Physiotherapist

Job responsibilities

Clinical care:

To be responsible for a defined area of working e.g. a section of a specialty, or a particular type of patient, working without direct supervision. Clinical /professional supervision takes the form of direct observation of practice or formal training/clinical reasoning sessions (at least monthly); advice and support is always available.

To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own work, including the management of patients in your care

To be responsible for equipment used in carrying out physiotherapy duties, and to adhere to departmental equipment policy, including competence to use equipment and to ensure the safe use of equipment by others through teaching, training and supervision of practice.

To accept clinical responsibility for a designated caseload of patients, and to organise this efficiently and effectively with regard to clinical priorities and use of time. To ensure a high standard of clinical care for the patients under your management, and support more junior staff to do likewise.

To undertake the comprehensive assessment of patients, including those with a complex presentation, using investigative and analytical skills.

To formulate an individualised physiotherapy management and / or treatment plan, using clinical reasoning skills and utilising a wide range of treatment skills e.g. manual physiotherapy techniques, patient education, exercise classes, and alternative options in order to formulate a specialised programme of care.

To provide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to relatives, carers and other professionals, to promote understanding of the aims of physiotherapy and to ensure a consistent approach to patient care.

To communicate effectively with patients and carers to maximise rehabilitation potential and to ensure understanding of condition. Communication skills of persuasion, motivation, explanation, and gaining informed consent will be used with a wide variety of patients. Barriers to effective communication will regularly be evident e.g. loss of hearing, altered perception, pain, fear.

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

Professional:

To maintain own clinical professional development (CPD) by keeping abreast of any new trends and developments and incorporate them as necessary into your work and to be an active member of the in-service training programme by the attendance and presentation at staff meetings, tutorials, training sessions, external courses and reflective practice

Maintain accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date documentation in line with legal and departmental requirements and communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines in the form of reports and letters.

To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with medical, nursing and therapy colleagues to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service. This will include discussion of patient care and discharge planning. To provide teaching/training to other members of the MDT.

Training, supervision and performance management of junior staff, technical instructors, assistants and students, with assistance from more senior members of the physiotherapy team. This will include the use of formal appraisal documentation.

Participate in the staff appraisal scheme and Personal Development Programme (PDP).

Undertake the measurement and evaluation of your work and current practices through the use of Evidence Based Practice projects, audit and outcome measures, either individually or with more senior physiotherapists. To make recommendations for change.

Demonstrate a sound understanding of Clinical Governance and Risk Management and apply to work situation.

Organisational:

To deputise for the Band 7/Team Leader in terms of operational issues.

Be actively involved in the collection of appropriate data and statistics for the use of the department.

Be aware of the Health and Safety aspects of your work and implement any policies which may be required to improve the safety of your work area, including the prompt recording and reporting of accidents to senior staff, and ensuring that equipment used is safe.

To comply with the organisational and departmental policies and procedures and to be involved in reviewing and updating these as appropriate.

Any other duties which might be considered appropriate by the Band 7/Team Leader or Professional Head of Physiotherapy Services.

Qualifications

Essential

• Diploma / Degree in Physiotherapy
• Registration with HPC
• Evidence of relevant postgraduate courses / CPD
• Evidence of continued professional development including management/leadership development and a professional portfolio

Desirable

• Relevant validated clinical courses

Experience

Essential

• Relevant postgraduate experience

Desirable

• Experience at band 6 level in the community setting and / or acute rotational setting.
• Supervisory skills

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• Good knowledge of physiotherapy in relevant area
• Able to work in a busy environment while managing patients with complex health needs that can rapidly change
• Forward thinking
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Self-directed learning
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to pass on skills / knowledge to others within both formal and informal environments

Desirable

• Excellent knowledge
• Critical appraisal
• Audit
• Research
• Presentation skills
• Neurology, Respiratory and Orthopaedic specific postgraduate training

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Physical capacity to deal with moderate physical effort on a daily basis.
• Physical and mental capacity to deal sensitively with patients who may have high levels of anxiety and aggression.
• Capacity to concentrate for considerable periods of time during assessment and management of patients and be expected to respond immediately to interruptions.
• Able to work collaboratively within a team.
• Able to work independently.
• Committed to personal and team development.
• Able to work with others and pass on skills and knowledge.
• Able to maintain judgement under pressure.
• Able to maintain motivation, drive, enthusiasm. Confident.
• Desire to work in clinical area commensurate with the post.
• Flexible working.
• Ability to travel across Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft and Waveney areas.
• Ability to embrace our Culture, Values and Signature Behaviours:
• o(Compassion - We Listen, We Learn, We Lead| Action - My Accountability, My Responsibility | Respect - Respect Our Resources: People, Time and Money | Everyone - Work Together, Achieve Together).
• Willingness and ability to work across different sites and travel to alternative sites and across the community as required.

Desirable

• Able to recognise own limitations while identifying learning and development needs.

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).