Physiotherapist

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose:

To provide assessment, treatment and management of babies, children and adolescents who present with a wide range of clinical presentations and conditions to promote independence and enhance learning opportunities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Clinical

To undertake the assessment of children/ young people including those with a complex presentation using investigative and analytical skills and interpreting findings to ensure effective intervention strategies.

To take clinical responsibility for a varied paediatric caseload of differing complexities and to organise this effectively with regard to clinical priorities and use of time.

To communicate complex information from assessment and treatment to clients, carers and other professionals.

To ensure that clients are involved in the planning and prioritisation of their treatment plans wherever possible.

To develop and implement Physiotherapy treatment and to evaluate outcomes.

To work closely with clients, carers and other professionals to negotiate and agree client management.

To contribute to multi-disciplinary and uni-disciplinary teams to ensure a client focussed approach to treatment.

To maintain up to date and accurate case notes in line with CSP professional standards and local trust policies.

To produce reports regarding clients needs and summarising proposed care plans.

To contribute to legal documents such as Education Health and Care Plans, Individual Education Plans and Annual Reviews.

To provide advice and coaching to others regarding the management and care of clients.

To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence based practice and outcome measures.

To adapt practice to meet individual clients circumstances, including due regard for cultural and linguistic differences.

To share information with clients, carers and other professionals, observing data protection guidelines.

To demonstrate empathy with clients, carers and colleagues, ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where significant barriers to understanding exist.

To respond sensitively at all times particularly when imparting potentially distressing information regarding the nature of the clinical difficulties and their implications.

To motivate clients, carers and other professionals to engage in the therapeutic process.

To use negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations.

To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible, in line with Bridgewater trust policy.

To assess the capacity of the child or young person to give valid, informed consent. To be able to work within a legal framework with children and parents for consent to treatment.

To communicate effectively with the child or young person and their carers to maximise treatment potential and ensure understanding of their condition. Addressing physical, psychological and emotional barriers to effective communication will be regularly required.

Teaching Skills

To participate in the development and delivery of training to others with support.

To target training appropriately to the needs of course participants.

Reflect on and evaluate training provided

Clinical Governance Requirements

To gather statistical data punctually.

To participate in departmental research as required

To undertake Clinical Governance/audit projects within the local service as required.

To develop a working knowledge of relevant procedures including: safeguarding children, SEN procedures, working with vulnerable adults and other legal frameworks.

Continuing Professional Development

To identify personal/professional development by Personal Development Plan/Professional Portfolio developed within an appraisal framework.

To participate in individual performance review, ensuring that the objectives set reflect the service and trust plans.

To attend relevant training and development in order to maintain and develop skills and knowledge required of a generalist therapist and maintain up to date HCPC and CSP registration.

To demonstrate knowledge of, and adhere to CSP Professional and Local Clinical Guidelines.

To attend relevant courses, in service training, meetings and special interest groups.

Clinical Leadership

To supervise the work of assistants

To participate in student placements as appropriate.

To explain the role of Physiotherapy to visitors, students and volunteers.

Analytical and Judgemental Skills

To demonstrate the ability to reflect on practice with peers/clinical supervisor and to identify own strengths and development needs.

To demonstrate the ability to integrate information taking account of all aspects of the clients physical needs and development.

To make appropriate clinical decisions following assessment, seeking support and advice from a supervisor as appropriate.

To make a differential diagnosis on the basis of evidence from assessment seeking advice as appropriate.

Responsibility for Client Care and Contact with Carers

To demonstrate the ability to manage people with challenging behaviours including the application of appropriate management strategies.

To work within infection control and health and safety guidelines in order to deal appropriately with unpleasant conditions related to client contact as they arise: for example exposure to body fluids, infectious conditions, encountered on a regular basis.

Extent of Responsibility for Planning and Organisational Skills

To be aware of and adhere to service and team plans and policies.

To comment on proposed service / policy developments as appropriate.

To manage and prioritise own workload.

Physical Skills

To demonstrate knowledge and apply principles of safe moving and handling for all children and young people.

To provide therapeutic handling and facilitation as clinically appropriate.

To demonstrate appropriate and safe use of therapeutic equipment.

To work in a range of positions including on the floor and sustain postures for short lengths of time.

Responsibility for Equipment or Financial Resources

To monitor stock levels in own service area and request new equipment as appropriate.

To be responsible for ensuring the security, care, maintenance and delivery of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained, including equipment loaned to clients.

Freedom to Act

To be accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries, seeking advice as appropriate.

To work within defined departmental and national protocols / policies and professional code of conduct.

To manage and prioritise own caseload independently in conjunction with senior Physiotherapy staff.

To discharge appropriately, agreeing a point of closure with the clients and carers and informing other professionals.

This list of duties is not intended to be exhaustive, but indicates the main areas of work and may be subject to change after consultation with the post-holder to meet the changing needs of the organisation

Experience

Essential

• Relevant knowledge or experience in working with children.
• Knowledge or experience of a range of assessment tools or therapeutic interventions.
• Experience in working with other professionals or carers

Desirable

• Student placement in paediatrics in NHS.
• Physiotherapy community work

Job Specific Requirements

Essential

• The ability to work flexibly in accordance with service needs.
• Ability to work in a range of positions including on the floor and sustain postures for short lengths of time.
• Ability to travel independently across Bridgewater Trust as required.
• Ability to move and handle children and equipment.

Relationships

Essential

• If you are related to a director, or have a relationship with a director or employee of an appointing organisation, please state the relationship.

Qualifications

Essential

• Recognised Physiotherapy Degree Qualification or equivalent.
• Health Care Professions Council registration.

Desirable

• Registered member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists.
• Membership of relevant Special Interest Groups.

Skills & Knowledge

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal skills including observation, listening and empathy skills.
• Negotiation and problem solving skills
• Demonstrates good analytical and reflection skills.
• Well-developed concentration skills.
• Good presentation skills, both written and verbal.
• Good organisational skills.
• Prioritisation skills.
• Demonstrates ability to be a good team member.
• Knowledge of assessment tools relevant to the client
• group.
• Knowledge of national policies and procedures (relevant to the client group).
• Knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions (relevant to the client group).
• Understanding of the roles of other professionals (relevant to the client group).
• Knowledge of standards of record keeping.
• IT skills.
• Evidence of CPD.

Desirable

• Presentation skills.
• Knowledge of EYFS and Code of Practice including SEND Reforms.
• Understanding of the principles of clinical governance or audit.
• Previous experience of NHS IT systems.

Sponsorship

Essential

• Do you have the right to stay and work in the UK without sponsorship (share-codes will be checked if applicable)

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).