Job responsibilities
- Communication and relationship skills
Communicate highly complex clinical information effectively with patients and carers and other health care professionals using a wide range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to share assessment findings, agree treatment plans, progress rehabilitation, give advice, and provide teaching etc. This will include patients with communication and comprehension difficulties and those who may be unable to accept diagnosis and or prognosis.
To communicate effectively demonstrating advanced communication skills with the ability to motivate and negotiate with individuals to help them maximise their potential taking full consideration of the individuals religious, cultural, and health beliefs.
- Knowledge, training and experience
Qualifications
HCPC Registered Physiotherapist
Recognised degree / diploma in Physiotherapy (Essential)
Evidence of commitment to continual professional development. (Essential)
Study or willingness to study at Masters Level
Independent prescribing qualification (desirable)
Experience
Extensive experience within musculoskeletal field
Supervision of other staff and students. (desirable)
Delegation of work to other staff
Working within an MDT
Skills
Highly specialised manual palpatory musculoskeletal assessment and treatment skills
Advanced clinical reasoning with the ability to interpret clinical and non-clinical information to make an appropriate diagnosis
Excellent verbal and written communication skills with documentation and legal reports
Diplomacy
Assertiveness
Effective time management and organisational skills
Knowledge
High level of anatomical & pathophysiological knowledge in relation to the musculoskeletal and orthopaedic field.
Highly specialised knowledge of current evidence based practice within the musculoskeletal field
Knowledge of current issues within physiotherapy and the wider NHS
Demonstrate a working knowledge of Clinical Governance and risk management and its application to clinical practice
Willingness to study at MSc level or equivalent
Knowledge of the FCP role and FCP roadmap
Other
Flexible and responsive to the needs of the service
Good IT skills
Presentation skills
Drive and enthusiasm
Self-motivated
- Analytical and judgement skills
To monitor standards of clinical care for their own patients and to support staff within the practices to do likewise managing clinical risk.
To maintain HCPC registration, CSP, organisational and departmental standards, guidelines, policies ensuring quality of service.
Participate in the staff appraisal scheme including the identification and setting of annual objectives to plan personal development in line with departmental and trust objectives
- Planning and organisational skills
To maintain a high level of specialist knowledge in the management of musculoskeletal conditions, maintaining own clinical professional development by keeping abreast of new developments and incorporating them as necessary into own work. To maintain a Continuing Professional Development portfolio this reflects development including attending and leading in-service tutorials, individual training and peer review
To plan, organise and prioritise own workload, balancing other patient related and professional demands ensuring that these remain in accordance with those of the team as a whole and assisting / guiding more junior physiotherapists, technical instructors and physiotherapy assistants to do likewise.
To be responsible for the daily organisation of less senior staff maintaining service delivery at all times
- Physical skills
Responsible for own safe and competent use of all gym and electrical equipment, patient appliances and aids from own caseload.
To be responsible for equipment used in carrying out physiotherapy duties and to adhere to departmental policy, including competence to use equipment and to ensure the safe use of equipment by others through teaching training and supervision of practice.
To ensure that all equipment is maintained to a safe working standard and defects, incidents and complaints are reported with appropriate action taken immediately by those concerned in line with departmental and organisational policy
- Responsibility for patient / client care
To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own work including the management of patients in their care.
To undertake advanced assessment of patients including those with diverse and complex presentations using specialist clinical reasoning skills and assessment techniques to formulate diagnoses and implement evidenced based individualised treatment programmes delivered in individual and group settings.
Required to interpret and analyse clinical and non-clinical facts to form an accurate diagnosis and prognosis in a wide range of highly complex musculoskeletal conditions to recommend the best course of intervention, producing comprehensive discharge planning and information or referral on to appropriate agency.
To demonstrate highly developed dexterity, and co-ordinated palpatory skills for the assessment and manual treatment of patients which may include manual techniques, acupuncture, electrical modalities.
Responsibility for the prioritisation & triage of referrals and the identification of serious pathology with appropriate response and management.
To reassess patient progress, adapt plans accordingly, making onward referrals to community services as indicated.
To refer patients and liaise appropriately with other health and social care services according to protocol providing timely and detailed information to ensure good continuity of care.
To assess patient understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent to treatment.
Where qualified, to review and prescribe medication when indicated.
- Responsibility for policy and service development implementation
To undertake the measurement and evaluation of own and the teams work and clinical practice through the use of Evidence Based Practice Projects, audit and outcome measures including the use of clinical competencies and evaluating record keeping. To make recommendations for change to service delivery, as a result of development of protocols and pathways in conjunction with the manager ensuring quality and efficacy of patient care.
To demonstrate and apply a sound understanding of Clinical Governance and risk management to the work situation and manage clinical risk within your own caseload and that of less senior staff.
To establish and maintain professional links e.g. GPs and podiatry in order to encourage collaborative working to ensure the delivery of a co-ordinated musculoskeletal service
To have working knowledge and application of health and safety issues related to aspects of field of work and be responsible for the implementation of policies to improve the work safety of the immediate area, including the adherence to universal infection control measures
To work closely with other senior staff to introduce innovative methods of service delivery, which provide best practice, positive outcomes, improved access and the involvement of users in the planning, implementation and evaluation of services.
The post holder will be required to observe local Health and Safety arrangements and take reasonable care of him/herself and persons that may be affected by his/her work and undertake mandatory training.
The post holder will need to take due account, in the way they achieve the key result areas, of organisation policies and procedures.
The organisation aims to maintain the goodwill and confidence of its own staff, service and users and the general public. To assist in achieving the objectives it is essential that at all times employees carry out their duties in a courteous and sympathetic manner. The post holder will carry out their duties in accordance with the Equal Opportunities Policy respecting the differing backgrounds of colleagues and clients.
- Responsibilities for financial and physical resources
Responsibility for alerting the manager to resource issues regarding staffing levels & equipment
Responsible for alerting the manager to potential deficits and or availability of supplies/resources required for patient treatment
- Responsibilities for human resources (HR)
To be a source of clinical expertise and advice for PCN staff in the area of MSK and assess the need for; plan, develop and deliver an in-service training programme for them.
To provide spontaneous and specialist advice, teaching and training to other members of the MDT, relatives and carers to promote the understanding and aims of physiotherapy, regarding the management of patients with musculoskeletal conditions.
To participate in the staff appraisal scheme both as an appraisee and appraiser for Band 5 &6 physiotherapists, technical instructors and physiotherapy assistants.
- Responsibilities for information resources
To keep up to date, accurate, problem orientated medical records in physiotherapy and MDT notes in line with policy, legal requirements and professional standards and to provide written reports, discharge summaries etc as required and to ensure staff within the area of responsibility does likewise.
To ensure the effective collection and timely submission of clinical information and data to support decision making and the management and delivery of care.
- Responsibilities for research and development (R&D)
To contribute to the Research and Development Strategy through participation in multidisciplinary research initiatives, which inform practice and contribute to local evidence base to support service delivery.
- Freedom to act
Responsible as autonomous practitioner for own professional actions and conduct related to patient care.
