Relationship:

• Chief Respiratory Physiologist, Mercy University Hospital, or their designate.
• The role will liaise with Operational Lead in the Chronic Disease Hub for operational matters.
• The integrated care service will be governed by the Respiratory Consultant.

Key Working Relationships

The Senior Respiratory Physiologist will be part of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) within the acute hospital and integrated care hub and will have the following key relationships: Chief Respiratory Physiologist and Respiratory Physiologist Team MUH, Integrated Care Respiratory Consultants, MUH Respiratory Consultants. Operational Lead Chronic Disease Hub, Respiratory MDT members within the acute and integrated services, and Local GPs.

Purpose of the Post:

• Be responsible for providing high quality respiratory diagnostics to both Chronic Disease Hub Pulmonary Function Laboratory and MUH Pulmonary Function and Sleep Diagnostic Services.
• Provide diagnostic services to the Chronic Disease hubs. The Senior Respiratory Physiologist will also be an integral part of the Pulmonary Function and Sleep Diagnostic service within MUH, and will rotate between both sites as deemed appropriate by the Chief Respiratory Physiologist.
• Work as part of a Respiratory Specialist MDT comprised of the Respiratory Consultant, CNS (Respiratory, Integrated Care), Senior Physiotherapist, Smoking Cessation practitioner and GPs.
• May be required to work daytime flexible hours in order to deliver this service.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct a full range of standard non-invasive respiratory diagnostic tests including: Spirometry, Bronchodilator Response Testing, Lung Volumes by Gas Dilution, Lung Volume by Body Plethysmography, Diffusion Capacity, Tests of Respiratory Muscle Function including SNIP, MIP and MEP, and FeNO.
• Conduct invasive respiratory diagnostic tests including: Bronchoprovocation challenges, Skin Allergy Tests, and Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing.
• Conduct, manually score and report on overnight sleep studies including: Limited Sleep Studies, Full Polysomnography, and CPAP Titration Studies.
• Reporting and presentation of data and highlighting abnormal results.
• History taking and interpretation of request forms.
• Participate in patient care, i.e. participation for procedures, reassurance of patient and patient education.
• Responsibility for all aspects of quality control and standards in the pulmonary function and sleep laboratories.
• Calibration, maintenance, sterilisation and disinfection of all equipment according to manufacturer's recommendation and in conjunction with infection control policies in the hospital.
• Perform regular safety and hygiene checks on equipment and environment in accordance with local/corporate policy.
• Participate in the development of Policies, Procedures and Protocols as required.
• Carry out daily duties of the respiratory lab including making appointments, dealing with queries, filling reports and record keeping, etc.
• Carry out administration duties such as stock control, personnel files, statistics, etc.
• Engage in modernisation and implement change according to best international practice.
• Have sufficient technical knowledge to operate all new equipment.
• Follow health and safety procedures according to in-house policy e.g. cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, fire evacuation, infection control, handling hazardous materials, etc.
• Update knowledge and training accordingly and participate with research when necessary.

Qualifications and/or Experience - Candidates must have at the latest date of application:

Professional Qualifications:

• Candidates must possess the BSc in Clinical Measurement from Dublin Institute of Technology, OR the BSc in Clinical Measurement from Technological University Dublin, OR an equivalent relevant scientific qualification (Level 8) as confirmed by the Irish Institute of Clinical Measurement Physiology (IICMP), OR (a) the Certificate in Medical Physics and Psychological Measurement from Dublin Institute of Technology OR (b) An equivalent scientific qualification as confirmed by the IICMP as awarded in or before 2005* (See Note 1 below).
• Note 1: In exceptional cases, where the IICMP are not in a position to validate pre 2005 qualifications, the Clinical Measurement Physiologists experts on the eligibility /selection board may, at their discretion, deem as eligible: HSE Applicants who are currently employed a Clinical Measurement Physiologists, and who are employed in or before 2005, on the presentation of proof of their qualification/s that was acceptable on the commencement of employment.
• "Any candidate applying for this post who has achieved Physiology qualification outside of the Irish Jurisdiction is required to apply to the Irish Institute of Clinical Measurement Physiology (IICMP) to acquire equivalence of their qualifications. Details of this process are available from the IICMP website www.iicmp.ie. Equivalence of qualifications from the IICMP is required to take up this position. In order to allow sufficient time to submit the required documentation, candidates are advised to commence the process of equivalence with the IICMP as soon as they decide to apply for positions in Ireland." To find out more about recognition of foreign academic award levels for education programmes see NARIC Ireland Foreign Qualifications.

Other Qualifications and/or Experience - Candidates must have at the latest date of application:

• A minimum of 3 years full time (or an aggregate of 3 years fulltime) relevant post qualification experience.
• Have the requisite knowledge and ability (including a high standard of suitability and professional ability) for the proper discharge of the duties of the office.
• Demonstrate depth and breadth of experience in pulmonary function services as relevant to the role in both the primary care and hospital-based setting.
• A flexible approach to working hours is required for this post.
• Access to own transport with full drivers' licence is desirable.

Skills, Competency and Knowledge Requirements Include:

• Clinical competence and relevant experience in a Respiratory Department.
• An ability to contribute to overall service development at professional managerial levels.
• A sound knowledge base in computer skills including Microsoft Power Point, Excel, Email and Word.
• Flexibility in approach to respiratory diagnostic service delivery and in response to changing local/organisational requirements.
• Initiative in own professional development and that of junior staff (if applicable).
• Working knowledge of audit and research processes, along with a quality focus approach to work practices.
• Effective communication skills.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships particularly in the context of MDT working.
• Effective presentation skills, particularly in the learning process.
• Organisational skills including effective time management, planning and change management.
• An awareness and appreciation of the service user, including the ability to empathise with and treat patients, relatives and colleagues with dignity and respect and communicate clearly with them.
• Good leadership skills.
• Good Problem Solving ability.

Informal Enquiries to: Marguerite Bermingham, Chief Respiratory Physiologist, Mercy University Hospital

Email: mbermingham@muh.ie

Closing Date 1pm on Friday, 8th November 2024

The MUH reserve the right to create a panel for this post from which permanent, fixed term and specified purpose vacancies of a full or part time duration may be filled.