Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Physiotherapy & Occupational Therapy Team at Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust. We have a permanent vacancy for a Specialist physiotherapist in the Neuro Oncology Team. The Neuro/ oncology team are an experienced, friendly, supportive, compassionate, and forward-thinking team, and you will gain a wealth of knowledge, skills, and experience through working with them.
This is a wonderful and unique opportunity to develop your expertise in the speciality of acute neurological rehabilitation and Oncology. You will gain experience in a variety of settings: inpatient wards (including Neonatal surgical unit and critical care), outpatients and clinic settings. You will have a varied caseload of patients including those with acute acquired neurological conditions - e.g. acquired brain injury, spinal injury, post op neurosurgery, as well as those with oncology and haematological conditions.
Main duties of the job
To provide a specialised and high standard of physiotherapy care as a member of the Neuro Oncology physiotherapy team.
To perform advanced physiotherapeutic assessments of children presenting with a wide range of conditions.
Demonstrate advanced evidence based clinical reasoning skills to formulate appropriate treatment plans.
To deliver a family centred care approach to physiotherapy interventions.
To independently manage a personal caseload of infants, children and young people working without direct supervision.
To be responsible for complex discharge planning for patients - liaising with MDT.
- To access the advice, training and support from senior physiotherapists available but also undertake aspects of clinical duties as a developing autonomous practitioner
About us
At Sheffield Children's, our purpose is clear: to provide healthier futures for children and young people. Our three strategic aims are:
-
Outstanding Patient Care
-
Brilliant Place to work
-
Leaders in Children's Health
We work successfully with local, regional, and national partners to provide physical and mental healthcare across acute and community settings. Many of our clinicians are amongst the best in their field, recognised nationally and internationally for their expertise.
As well as having enormous pride in what we do, we are a friendly, welcoming, and motivated NHS Trust who are guided by our CARE values: Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence. Our nearly 4000 colleagues live these values, ensuring kind and compassionate care that makes patients and their families feel safe and at home.
As we approach our 150th anniversary in 2026, we remain committed to enhancing our reputation in children's health leader
Job description
Job responsibilities
CLINICAL
- To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including the management of children in your care.
- To undertake advanced clinical assessments of children and use clinical reasoning skills and manual assessment techniques to provide an accurate diagnosis of the specific problems related to physiotherapy intervention.
- To design and deliver an individualised treatment programme based on sound knowledge of evidenced based practice and treatment options using clinical assessment, reasoning skills and knowledge of treatment options.
- To take delegated responsibility from the Advanced physiotherapist for managing a caseload of children with acute neurological conditions and cancer diagnoses, be responsible for providing specialist assessment and treatment plans. This includes inpatient, outpatients and clinic settings.
- To recommend best course of intervention, taking into account such factors as the prognosis, age of child, family / carers circumstances, environmental factors etc.
- To develop comprehensive discharge / transfer / referral plans with the MDT as appropriate.
- To gain valid informed consent and work within a legal framework for patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
- To use a range of age appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with children and their family / carers and others involved with the childs care in order to progress treatment / interventions effectively
- To evaluate the childs progress, reassess and alter treatment programmes as appropriate.
- To manage clinical risk within own case load.
- To work within Trust, HCPC standards and CSPs clinical guidelines, have a good working knowledge of national and local standards and monitor own and others quality of practice as required.
- If working in the community, work as a lone practitioner with the appropriate clinical and risk management support from senior colleagues.
- To be an active member of the respiratory evening and weekend on call rota. When working on the on call rota, undertake the assessment and treatment of acutely ill children with respiratory problems, who may have a complex presentation and maintain associated records as an autonomous practitioner.
- To work some or part of the weekend as and when services develop to incorporate 6 or 7 day working
- To be responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive patient records in line with local and CSP standards of practice.
- To represent the physiotherapy service or individual children at various multi-disciplinary meetings, to ensure the delivery of an integrated approach to treatment. This will involve discussion of the childs progress, aims and objectives, treatment planning plus discharge / transfer arrangements as appropriate.
- To be responsible for the safe and competent use of all equipment including electrotherapy, gym equipment, aids and appliances and ensure that assistants / students / children / carers using such equipment attain competency through training and supervision.
PROFESSIONAL
- To undertake risk assessments on a daily basis, for example, work space, equipment, patients and self, using judgement skills to make the necessary adjustments in line with health and safety regulations.
- To comply with the Health and Safety at work regulations and all other health, safety and security standards in accordance with Trust policies.
- To treat as confidential all information obtained during the course of duties undertaken.
- To attend and participate in the Trust mandatory training plus departmental in-service training.
- To adhere to departmental and Trust policies and procedures.
- To teach, assess and contribute to the performance assessment and appraisal of assistant therapy staff.
- To maintain and develop current knowledge of evidenced based practice in the areas of each rotation, developing specialist knowledge of particular condition and patient types.
- To participate in the departments staff appraisal programme as an appraisee and be responsible for complying with your agreed objectives and supervision contract.
- To undertake the measurement and evaluation of your work and current practices through the use of evidenced based practice projects, audit and outcome measures,either individually or with more senior colleagues.
- To be an active member of the in-service training programme by attendance at and participation in formal learning, supervision sessions, peer review / support and external courses.
- To undertake, as directed the collection of Careflow activity data for service management and other data for use in audit or research.
- To manage and undertake audit and research into specific areas of clinical practice and service delivery using a range of methodologies as part of multi-disciplinary audit / research and departmental initiatives.
- To be actively involved in professional clinical groups such as the journal club, action learning set, CSP clinical interest groups and other professional development activities.
- To provide clinical education and training to physiotherapy students to graduate level.
- To provide support, guidance and training to assistant therapy staff, assessing and evaluating competence.
ORGANISATIONAL
To be responsible for the supervision and delegation of appropriate tasks to more junior staff, assistants and students.
To ensure that your own practice and that of any staff / students under your supervision meets the required professional standards and CSP rules of professional conduct.
To deputise for the Advanced Physiotherapist in their absence, taking responsibility for operational management of the area to meet service priorities on a daily basis.
To be responsible for organising and planning own caseload to meet service and patient priorities, readjusting plans as situations change / arise.
To contribute to the development, implementation and promotion of departmental and Trust policies and procedures.
To ensure effective use of time, resources and organisational skills in order to promote an organised and efficient working environment.
Inclusive Recruitment & Selection
We offer encouragement and active support to applicants with additional needs, including those from ethnic minorities, with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ+ community. If you wish to adjust any aspect of the recruitment process or wish to find out more about our recruitment & selection processes, please get in touch with our Recruitment Manager:Catherine.Gilbert7@nhs.net
We are currently reviewing our recruitment & selection process and are looking to make our job adverts more inclusive. This will support the long-term aim of Sheffield Childrens being a champion of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. If you have any ideas in how we can make our recruitment & selection process more inclusive, please get in touch with Catherine Gilbert atCatherine.Gilbert7@nhs.net
Trust Values
The Trust is committed to providing great quality patient care and keep children, young people and families at the heart of what we do by following our CARE values:
Compassion leading by kindness and showing empathy, understanding and respect
Accountability striving to do the right thing and owning responsibility
Respect value differences, tackling inequality and fostering a culture of inclusion
Excellence delivering a high-quality standard of care
Job description
Job responsibilities
CLINICAL
- To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including the management of children in your care.
- To undertake advanced clinical assessments of children and use clinical reasoning skills and manual assessment techniques to provide an accurate diagnosis of the specific problems related to physiotherapy intervention.
- To design and deliver an individualised treatment programme based on sound knowledge of evidenced based practice and treatment options using clinical assessment, reasoning skills and knowledge of treatment options.
- To take delegated responsibility from the Advanced physiotherapist for managing a caseload of children with acute neurological conditions and cancer diagnoses, be responsible for providing specialist assessment and treatment plans. This includes inpatient, outpatients and clinic settings.
- To recommend best course of intervention, taking into account such factors as the prognosis, age of child, family / carers circumstances, environmental factors etc.
- To develop comprehensive discharge / transfer / referral plans with the MDT as appropriate.
- To gain valid informed consent and work within a legal framework for patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
- To use a range of age appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with children and their family / carers and others involved with the childs care in order to progress treatment / interventions effectively
- To evaluate the childs progress, reassess and alter treatment programmes as appropriate.
- To manage clinical risk within own case load.
- To work within Trust, HCPC standards and CSPs clinical guidelines, have a good working knowledge of national and local standards and monitor own and others quality of practice as required.
- If working in the community, work as a lone practitioner with the appropriate clinical and risk management support from senior colleagues.
- To be an active member of the respiratory evening and weekend on call rota. When working on the on call rota, undertake the assessment and treatment of acutely ill children with respiratory problems, who may have a complex presentation and maintain associated records as an autonomous practitioner.
- To work some or part of the weekend as and when services develop to incorporate 6 or 7 day working
- To be responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive patient records in line with local and CSP standards of practice.
- To represent the physiotherapy service or individual children at various multi-disciplinary meetings, to ensure the delivery of an integrated approach to treatment. This will involve discussion of the childs progress, aims and objectives, treatment planning plus discharge / transfer arrangements as appropriate.
- To be responsible for the safe and competent use of all equipment including electrotherapy, gym equipment, aids and appliances and ensure that assistants / students / children / carers using such equipment attain competency through training and supervision.
PROFESSIONAL
- To undertake risk assessments on a daily basis, for example, work space, equipment, patients and self, using judgement skills to make the necessary adjustments in line with health and safety regulations.
- To comply with the Health and Safety at work regulations and all other health, safety and security standards in accordance with Trust policies.
- To treat as confidential all information obtained during the course of duties undertaken.
- To attend and participate in the Trust mandatory training plus departmental in-service training.
- To adhere to departmental and Trust policies and procedures.
- To teach, assess and contribute to the performance assessment and appraisal of assistant therapy staff.
- To maintain and develop current knowledge of evidenced based practice in the areas of each rotation, developing specialist knowledge of particular condition and patient types.
- To participate in the departments staff appraisal programme as an appraisee and be responsible for complying with your agreed objectives and supervision contract.
- To undertake the measurement and evaluation of your work and current practices through the use of evidenced based practice projects, audit and outcome measures,either individually or with more senior colleagues.
- To be an active member of the in-service training programme by attendance at and participation in formal learning, supervision sessions, peer review / support and external courses.
- To undertake, as directed the collection of Careflow activity data for service management and other data for use in audit or research.
- To manage and undertake audit and research into specific areas of clinical practice and service delivery using a range of methodologies as part of multi-disciplinary audit / research and departmental initiatives.
- To be actively involved in professional clinical groups such as the journal club, action learning set, CSP clinical interest groups and other professional development activities.
- To provide clinical education and training to physiotherapy students to graduate level.
- To provide support, guidance and training to assistant therapy staff, assessing and evaluating competence.
ORGANISATIONAL
To be responsible for the supervision and delegation of appropriate tasks to more junior staff, assistants and students.
To ensure that your own practice and that of any staff / students under your supervision meets the required professional standards and CSP rules of professional conduct.
To deputise for the Advanced Physiotherapist in their absence, taking responsibility for operational management of the area to meet service priorities on a daily basis.
To be responsible for organising and planning own caseload to meet service and patient priorities, readjusting plans as situations change / arise.
To contribute to the development, implementation and promotion of departmental and Trust policies and procedures.
To ensure effective use of time, resources and organisational skills in order to promote an organised and efficient working environment.
Inclusive Recruitment & Selection
We offer encouragement and active support to applicants with additional needs, including those from ethnic minorities, with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ+ community. If you wish to adjust any aspect of the recruitment process or wish to find out more about our recruitment & selection processes, please get in touch with our Recruitment Manager:Catherine.Gilbert7@nhs.net
We are currently reviewing our recruitment & selection process and are looking to make our job adverts more inclusive. This will support the long-term aim of Sheffield Childrens being a champion of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. If you have any ideas in how we can make our recruitment & selection process more inclusive, please get in touch with Catherine Gilbert atCatherine.Gilbert7@nhs.net
Trust Values
The Trust is committed to providing great quality patient care and keep children, young people and families at the heart of what we do by following our CARE values:
Compassion leading by kindness and showing empathy, understanding and respect
Accountability striving to do the right thing and owning responsibility
Respect value differences, tackling inequality and fostering a culture of inclusion
Excellence delivering a high-quality standard of care
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- HPHC registration.
- Diploma / Degree in Physiotherapy.
- Evidence of CPD maintained in a portfolio including attendance at recent, relevant postgraduate courses and in-service training.
- Portfolio evidence of reflective practice.
Desirable
- Membership of the CSP.
- Membership of APCP / ACPIN
Experience
Essential
- Variety of significant and relevant experience within acute neuro sciences / oncology services.
- Experience in acute respiratory care and knowledge of a broad variety of conditions.
- Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
- Experience of working with children either professionally or socially
Desirable
- Significant paediatric caseload experience in an acute or community setting and including acute respiratory rotation
- Student / assistant supervision.
- Involvement in audit, research or service evaluation.
- Recent experience of (within 5 years) working within on call services
- Paediatric on call experience
Knowledge
Essential
- Working knowledge and experience treating patients with neurological / oncology conditions
- Understanding of the legal responsibilities of the profession.
- Knowledge of clinical governance and it's implications for services.
- Understanding of family / team dynamics and how to develop working relationships with all involved in the child's care.
- Understanding of the impact of disability / hospitalisation on children and their families.
- Understanding of data protection, confidentiality and health and safety requirements in meeting the needs of the child and family.
Desirable
- Knowledge of consent issues specific to paediatrics.
- Simple research methodology.
- Knowledge of service improvement and clinical audit.
Skills and Attributes
Essential
- Competent I.T skills
- Ability to present information, written and verbal in a clear and logical manner.
- Ability to organise, prioritise and delegate appropriately.
- Ability to keep accurate and legible clinical records.
- Ability to cope working in a stressful environment and within emotional or challenging situations.
- Problem solving approach
- Ability to communicate effectively and work well within a multi-professional team.
- Ability to work flexibly and adapt to different demands of the working day and clinical caseload.
- Ability to enthuse and motivate children and young people
Desirable
- Ability to organise internal / external courses.
Attributes
Essential
- High level of interpersonal skills.
- Physically able to perform the duties of the job which includes manual handling.
- Reliable, punctual, flexible.
- Access to a car for commuting between homes and sites around the city, and delivering small pieces of therapy equipment. Evidence of car insurance for this activity.
Trust Values
Essential
- Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Excellence
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- HPHC registration.
- Diploma / Degree in Physiotherapy.
- Evidence of CPD maintained in a portfolio including attendance at recent, relevant postgraduate courses and in-service training.
- Portfolio evidence of reflective practice.
Desirable
- Membership of the CSP.
- Membership of APCP / ACPIN
Experience
Essential
- Variety of significant and relevant experience within acute neuro sciences / oncology services.
- Experience in acute respiratory care and knowledge of a broad variety of conditions.
- Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
- Experience of working with children either professionally or socially
Desirable
- Significant paediatric caseload experience in an acute or community setting and including acute respiratory rotation
- Student / assistant supervision.
- Involvement in audit, research or service evaluation.
- Recent experience of (within 5 years) working within on call services
- Paediatric on call experience
Knowledge
Essential
- Working knowledge and experience treating patients with neurological / oncology conditions
- Understanding of the legal responsibilities of the profession.
- Knowledge of clinical governance and it's implications for services.
- Understanding of family / team dynamics and how to develop working relationships with all involved in the child's care.
- Understanding of the impact of disability / hospitalisation on children and their families.
- Understanding of data protection, confidentiality and health and safety requirements in meeting the needs of the child and family.
Desirable
- Knowledge of consent issues specific to paediatrics.
- Simple research methodology.
- Knowledge of service improvement and clinical audit.
Skills and Attributes
Essential
- Competent I.T skills
- Ability to present information, written and verbal in a clear and logical manner.
- Ability to organise, prioritise and delegate appropriately.
- Ability to keep accurate and legible clinical records.
- Ability to cope working in a stressful environment and within emotional or challenging situations.
- Problem solving approach
- Ability to communicate effectively and work well within a multi-professional team.
- Ability to work flexibly and adapt to different demands of the working day and clinical caseload.
- Ability to enthuse and motivate children and young people
Desirable
- Ability to organise internal / external courses.
Attributes
Essential
- High level of interpersonal skills.
- Physically able to perform the duties of the job which includes manual handling.
- Reliable, punctual, flexible.
- Access to a car for commuting between homes and sites around the city, and delivering small pieces of therapy equipment. Evidence of car insurance for this activity.
Trust Values
Essential
- Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Excellence
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
