Job responsibilities
Service Development
- To implement policy changes that impact on all service users, and advise team leader of any service development changes made, to ensure quality standards and effectiveness of patient care.
- With guidance, to identify situations where service improvement is required due to reduced effectiveness, efficiency and/or quality.
- With guidance, to take appropriate action to challenge the area of development via applying a range of standard research methods/tools and evaluating the outcome.
Physical resources
- To be responsible for competent use and maintenance reporting of all equipment used on each community and outpatient site including any free weights or gym equipment
Human resources
- To participate in the supervision, teaching and appraisal of assistants and technical instructors as required
- To contribute to supporting dietitian and physiotherapy students on placement
Information resources
- To maintain an accurate and evaluative record keeping system (POMR) for own clinical caseload
- To supervise assistant record keeping system according to departmental standards
Planning and Organisation
- To flexibly plan and organise own time, patient caseload, meetings and training and to adjust plans as required according to staffing levels.
- To support junior members of the team and delegate tasks as appropriate, for example exercise class allocation.
- To ensure smooth organisation of patient group work including gym classes
Communication
- To be able to motivate and persuade others through effective communication skills, with the benefit of verbal and non-verbal skills, using written and electronic information where needed
- To demonstrate the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information to patient, carers and other staff, where there may be barriers to communication i.e. non-English speaking patients; use of interpreters; excess noise or lack of privacy.
- To maintain close links, communication and liaison between all staff and people involved in patient care, student education, research or policy development as appropriate
Education
- To contribute to the education of multidisciplinary groups, patients, families and carers as appropriate.
- To be pro-active with regard to learning from other dietetic and physiotherapy staff within the department, and other MDT staff in the Trust.
- To be responsible for and actively record own personal professional development and maintain a CPD portfolio which reflects same
- To assist in organising and actively participate in the in-service education programme within the specialist clinical area and other outside courses/ lectures as appropriate
- To keep abreast in understanding and knowledge of all new developments which are applicable to specific physiotherapy treatments and nutrition advice.
- To undertake an evidence based project with professional presentation of the project periodically, and in line with agreed service developments, to the physiotherapy/dietetics department
Research, Quality and Audit
- To participate in the departments ongoing audit and appropriate work related research/ evaluation projects
- To keep abreast of evidenced based practice in the clinical area by use of relevant reading, attendance at in-service training, external courses and database searches
- To ensure good working knowledge of national and local standards and monitor quality as appropriate
As part of the physiotherapy departments commitment to meeting patient needs and delivering excellence we provide a 24 hours, 7 day service. It is therefore essential the post holder be able to work their hours flexibly and contribute fully to both existing and new rotas.
The following statement forms part of all job descriptions:-
The post holder is required to follow Trust policies and procedures which are regularly updated including:
Confidentiality / Data Protection / Freedom of Information
Post holders must maintain the confidentiality of information about patients, staff and other health service business in accordance with the Data Protection Act of 2018. Post holders must not, without prior permission, disclose any information regarding patients or staff. If any member of staff has communicated any such information to an unauthorised person, those staff will be liable to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. Moreover, the Data Protection Act 2018 also renders an individual liable for prosecution in the event of unauthorised disclosure of information.
Following the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) 2000, post holders must apply the Trusts FOI procedure if they receive a written request for information.
Information Governance
All staff must comply with information governance requirements. These includes statutoryresponsibilities (such ascompliance with the Data Protection Act),following nationalguidance (such as theNHS Confidentiality Code of Practice) andcompliance with local policies and procedures (such as the Trust's Confidentiality policy). Staff are responsible for any personal information (belonging to staff or patients) that they access and must ensure it is stored, processed and forwarded in a secure and appropriate manner.
Equal Opportunities
Post holders must at all times fulfil their responsibilities with regard to the Trusts Equal Opportunities Policy and equality laws.
Health and Safety
All post holders have a responsibility, under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and subsequently published regulations, to ensure that the Trusts health and safety policies and procedures are complied with to maintain a safe working environment for patients, visitors and employees.
Infection Control
All post holders have a personal obligation to act to reduce healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs). They must attend mandatory training in Infection Control and be compliant with all measures required by the Trust to reduce HCAIs. All post holders must comply with Trust infection screening and immunisation policies as well as be familiar with the Trusts Infection Control Policies, including those that apply to their duties, such as Hand Decontamination Policy, Personal Protective Equipment Policy, safe procedures for using aseptic techniques and safe disposal of sharps.
Risk Management
All post holders have a responsibility to report risks such as clinical and non-clinical accidents or incidents promptly. They are expected to be familiar with the Trusts use of risk assessments to predict and control risk, as well as the incident reporting system for learning from mistakes and near misses in order to improve services. Post holders must also attend training identified by their manager, or stated by the Trust to be mandatory.
Flexible Working
As an organisation we are committed to developing our services in ways that best suit the needs of our patients. This means that some staff groups will increasingly be asked to work a more flexible shift pattern so that we can offer services in the evenings or at weekends.
Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults
Post holders have a general responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in the course of their daily duties and for ensuring that they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.
Sustainability
It is the responsibility of all staff to minimise the Trusts environmental impact by recycling wherever possible, switching off lights, computersmonitors and equipment when not in use, minimising water usage and reporting faults promptly.
Smoking Policy
The Trust is committed to providing a healthy and safe environment for staff, patients and visitors. Staff are therefore not permitted to smoke on Trust property or in Trust vehicles
Review of this Job Description
This job description is intended as an outline of the general areas of activity and will be amended in the light of the changing needs of the organisation. To be reviewed in conjunction with the post holder.
