Job responsibilities
Communication
To adapt communication with non-English speaking patients; dementia; dysphasia, deafness and ensure all members of the team do likewise and advise other members of staff on appropriate basic communication strategies where necessary.
To assess capacity to give consent, gain informed consent and have the ability to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment such as patients who are, have reduced level of consciousness or who are acutely confused or aggressive.
To persuade, motivate, empathise, reassure, explain and encourage patients in undertaking their treatment programme, ensure understanding of their condition and communicate effectively with patients and carers to maximise rehabilitation potential.
To be able to diffuse potentially hostile and antagonistic situations with staff, patients, and relatives using highly developed negotiation and interpersonal skills.
To 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 maintain close links and work collaboratively with all staff and people involved in patient care, student education, research or policy development and promote good working relationships at all times.
To represent the physiotherapy department on speciality issues within the trust and external agencies e.g. GPs, steering groups, working parties, National Conferences, Regional Rehab Networks and Internal/external Study days.
Ensure timely and effective communication with all physiotherapy staff on professional matters.
Service Delivery and Improvement
To be responsible for identifying and implementing service development within the orthopaedic and vascular specialty and to ensure effectiveness of patient care is continually monitored and improved.
To ensure as a team leader that designated staff implement policy and service developmental changes.
To ensure that the service within the designated area responds to national initiatives and policy within the framework of clinical governance including clinical effectiveness, evidence-based health care, managing clinical risk, and Research and Development.
To develop specialty standards based on national standards, where they exist and on best evidence. To ensure that these standards are monitored and adhered to by all members of the in-patient Orthopaedic and vascular Physiotherapy team within the designated area.
To plan and undertake the evaluation of practice and performance throughout the designated area through clinical audit and studies and make recommendations for change.
To support more junior staff within the department to undertake clinical audit.
To demonstrate a sound understanding of Clinical Governance and Risk Management and ensure its effective application to the work situation, guided by the physiotherapy management as needed.
People Management and Development
As an onsite clinical lead for the in-patient Orthopaedic and vascular Physiotherapy service, be responsible for the day-to-day management, supervision and co-ordination of the in-patient Orthopaedic and Vascular Physiotherapy team at RSCH, including allocation of work, staff appraisal and performance management.
To be jointly responsible for the operational management of the in-patient Orthopaedic and Vascular Physiotherapy team across all BSUH sites, coordinating, delivering and evaluating the Orthopaedic Physiotherapy Service on a day-to-day basis, and to be flexible to work across sites.
To support the physiotherapy management in matters of grievance and disciplinary action if and when necessary.
To assist where necessary in the interviewing and appointment of new Trust Physiotherapy staff.
To provide highly specialist advice to physiotherapy colleagues working within other clinical areas regarding the pathology, physiology; assessment, management and treatment of trauma / elective orthopaedic conditions.
To provide highly specialist advice, teaching and training to patients, carers and members of the multidisciplinary team regarding trauma / elective orthopaedic and vascular management and rehabilitation including complex assessment and problem-solving.
To plan, co-ordinate and deliver a comprehensive in-service training programme to in-patient Orthopaedic and vascular Physiotherapy team.
To organise and supervise undergraduate Physiotherapy students on clinical placements within the in-patient Orthopaedic Physiotherapy team, including teaching sessions, timetables, diaries and liaising with the universities.
To train and provide mentorship beyond speciality team to junior staff, assistants and undergraduate students.
To train and assess competence of physiotherapists, physiotherapy assistants and undergraduate students in therapeutic handling techniques and the risk assessment of these techniques within the in-patient Orthopaedic and vascular Physiotherapy team.
To plan and organise up to date courses utilising outside lecturers.
To plan and organise the Orthopaedic weekend update training- once yearly and induct new staff onto the rota as required.
Patient Care Delivery
To be responsible and accountable for the delivery of patient care in the designated area and to influence physiotherapy practice trust-wide.
To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable, as an autonomous practitioner, for all aspects of your own work including the management of patients in your care.
To ensure high standards of clinical care within the designated area and be responsible for ensuring all staff within the in-patient Orthopaedic and vascular Physiotherapy team adhere to Trust, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and Departmental standards of care.
To be highly competent in the comprehensive assessment of a wide range of trauma / elective orthopaedic and vascular patients, including those with a highly complex presentation, using advanced theoretical knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pathology, often in situations where conflicting evidence is present.
To interpret and analyse clinical and non-clinical facts, which may be conflicting, using underpinning theoretical knowledge and experience to suggest diagnoses, identify main problems and form prognoses in a wide range of highly complex trauma / elective orthopaedic conditions.
To formulate individual patient management, treatment and discharge plans, using clinical reasoning, current evidence and a wide range of treatment skills.
To demonstrate highly developed dexterity, co-ordination and palpatory skills for the assessment and manual treatment of patients e.g. Neuro/ mobility rehabilitation, Facilitation techniques, balance exercises, handling of limbs, amputee/vascular rehab including PAM aiding.
To continually re-assess patients in order to progress treatments effectively and advice patients, social workers and other allied health professionals on the appropriate time to return to activities of daily living, exercise levels and general fitness.
To co-ordinate interventions which may include other disciplines e.g. safe discharge meetings, case conferences, multi-disciplinary meetings.
To maintain patient confidentiality and dignity at all times and support peoples equality, diversity and rights
To use advanced theoretical and practical knowledge to refer to other health disciplines as appropriate, in particular for further treatment or specialist consultant opinions and to ensure appropriate referral systems are used by departmental staff.
To maintain professionalism in public, ward and rehabilitation areas.
To work a 7-day rostered system when and if it is instigated.
To undertake any other duties as may be deemed necessary by Physiotherapy managers in the provision of the physiotherapy service.
To be responsible for maintenance of an accurate and evaluative record keeping system using POMR (Problem Orientated Medical Records) and SAP (Single Assessment Process) format to demonstrate evaluation, analysis and clinical reasoning in the provision of patient care.
To ensure that all physiotherapy staff within speciality maintain the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and departments standards for documentation.
Use computer databases to provide and analyse accurate reports containing statistics and clinical information as requested by Physiotherapy Management and use initiative to collect further data according to the needs of the service.
To be responsible for the organisation of the caseload management within the Orthopaedic/Vascular area.
To flexibly plan and prioritise own time and that of the in-patient Orthopaedic and Vascular Physiotherapy team to ensure patient care, training, supervision and a wide variety of meetings are undertaken (including management, service development and those with other health professionals).
To identify changes in the needs of the service and liaise with the Major Trauma Clinical Specialist, Vascular and Orthopaedic Physiotherapist Team Lead and deputy head Physiotherapist to plan and implement appropriate changes.
To be responsible for the operational management of the in-patient Orthopaedic and vascular Physiotherapy Team and to act up when needed to be responsible for the operational day to day running of the Major Trauma, Vascular and Orthopaedic Physiotherapy Team.
To be responsible for developing, planning and delivering induction training and competency assessment for staff
To be responsible for the organisation and running of the Orthopaedic 7-day rota/service, including the yearly updates of competencies of staff on the rota.
