Senior Orthopaedic and MSK Physiotherapist

Job responsibilities

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Line Manager is the Clinical Specialist Orthopaedic/MSK Physiotherapist

Work in close relationship with other members of the MDT on the ward and in outpatients as the expert physiotherapist, educating other members of the MDT regarding therapeutic needs of orthopaedic patients.

Work in close relationship with Customer Experience Officer, Nursing Staff, General Practitioners (GP), Consultants and other Allied Health Professionals (AHP)

Non-management responsibilities

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical

To undertake a comprehensive assessment and formulate an expert diagnosis of patients who may have complex conditions including multi pathology. Use well developed clinical reasoning of the patients needs. This will involve seeking and sharing personal and potentially sensitive information with the patient and sharing expert advice with the wider MDT regarding patient needs.

To work as an autonomous practitioner taking responsibility for the management of patients on own caseload without direct supervision.

To evaluate clinical practice through reflection, audit and outcome measures, individually, locally or within specialist interest groups in order to continually improve physiotherapy service to patients and promote evidence-based practice.

Maintain patient documentation, records and accurate statistical information to reflect care provided and to meet professional standards and hospital policies.

To undertake clinical audit and evaluate outcome measures in order to continually improve the service to patients.

To work as an autonomous professional according to the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy rules of professional conduct and standards of physiotherapy and health professions councils registration.

To ensure the patient understands and agrees to the treatment plan giving consent to it. This will involve negotiation and motivation skills.

To produce clear written information and exercise programmes for patients to follow at home or when not with a physiotherapist.

To use advanced clinical reasoning skills to review and evaluate patient progress and their current condition at each treatment session and to amend the treatment programme as appropriate to achieve agreed goals.

To plan and undertake discharge of patients from physiotherapy when agreed goals of treatment have been achieved and sending discharge reports to GPs and Consultants.

To manage the provision of equipment for patients to take home when discharged from the ward as necessary (raised toilet seats, perching stools etc) and ensure a stock of such items is kept within the department to facilitate patient discharge in a timely manner. To inform the physio manager when stocks are running low and to re-order necessary stock to ensure optimal patient treatment.

To ensure education, including written information is given to patients regarding all ADL prior to discharge, ensuring rehabilitation meets all patients needs.

To be able to correctly identify inappropriate referrals to physiotherapy and have the confidence and clinical expertise to refer on or back as required.

To produce timely and accurate patients record and reports in accordance with Health Profession Council and Chartered Society of Physiotherapy regulations.

Financial

To ensure all patients are seen in the allocated time on the ward and outpatient and units of treatment recorded and shared with the appropriate departments in a timely manner.

To ensure that the physiotherapy department resources, equipment and appliances are used efficiently and economically.

To manage equipment stocks for patients and the ordering of equipment.

To ensure daily electronic charge sheets are completed with accuracy and shared with the finance teams, ensuring all equipment given out to patients is recorded.

Business Development

To actively participate with the organisation of the physiotherapy marketing strategy.

To participate in advertisement of new equipment and services of the department.

To take active part in implementation of change required to grow departmental and business activities of physiotherapy service.

To contribute to service development and change through liaison with physiotherapy line managers.

Quality

To actively participate in service improvement initiatives such as in planned research and audit.

To participate in performance development discussion with the line managers and to develop goals and objectives of development plan.

To regularly assist in the planning & delivery of departmental training and education sessions, to further professional and personal development for staff, working with the guidance and support of the physiotherapy line managers.

To continue to develop specialist clinical skills, knowledge and experience through practice in a range of clinical settings which will include inpatient areas and outpatient post-op follow-up, manual therapy, and acupuncture and specialist personal development as identified in personal development discussion.

To work consistently and contribute to quality against expected standards and evidence, while assessing and managing risk to quality in own daily physiotherapy practice.

Identify gaps to service to the physiotherapy line managers.

Will be required to participate in forward planning and participate in inpatient weekend work.

To be responsible for all aspects of safety relating to equipment used. To be responsible for monthly equipment checks and/or teaching competency of nurses and non qualified staff (including non-physiotherapy staff) in using equipment for example appliances and electrotherapy items etc.

To educate other members of the MDT regarding pre and post-operative education and advice, through formalised teaching sessions.

To comply with all local and hospital policies and procedures and legal requirement relating to clinical care and health and safety of self and visitors.

Infection Control

To undertake all mandatory and essential training in Infection Prevention and Control.

To familiarise themselves with and adhere to current Infection Prevention and Control policies relevant to them and their area of work.

To take responsibility to ensure the workplace is kept clean and tidy so that it is safe for all other users of that area.

To communicate any identified infection risks to the Infection Prevention and Control leads and where appropriate report any Healthcare Associated Infections in line with SPHs Incident Reporting Policy

Health and Safety

You must co-operate with management in discharging its responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and take reasonable health and safety precautions for yourself and others and ensure the agreed safety procedures are carried out to maintain a safe environment for patients, employees and visitors.

To ensure all health and safety audits carried out in accordance with the planned programme and all follow up actions carried out within due timetable.

Responsible for the most economical and safe use of all equipment and materials, ensuring it meets Health and Safety standards, is kept in good repair and serviced regularly, carrying out regular checks on usage and availability

SPH is committed to reducing its impact on the environment by preventing pollution, continually improving its environmental performance which increases the wellbeing of staff and clients. As a member of staff, you are expected to adhere to policies to assist SPHs in meeting its environmental and sustainability target.

Workforce

To work as part of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) in the provision of a high standard of care to the patients in the acute inpatient and outpatient physiotherapy service, to ensure the continuation of therapy on transfer or discharge as necessary.

To maintain effective communication links with patients, carers and all other members of the MDT regarding patients condition, including the completion of accurate clinical records in line with the hospital, CSP and health professions council code of practice.

To assist the physiotherapy line managers with coordination and provision of physiotherapy inpatient and outpatient services.

Responsible for communication of complex, sensitive information to all levels of trained/untrained staff, clients and their families and carers.

To be confident in their own diagnosis and able to communicate that to others including MDT, Consultants, GPs and other AHP

Technology and Administrative Duties

Use of computer software/hardware to input and analyse data/documents as appropriate e.g. audit tools, incident reporting, spreadsheets, ordering systems etc

To ensure all charge sheets are completed accurately on a daily basis and forwarded to the physiotherapy line managers and the finance team.

To ensure all patients needing onward referral to physiotherapy post discharge from the inpatient setting are referred to physiotherapy on the day of discharge, attaching the post-operative notes when necessary to ensure the clinical safety of the patient in ongoing post-discharge physiotherapy.

To ensure that referral letters are compiled on the first day a patient is seen.

Qualifications

Essential

• BSc/Equivalent in Physiotherapy
• Member of CSP
• HCPC Registration.
• Evidence of further training relevant to speciality e.g. Post Graduate Courses

Desirable

• Member of Specialist interested groups relevant to post (AACP, MACP)

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Flexibility
• Confidential personality.
• Team player.
• Innovative
• Self-motivated proactive approach
• Excellent communication skills, using empathy, negotiation and motivation
• Commitment to working flexibly and enabling the development of new models of service delivery
• Keenness to share knowledge and training across all healthcare professionals
• Commitment to client-centred, non-discriminatory practice
• Respect for other professional roles

Desirable

• Well-presented/articulate

Other

Essential

• Caring
• Friendly
• Quality
• Integrity
• Attention to detail

Desirable

• Attention to detail

Experience

Essential

• Extensive relevant post graduate experience.
• Previous work in a hospital and outpatient MSK setting.
• Proven clinical experience in the delivery of orthopaedic and MSK physiotherapy.

Desirable

• Extensive experience of working within a multidisciplinary team
• Experience of managing the risks associated with managing patients unsupervised
• Comprehensive experience of working as an physiotherapist with patients with complex conditions

Skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Time and caseload management.
• Good IT skills.
• Organisational/ability to work independently.
• Ability to travel to meet service needs, car owner and driver
• High level of specialist assessment and treatment skills.
• Commitment to and understanding of teams and team working.
• Act as autonomous practitioner in line with organisational/department policies and professional guidelines
• Able to work flexibly across a team and provide appropriate cross cover outside of the area of speciality
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Ability to undertake moving and handling procedures

Desirable

• Ability to maintain judgement under pressure.
• Able to present complex information in a comprehensible way with appropriate reassurance and support
• Analytical thinker
• Reflective practitioner with portfolio evidence to support this
• Able to identify service needs proposing changes and implementing service development
• Knowledge of and ability to prescribe a range of appropriate assistive equipment
• Good teaching ability/education experience providing training in a range of subjects on a regular basis

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.

UK Registration

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