Band 6 Physiotherapist

Job responsibilities

At all times to be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work.

Clinical

As an autonomous practitioner, to assess and treat own caseload of patients, including those with complex presentations. In each rotation treatment decisions will be underpinned by specialist knowledge gained from post graduate study of evidence-based treatments and from previous experience.

To carry out assessment of patients, including those with complex presentations, drawing on a wide range of information sources and using clinical reasoning skills to determine an accurate diagnosis and to identify an appropriate physiotherapy care plan.

To utilise a wide range of treatment skills in delivery of treatment plans having the highly developed physical skills necessary for provision of effective physiotherapy treatment

To formulate and deliver physiotherapy treatment programmes in a variety of settings and as part of a 24/7 service. Settings include: hospital, community, patients home, home visits, as part of a team, as a sole practitioner and as on call physiotherapist.

To work collaboratively to prevent inappropriate hospital admissions and to facilitate hospital discharge in order to minimise hospital stays.

To work with patients and their carers when appropriate in such a way as to promote their self-management strategies.

To represent the service at the multi-disciplinary team meetings. This will include discussion of patient care, progress and involvement in discharge planningand continued rehabilitation needs.

To keep accurate treatment records, which fulfil legal and statistical requirements and which are in accordance with HPC/CSP/Trust/departmental standards.

To provide comprehensive progress and discharge reports to GPs, consultants, patients, members of the multi-disciplinary team and other patient services.

To manage clinical risk within own patient caseload at all times.

To participate in on call emergency and weekend duties as a lone practitioner; this will involve assessing and treating acutely ill patients and providing advice to medical and nursing staff and other members of the multi-disciplinary team regarding patients condition and further treatment

To work flexibly in order to provide cover in other clinical areas when required due to staff shortages.

Communication

To gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent to treatment.

To be able to motivate and persuade others through effective clinical reasoning and communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal, for example, patients with communication difficulties, hearing or sight impairments, memory loss, mental illness or those who may be unable to accept their diagnosis.

To communicate effectively providing and receiving complex information in relation to patients care including but not limited to liaising with:

• Other members of the Multi-disciplinary team (Consultants, General Practitioners, medical staff, Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language therapists, Dietitians, Social Workers etc) to develop and agree management programmes for the patients in your care adopting and developing effective interpersonal skills to ensure comprehensive management.
• Relatives or carers to gain the best possible understanding of each patient and give suitable guidance and support
• And to arrange and participate in case conferences with patients who have complex physical, psychological and social presentations.

To produce written, electronic and verbal reports for the MDT other Health or Social care providers and be able to convey this to the patient in an accessible and meaningful manner, often in the face of communication barriers.

To build a network of professional contacts across a range of professions in various settings such as community services, social services and other acute hospitals.

To attend Professional physiotherapy staff meetings and other meetings when necessary.

Education and Training

Maintain and develop current knowledge of evidence-based practice in each rotation, developing specialist knowledge of particular conditions and patient types.

To contribute to the education of multidisciplinary groups, patients, families and carers as appropriate.

To be responsible for and actively record own professional development and maintain a CPD portfolio which reflects the same.

To be pro-active in organising, teaching and actively participating in the in-service and post-registration education programme within every clinical area. Attendance of other outside courses/lectures is encouraged.

Management

Organisation:

To flexibly plan and organise own time, patient caseload and meetings (including ward, departmental, inter-departmental and service development meetings) and adjusting plans according to staffing levels.

To carry an identified bleep as required by rotation and be able to respond to unpredictable work and frequent interruptions.

To assist the team leader in allocating and organising the work of junior, assistant, technical instructor, and student staff to meet service priorities on a daily basis and to deputise fully in their absence.

To deputise for the team leader during periods of absence ensuring on-going smooth running of the team.

To be responsible for the day-to-day supervision of junior and/or assistant/tech grade staff and to assist in the line-management of junior staff as delegated by team leader including setting of staff objectives and completing staff appraisal for junior staff.

To implement department and trust policies in each rotation and contribute to service development by proposing changes to current practice.

Physical Resources:

To be responsible for the safe and competent use of all patient related equipment and ensure that junior staff/assistants/technical instructors attain competency prior to use.

To implement department and trust policies in each rotation and contribute to service development by proposing changes to current practice.

Human Resources:

To supervise and assist in the line-management of junior physiotherapists and rehabilitation assistants as delegated by team leader

To be responsible for the supervision, co-ordination and appraisal of junior staff/students and assistants on a daily basis.

To be responsible for teaching junior staff/students and assistants including formal group session (theoretical and practical), watched assessments and complex patient reviews.

To be responsible for undergraduate student physiotherapists as allocated by the team leader and to regularly liaise with academic institutions.This involves continual assessment of the students competency and grading them accordingly.

Clinical Governance

To comply with department policy on recording patient activities with respect to own caseload and to ensure junior staff also comply.

To comply with and participate in audit programmes in the department and assist service improvements recommended as a result of such activities.

To be aware of and adhere to the Trusts Manual Handling policy and, using clinical reasoning, implement the departments Therapeutic Handling policy appropriately.

To comply with all the requirements of the Consumer Protection Act in ensuring that all equipment you issue or medical devices used in practice requirements. To ensure equipment breakdown or defects are reported promptly.

To be aware of the procedures for reporting identified near misses, incidents, or complaints and support the Senior Physiotherapist as required in implementing the correct procedures.

To participate in staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee and be responsible for own personal development plan and meeting competencies.

Effort

Physical effort

The job requires you to work predominantly in one area during each rotation however this may involve working on a number of wards often in cramped conditions such as patients bedsides. You will also be required to physically support patients during treatment sessions often performing repetitive and demanding manual handling procedures, possibly in crouched or kneeling positions with or without aid dependent on assistance required.

In addition during the community rotation, you be required to carry pieces of equipment drive to several locations across the borough frequently negotiating during peak traffic, or to take public transport and walk.

Mental effort

You will have frequent periods of intense concentration during treatment sessions, report writing, supervision and during appraisals. You will be required to produce high level information with structure and clarity to the MDT meetings, and during training sessions.

Emotional effort

You will frequently be working in emotionally demanding environments providing feedback to patients and families about the likely outcomes from rehabilitation, such as potential to walk, return home, return to work etc. You will often be working with acutely unwell patients, some with low rates of survival, or patients with long-term illnesses and limited rehabilitation potential facing difficult life changing decisions.

Working Conditions

Your clinical work will bring you in contact with body fluids, including sputum, on a daily basis and you are likely to come in contact with infections such as MRSA on a regular basis. During the Community rotation you will often be required to work in very cramped spaces. Occasionally you may be required to visit patients and cope with very strong odours. You may unknowingly come in contact with an infestation.

Education / Qualifications

Essential

• Holds a recognized degree or diploma in Physiotherapy
• Current HPC registration
• English speaker/IELTS Level 7.00 or above ( overseas candidates only)

Desirable

• 18 months band 5 experience or equivalent

Skills & Abilities

Essential

• Ability to communicate complex information clearly to a variety of professionals and to patients and their families, overcoming barriers to communication including language, confusion, and anxiety.
• Proven organizational skills including time management and prioritisation to manage clinical and administrative workload.
• Confident user of computers and IT databases. Proficient in Word, Excel and Power point.
• Demonstrable skill in clinical reasoning and problem solving for complex case management.
• Presentation and teaching skills to support in-service training for junior grade staff and rotation training requirements.
• Understanding of the issues pertaining to clinical risk management, and ability to formulate plans to reduce risk.

Desirable

• Ability to use audit and research in clinical practice.
• Understanding of information governance and of the processes for sharing patient information across agencies.

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

• Demonstrable clinical knowledge of a broad range of diagnoses and conditions in line with the rotational areas of the post.
• Awareness of relevant clinical guidelines and legislation and their application in practice.
• Demonstrable previous clinical and work experience at Band 6 or a minimum of Band 5 level in settings relevant to the post.
• Experience of completing profession specific assessments, standardized and non-standardized and formulating treatment plans to support acute respiratory care, rehabilitation and discharge planning.
• Worked in the NHS or equivalent setting and can show understanding/familiarity of the NHS system and the clinical role of an autonomous Physiotherapist.
• Experience of delivering formal and informal training to others.
• Experience of providing physiotherapy as part of on call and week-end working rota.

Desirable

• Evidence of supervision/appraisal of less experienced staff, students and assistants.
• Experience of service improvement, including productivity and patient experience.
• Demonstrable knowledge of HCPC standards of practice and of professional registration requirements.

PERSONAL QUALITIES

Essential

• Self motivated, personally and professionally responsible.
• Flexibility and ability to handle change positively.

Other

Essential

• Physical fitness to move and handle patients within Trust guidelines and to travel to patients' homes independently.
• Understanding of working with diversity and how to incorporate this into own practice.

Desirable

• Membership of a specialist section.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).