Apprentice Associate Physiologist (Respiratory/Sleep)

Job overview

This is a role for a level 4 Apprentice within the Respiratory Investigations Unit (RIU) currently proving a range of diagnostic testing, invasive and non-invasive for both in-patients and outpatients at Wexham Park Hospital, King Edward VII Hospital, Heatherwood, Frimley Park Hospital and the soon to be opening Slough CDC.

The Slough Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) will be a brand-new purpose-built two floor health facility situated in the heart of Slough opening Jan 2026. The CDC will operate 7 days a week and will offer an extensive set of diagnostic services including imaging, cardio-respiratory, audiology, phlebotomy, and endoscopy to meet the healthcare needs of the local population of and its surrounding areas.

Candidates should be aware of specific CDC working conditions will include potentially 12-hour days, weekend working and some site rotation.

It is initially a fixed term agreement at Band 4, lasting 36 months, with 24-27 months of study working towards a Healthcare Science Associate apprenticeship standard (Level 4) and offers a perfect career start for anyone wishing to work within Healthcare Sciences in the NHS.

Please note that the successful applicant will need to engage with the apprenticeship for 6 hours per week on average.

Once qualified the post holder will ideally transition to a substantive Band 4 Associate Physiologist post. An interest and qualification in science must be demonstrated on application. Opportunities to progress within the NHS will be available to successful apprentices.

Main duties of the job

We are looking to recruit an applicant who is motivated and has a flexible and approachable work altitude. You will be joining a committed and experienced team of Physiologists alongside other Trainees.

To acquire the clinical, technical, and academic skill necessary for the following:

• Perform routine lung function tests/sleep diagnostics in a variety of clinical settings subject to supervision but not as an independent practitioner.
• Be responsible for the safe use and maintenance of equipment with the service.

Working for our organisation

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is committed to being an inclusive and disability confident employer and has been awarded the Gold for the Armed Forces Employment Recognition Scheme. We provide first class development opportunities for all staff and have a wide range of professional, management and leadership, and clinical skills training available.

Here at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, we know how important it is to have a healthy work life balance; this benefits not only individuals but the patients we care for too.

We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service and its users.

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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the attached Job Description for full details of the job responsibilities.

Some of the key role requirements include:

• To perform a full range of routine and specialist procedures when required, with supervision, which requires a proficient level of theoretical knowledge and developed skills. On patients of all ages to obtain high quality diagnostic information to providing accurate factual reports following analysis and interpretation of physiological data.
• The range of routine investigations of respiratory functions will consist of:
• Dynamic Lung volumes
• Maximal flow volume curves
• FeNo measurement
• Response to bronchodilators
• Static Lung volumes by helium dilution or whole body plethysmongraphy
• Transfer factor for carbon monoxide using single breath Technique.
• Assessment of oxygen level using Pulse oximetry
• Assessment of respiratory impact of neuromuscular Dysfunction/Muscle pressure recordings
• Sleep study and analysis.
• To undertake pre-test assessment of patients to identify any contradiction, potential risks or special precautions to be taken, uses own discretion in order to ensure patient is suitable for the investigation and seek seniors help when necessary.
• To assist with specialist investigations such as:
• - Cardio-pulmonary exercise testing
• Methacholine Challenge Testing
• CPAP set-up
• Earlobe capillary blood gas sampling for baseline blood gas analysis
• To test patients of all ages. This will involve dexterity and accuracy and communicating complex instructions and clinical information effectively to patients of all ages and relatives to ensure cooperation and compliance and to obtain accurate technical and clinical data.
• To have persuasive and motivational skills to use when patients who are reluctant to undergo investigations.

Person specification

Education

• GCSE Maths and English
• Science Grade at 'B' or above

• Level 2 HCS Apprenticship

Experience

• Knowledge of Respiratory Physiology
• Prior experience in a patient facing or customer facing role

• Previous Experience in healthcare

Communication

• Showcases good levels of communication

• evidence of dealing with sensitive information

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust (FHFT) has an outstanding reputation and a proud record of achievement. As a well performing, well led and ambitious Foundation Trust, we have exciting times ahead of us. We have an ongoing commitment to improving the health and care services for the 900,000 people we serve across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and south Buckinghamshire.

We are proud of the ambitions laid out in our strategy, Our Future FHFT, including our vision to be a leader in health & wellbeing, delivering excellence for our communities.

We continue to invest in our services and facilities, including a £10 million upgrade to the hospital maternity unit as well as £49m major new Emergency Assessment Centre on our Wexham Park site. The opening of a brand new £100m state of the art hospital which replaced the existing hospital facility at Heatherwood and are planning to invest further in diagnostics and inpatient capacity at Frimley Park.

We have also made significant investment in our quality improvement and digital programmes to support our vision and we will ensure that we achieve our aim of providing the highest quality healthcare to our patients. Our new EPR – Epic – went live in June and we are already beginning to reap the benefits of this ambitious investment.

Our three core values, and the behaviours that support them, guide everything we do and set out what we expect of our staff in the way they treat patients, visitors, service users and each other, Committed to Excellence, Working Together and Facing the Future.