Specialist Children's MSK Physiotherapist

Job responsibilities

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical patient / client care

1. To be responsible for own practice and accountable for all aspects of physiotherapy treatment and care delivered to the patient. To ensure clinical effectiveness using evidence based practice.

2. Manage the physiotherapeutic treatment of children with a range of conditions, including children with cognitive impairment or disabilities.

3. To undertake highly specialist physiotherapy assessment and treatment as an autonomous practitioner, and support / advise colleagues where appropriate.

4. To assess, diagnose and develop individual care/treatment plans for a range of paediatric conditions in conjunction with parents/carers, some of which will be highly complex or will be for patients with complex clinical, social and emotional needs.

5. To be responsible for reassessing patient care as treatment progresses and alter treatment programmes as appropriate.

6. Be able to analyse clinical and social information from a range of sources and integrate into physiotherapy assessment and development of care/treatment plan.

7. To be a source of MSK clinical expertise and advice for other physiotherapists in the team and colleagues in the acute services.

8. To provide specialist advice on patient care to other health, social, educational and voluntary sector services. This may involve negotiating or requesting changes to treatment programmes/care plans set by other paediatric professionals.

9. Analyse and understand impact on child and physiotherapy treatment of various treatment plans/diagnosis from other disciplines. This includes interpreting medical and educational and psychological assessments of the patient.

10. Be responsible for maintaining a high standard of clinical practice using evidence based practice to ensure a high quality physiotherapy service.

11. Be highly skilled in communicating with children of all ages who have a range of physical and psychological barriers to understanding eg. autism.

12. Be able to motivate and persuade children of all ages, some with a range of complex conditions/disabilities to work with treatment programmes and work towards treatment goals.

13 To initiate multi-disciplinary case meetings/team meetings to discuss individual patients or groups of patients when appropriate.

14. Write reports in accordance with service procedures/guidelines and ensure timely delivery to other members of the wider care team. The position will require you to have, or to attain a working knowledge of best practice under the Special Educational Needs and Disability reforms which came into force on 1 September 2014.

As part of this you will need to be able to, or be willing to learn how to compile reports to contribute to an Education, Health, Care Plan via a physiotherapy assessment, and be able to complete reviews where necessary.

15. Ensure good communication with patient carers, demonstrating the ability to discuss difficult diagnoses with tact and sympathy. Managing distressed or aggressive patients or carers. Attend and contribute verbally and write reports for Child Protection proceedings.

16. To deal with complaints with tact and understanding to minimise escalation according to the Trust Complaints Policy.

17. To observe confidentiality of records and health information and to share information with others in the interest of the child. Observing the Data Protection and Caldecott Information in line with guidelines.

18. To work within Infection Control and Health & Safety guidelines in order to deal appropriately with unpleasant conditions related to client contact as they arise e.g. exposure to body fluids and infectious conditions encountered on a regular basis.

19. To undertake complex risk assessments and advise others in determining appropriate management especially relating to manual handling and safe use of equipment.

Professional

20. To demonstrate a sound understanding of clinical governance, including ability to audit own and teams practice.

21. To use audit results, current research and government guidelines to recommend changes to service delivery and to clinical practice, demonstrating evidence based link to the development and improvement of clinical practice.

22. Lead on aspects of changes in working practices and clinical practices of the physiotherapy team. Ensure that where this impacts on the work of other health professionals or services they are informed and assisted with managing the changes to work organisation/service delivery.

23. To work within standards set by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and national standards e.g. Nice guidance, NSK for childrens services and SEND reforms.

24. To ensure timely referrals of clients to other services as appropriate.

25. Be responsible for maintaining accurate and up-to-date patient records using EMIS templates..

Service Development/Management

26. To participate in cross organisation/MDT working parties to develop clinical and policy changes within the paediatric service. This may involve being the lead physiotherapy contributor to local treatment procedures and guidelines or improvements to cross organisational communication regarding patients.

27. To be responsible for monitoring and developing high service standards and patient care.

28. To have day to day operational management responsibilities for a defined team within the service.

29. To act and deputise for the head of service as appropriate.

30. Propose changes to service delivery within the paediatric team and implement when necessary, acting in partnership with the childrens physiotherapy service lead.

31. To plan, organise and prioritise own patient caseload and to assist band 6 and therapy assistants to plan and prioritise delegated caseloads/work.

32. Organise and manage appropriate delegation of patient care/work to therapy assistants.

33. Plan, organise and deliver training to the physiotherapy team, members of the multi-disciplinary team and staff from other agencies.

34. To organise the appraisal and assessment of other physiotherapists and therapy assistants for whom you have line management duties.

35. Undertake own CPD, participate in peer reviews, and maintain up-to-date knowledge of specialty through research and work of clinical interest groups.

36. Comply with the duties placed on employees by the Bromley Healthcares Health and Safety Policy and Related Procedures and to act in accordance with all instruction, information and training supplied in relation to those duties.

Qualifications

Essential

• Diploma or Degree in physiotherapy recognised by HCPC.
• Registered with HCPC
• Evidence of CPD to high level of clinical expertise in chosen paediatric area. (MSK)
• Understanding of hydrotherapy treatment

Desirable

• Member of APCP
• Post Graduate courses relevant to paediatric speciality: Paediatric MSK oPaediatric Bobath course Child development oSpecialist courses/study on conditions that affect child development

Information Technology

Essential

• Good keyboard skills Basic IT knowledge including power point and word and emails.
• Ability to be create and provide printed programmes for children and families from available resources.

Desirable

• Skills in using Excel & publisher

Experience

Essential

• Post registration experience in the field of paediatrics, with other appropriate MSK experience
• Experience at a band 6 level or equivalent. Working paediatric rotation plus other relevant rotations e.g. neuro development, neuro rehabilitation, paediatric medicine, respiratory care, orthopaedics
• Junior rotational experience across a broad range of rotations.
• Experience working with paediatric MSK caseload
• Experience with working with children who have challenging behaviours.
• Experience and sound understanding of working with children's safeguarding procedures.
• Sound understanding of the process of SEND reforms and experience of writing EHC reports.
• Experience of supervising and teaching junior and undergraduate physiotherapists.
• Experience of delegating work to therapy assistants.
• Experience of and ability to manage complaints and concerns raised.
• Experience and confidence in discussing clinical assessment with consultants and other medical professionals.

Desirable

• Experience of carrying out clinical audit
• Experience of developing service improvements

Skills

Essential

• Able to deal with parents and other professionals who have anxieties and concerns
• Ability to time manage, prioritise, delegate and organise.
• Ability to provide professional/clinical leadership for assessment and analysis in specialist area of clinical field.
• Understanding of children's specialist equipment and orthotics.
• Skills in implementing and motivating advice/ treatment plan to be followed.
• Sound understanding of safeguarding principles.
• Understanding of the role of the physio when supporting children attending educational settings.

Desirable

• UK Driving licence with access to a car or other means of transport.
• Evidence of good teaching skills.
• Skills in presentation to larger audiences of other professionals and agencies

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).