Who will be conducting my tests?

Who are respiratory physiologists / clinical scientists?

It is highly likely that you will be tested by a healthcare scientist. These are highly trained professionals can have a variety of different job names and descriptions (see below) but most will have a university degree, 1-2 years of clinical experience and will also undergo independent professional exams:

• Clinical Physiologist
• Healthcare Scientist
• Clinical Scientist

Healthcare scientists are not required to be on a compulsory register in order to practice (unless they are a Clinical Scientist in which case they have to be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council) but most volunteer to be registered with either:

• The Registration Council for Clinical Physiologists
• The Academy for Healthcare Science 

This is because healthcare scientists passionately believe that they should be upheld to high professional standards, conduct, ethics and offer protection to the patients they interact with daily. Each of these bodies have a searchable register where you can check the registration status of any professional you have encountered and contain details of the standards they are expected to uphold.

Simple lung function tests like spirometry can be performed in Primary Care, for example at your G.P.s surgery; in special local clinics or in Secondary Care Centres (Hospitals). There are many G.P.'s surgeries now offering a spirometry testing service to patient's and your tests will normally be carried out by the Practice Nurse, who will have been trained to do this.
In some areas there are now local centres specialising in COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) where they will perform spirometry and they may also do oxygen assessments and rehabilitation classes. In these centres your tests will usually be performed by specially trained nurses or physiotherapists.