Band 7 Community Physiotherapist

Job responsibilities

Job Summary:

1 This post is accountable to the Head of Therapy

2 To lead, manage and provide the physiotherapy service patients in the community.

3 To contribute to the Discharge pathway and Community Therapy team.

4 To promote good communication within the Multidisciplinary Team, with the Acute Trust, CCG/ ICS and with the London Borough of Lewisham, to ensure optimal patient care.

5 To work to agreed standards and within the resources available.

Key Result Areas & Performance:

6 To undertake, delegate or supervise the assessment and appropriate physiotherapy management and / or treatment of patients referred to the Community Physiotherapy Teams.

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

8 To undertake a comprehensive and holistic assessment of patients including those with complex presentations / multi-pathologies (e.g. acutely ill, neurological and elderly patients) and communication difficulties.

9 To use manual and other assessment techniques and clinical reasoning skills to provide an accurate diagnosis of patients' conditions and identify their problems.

10 To assess patients' understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent to treatment.

11 To commence treatment in the acute setting, as required

12 To use clinical assessment and reasoning skills combined with a knowledge of evidence-based practice and treatment strategies to provide an effective treatment plan.

13 To maximise patients' physical, psychological and social well-being and reduce disability.

14 To evaluate patients' progress, re-assess and develop treatment programmes as required.

15 To be responsible for the safe and competent use of equipment, as well as the use of other aids and appliances by patients in your working area, ensuring that any Band 6 and 5 Physiotherapists and Rehab Support workers attain competency prior to use.

16 To be responsible for organising, prioritising and planning your own caseload to meet service needs and patient priorities, adjusting plans as situations arise

17 To monitor and prioritise teams caseload and allocated initial visits as indicated and support other disciplines.

Workforce

18 To supervise and delegate to Rehab Support Workers / Therapy Assistants, Band 5 and 6 Physiotherapists, when appropriate.

19 To provide training on the use of equipment and management of conditions for carers and other staff when necessary.

20 To co-operate with the other Senior members of the MDT in the organisation of the workload, and to assist the Lead Community Physiotherapist / Therapy Manager departmental managerial matters when required.

21 To be responsible for the clinical education of student physiotherapists, teaching them to graduate level on physiotherapeutic skills and knowledge within the core clinical areas.

22 To liaise with Schools of Physiotherapy as appropriate in the organisation and provision of clinical education for student physiotherapists.

23 To contribute to the education of Rehab Support Workers / enablement workers/ Therapy Assistants and participate in peer support

24 To be responsible for the appraisals of staff in your team, delegating to the Band 6 Physiotherapist when possible.

Partnership

Communications and Relationships

25 To liaise with the multi-disciplinary team regarding discharge planning to support safe, timely and effective discharge from hospital.

26 To use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication skills to communicate effectively with patients during assessment and treatment.

27 To use active listening and optimum communication skills to discuss patients concerns, worries and prognoses with them and their families, for example patients who have progressive, degenerative or terminal illnesses.

28 To participate in the induction programme for all new staff where appropriate.

29 To maintain an accurate and evaluative record keeping system in accordance with the Trust and departmental policies, and which can be used for audit and legal purposes.

30 To ensure that reports and discharge summaries are completed and sent in accordance with departmental policy.

31 To provide statistics and other information when required

32 To participate in directorate and multidisciplinary meetings, ward rounds andcase conferences / seminars when deemed appropriate, providing a clinical opinion about specific patients

33 To deal with any verbal and telephone complaints from patients, relatives or carers, ensuring necessary documentation.

34 To report on any such complaints to the immediate senior as soon as possible.

35 To provide 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.

Essential Criteria

Essential

• Valid UK HCPC registration
• Degree/ diploma level education in Physiotherapy
• Good knowledge in areas of respiratory, care of elderly, falls, neuro and MSK physiotherapy
• Evidence of relevant post graduate education
• Specialist Knowledge of conditions relevant to acute, intermediate (enablement) and community care
• Knowledge of linking between primary & secondary care interface to provide integrated care
• Up to date knowledge in professional practice and new research in field of physiotherapy

Desirable

• Member of Special Interest Group
• Leadership Course
• Attendance at clinical educators' course.
• Member of CSP

Experience

Essential

• Service improvement as part of project work
• Good understanding of quality issues, clinical governance and outcome measures
• Evidence of effective MDT working
• Experience of managing and teaching staff and students as well as from other agenciesoSpecialist Knowledge of conditions relevant to acute care and community care
• Evidence of liaising with external agencies, esp social care

Desirable

• Experience in specialist seating and wheelchairs
• Research/ audit experience
• Experience in Neurology, esp PD, MS, Stroke

EXPERIENCE

Essential

• oExtensive experience at Senior level in a variety clinical settings
• oExperience of working in community setting
• oExperience of working in a multi-disciplinary Team
• oExperience of supervising and training staff and/or students
• oExperience of liaising with other agencies
• oPlanning and prioritisation of workload.

Desirable

• oAbility to work innovatively in order to integrate interventions into the client's home
• oExperience of working in intermediate care settings

SKILLS

Essential

• Ability to develop rapport with patients, inc those with cognitive deficits and behavioural problems organize own workload, and that of junior staff, using prioritization and delegation skills to support workers
• Ability to work flexibly and cope with busy workload, plan and prioritise accordingly including agile/ mobile working
• Ability to keep clear, precise records with meet legal requirements, and in the English language
• Ability to work innovatively in order to integrate interventions into the client's home
• Ability to cope with distressing situation such as imparting unwelcome news re rehabilitation prospects
• Wearing PPE during patient's visits and following Covid 19 guidelines
• Ability to work weekends
• Valid driving licence to drive car in UK

Desirable

• Competency in rock taping
• Broad knowledge in orthotics
• Broad knowledge in pain management
• Competency in acupuncture
• Pilates/ Yogo training
• Car use for work purpose or other means of travelling across the borough

Communication Skills

Essential

• oAbility to keep clear, precise records, which meet legal requirements, and in the English language
• oAble to develop rapport with patients, including those with cognitive deficits and behavioural problems
• oAbility to cope with distressing situations such as imparting unwelcome news re rehabilitation prospects

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).