Chief Echocardiographer

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£2.1 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 14,000 staff based across 5 main sites in South East London. The Trust provides a range of local hospital services across its different sites, and specialist services from King’s College Hospital (KCH) sites at Denmark Hill in Camberwell and at the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) site in the London Borough of Bromley. We encourage all our staff to have a healthy work/life balance. In doing so, you can apply for flexible working from the beginning of your employment. This post attracts a Recruitment & Retention Premium of 15%.

We are seeking an enthusiastic and highly skilled Band 7 Echocardiographer to join our internationally recognised Echo service. This is an excellent opportunity to work within a dynamic cardiac diagnostics department at a leading UK teaching and research hospital; and is ideal for an experienced echocardiographer seeking career progression within a supportive, forward‑thinking and high‑profile cardiac centre. Applicants must hold a BSc in Clinical Physiology (or equivalent), relevant specialist cardiac training, and recognised echo accreditation (BSE, EACVI or equivalent). Experience in advanced echo techniques, including stress, 3D and contrast imaging, is highly desirable.

The department is a fully digital service equipped with state‑of‑the‑art cardiac ultrasound systems, including Philips and GE platforms. Reporting and post‑processing are supported by ISCV and TomTec, ensuring high‑quality, standardised echo reporting. We deliver a comprehensive range of investigations, including transthoracic echo with 3D and GLS, stress echo (Dobutamine, Exercise and Valve), contrast/bubble studies, and TOE. You will work with a high degree of autonomy, providing advanced clinical practice while contributing to service development, quality improvement, and the training and supervision of junior staff. The department has a strong academic profile and actively encourages involvement in research, innovation and service transformation.

Main duties of the job:

• Act as a specialist Echocardiographer within a multidisciplinary team, working collaboratively with principal physiologists, imaging consultants, administrative staff, junior colleagues and support services to deliver high‑quality, patient‑centred care.
• Independently perform and interpret a broad range of diagnostic echocardiography studies, including advanced techniques such as 3D imaging and GLS, producing accurate, timely reports in line with BSE standards and Trust protocols.
• Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of national and international guidelines to ensure ongoing clinical excellence and technical competence.
• Effectively manage and prioritise workload to meet service demands, coordinating inpatient and outpatient activity and ensuring timely completion of studies and reports.
• Contribute to the operational delivery of the service through participation in appraisal, performance review, service development and delegated supervisory or managerial responsibilities.
• Support the monitoring and management of echocardiography equipment and consumables, escalating issues as required to maintain service continuity.
• Promote a patient‑focused, multidisciplinary approach and actively contribute to innovation, service improvement and the adoption of advanced echocardiography practice across the department and wider Trust.

Clinical Responsibilities:

• Practice as a specialist autonomous professional in adult echocardiography and show proficiency in exercising clinical judgement when required.
• Practice safely and effectively, interpret and act upon results of the tests, investigations and measurements in accordance with departmental policies and procedures.
• Perform diagnostic echocardiography using advanced techniques such as 3D and GLS to produce a clinically comprehensive report in accordance with BSE guidelines and local standards/protocols.
• Perform echocardiography in a range of settings, including portable scans at bedside, ITU and cardiac catheter labs.
• Administer appropriate medications and contrast agents as part of advanced clinical practice.
• Participate in setting excellent local standards in Echocardiography, and continually develop and update these to ensure they incorporate current professional recommendations and evidence‑based practice.
• Keep abreast of developments in Echocardiography and disseminate new information to other members of staff effectively.
• Comply with national and international guidelines such as BSE, ASE, NICE, ESC and SCST as well as local clinical guidelines; and ensure that these guidelines are adhered to.
• Ensure that King’s Echo service communicates with other centres and external stakeholders in a professional and productive manner, facilitating the exchange of patient records and minimising disruption to services.
• Perform regular audits to ensure compliance with local and national standards.
• Apply and promote evidence‑based practice and use of relevant clinical protocols and procedures at the complex and advanced level; as well as acquire and maintain a high level of professional competence in the performance of all tests, investigations and measurements.
• Comment and advise on new proposals and protocols, especially for service improvements.
• Adhere to infection control guidelines including correct use of PPE and uniform policy.

Education and Training:

• Provide training, mentorship and support to junior staff, SpRs and Echo Fellows, with a view to improve their echo knowledge and skills.
• Assist in echocardiography education throughout the Trust, including medical students, PTP and STP trainees.
• Maintain own proficiency in echo and other technical skills by keeping up to date with current guidelines.
• Ensure that own mandatory training certificates are current.
• Actively participate in his/her own performance review and professional development.
• Maintain BSE and/or other transthoracic echocardiography accreditation.
• Maintain or work towards additional professional accreditation as appropriate.
• Complete relevant training and competencies to provide advanced clinical practice.
• The post holder will be encouraged to maintain and/or obtain HCPC registration, further educational qualifications and memberships with professional bodies.
• Write up interesting case studies/clinical abstracts and submit to appropriate journals.
• Actively participate in educational sessions and journal club.

Qualifications:

• BSc Clinical Physiology (Cardiology) or equivalent.
• Possess Adult TTE BSE/equivalent accreditation.
• Intermediate Life Support (ILS).
• Highly developed IT skills.
• HCPC accredited.
• Clinical assessment Level 7 Module.
• Advanced Life Support (ALS).

Skills/experience:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Leadership skills and ability to work as part of a team.
• Skills in teaching/training.
• Experience in Stress Echo and TOE.
• Publications such as clinical case studies/abstracts.
• Ability to understand financial and budgetary information.
• Awareness of current NHS challenges and Long‑Term Plans/Strategy which may affect the Future direction of Echocardiography.
• Awareness of DM01 waiting lists.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.