Job summary
Would you like an excellent opportunity to further develop your interest in Physiotherapy for Children & Young people within a supportive team?
Would you like to work flexibly within a friendly & innovative community multi-disciplinary team?
We could be the employer for you!
We are seeking to recruit two dynamic Band 6 Physiotherapists. The posts are within our paediatric community service in the Cambridgeshire (one based at the Oaktree Centre base, Huntingdon & one based at the Peacock Centre, Cambridge). We are looking for able replacements to work in the Cambridgeshire area within an enthusiastic & well-established physiotherapy team.
We work in close collaboration with the Paediatric Occupational Therapy team & run joint clinics with the Community Paediatricians. The successful applicants will have a caseload of children with various neurodevelopmental conditions, who will be seen in the community, clinic & special school settings. The client group is children and young people (0-19 years) with physical disabilities a& developmental delays.
The posts available are based at: The Oak Tree Centre, Huntingdon (full-time 37.5 hrs per week) & The Peacock Centre, Cambridge (full-time 37.5hrs per week). The core service working day is a Tuesday.
Why not click on the link to the Job Description & find out more about the role.
We look forward to receiving your application!
Main duties of the job
We are a team of dynamic, enthusiastic Paediatric Physiotherapists who work across Cambridgeshire. We have two main bases one in Huntingdon and one in Cambridge.
We are keen to provide the best service using evidence based practice and have links with the APCP and Addenbrookes Hospital. We work closely with Occupational Therapists, Speech therapists, Paediatricians and administrators. We have joint internal In-service Training program with the Occupational Therapy service.
Please note that should we receive a high number of applications, we reserve the right to close the advert earlier than advertised
About us
Rated 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission, we are proud to provide high quality innovative services across most of the east of England that enable people to receive care closer to home and live healthier lives.
There's one reason why our services are outstanding - and that's our amazing staff - who, for the seventh year running, rated us incredibly highly in the national staff survey.
If you share our passion for innovative and high-quality care delivery, then please submit your application and join us on our exciting journey as a leading-edge specialist community provider. All are welcome to apply and our promise to you is a culture which prioritises staff engagement and development.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The main roles would be:
- To provide specialised paediatric physiotherapy assessment and treatment for CYP in our specified geographical area.
- To work and communicate effectively with multidisciplinary and multi-agency teams.
- To supervise, educate and assess the performance of physiotherapy students, working with universities to ensure the standard of practice and teaching meets the standards set down by the degree level qualification.
- To appropriately delegate work/tasks to therapy assistants, maintaining oversight of their input with children and young people.
- To work in a variety of settings such as clinics, mainstream schools/nurseries, special schools/nurseries, clients homes and other community settings.
- Where appropriate, to act as a key worker for CYP on their caseload, ensuring that there is effective communication between all members of the team and that a coordinated approach is in place
Planning
- To plan their own diary and prioritise their caseload to ensure fair and equitable service delivery for all service users, in line with the service offer
- To work as an autonomous practitioner supported by regular clinical and management supervision
- To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of their own work, including the management of CYP in their care
- To comply with departmental and organisational policies and procedures
- To keep abreast of the latest equipment options, and to be responsible for the assessment and requisition of equipment such as postural sleep systems, specialised orthotics, walking aids and standing frames for CYP on their caseload
Patient contact
- To undertake comprehensive, specialised physiotherapeutic assessments of CYP including those with diverse or complex presentations considering their functioning in family, school and other environments, using advanced clinical reasoning and communication skills
- To develop and support individualised aims and programmes in collaboration with CYP, their families and other professionals
- To support parents/carers in developing skills to support physiotherapy aims and ensuring their competence, when the CYP requires support
- To work collaboratively in multi-disciplinary clinics e.g. joint paediatrician/physiotherapy clinics, complex physical needs clinics, plaster clinics to support the needs of CYP and their families and agree joint goals/plans for intervention
- To be responsible for reassessing CYP care as treatment progresses and make appropriate adjustments to therapy programmes, using appropriate outcome measures to guide practice and measure effectiveness
- To accurately and efficiently identify presenting symptoms, formulate prognoses and work towards the best course of intervention, including knowing when to refer on to additional services
- To incorporate evidence-based practice and NICE guidelines using clinical assessment, reasoning skills and knowledge of treatment modalities available, to provide cost-effective and efficient physiotherapy for CYP
- To be responsible for discharging CYP from caseload on completion of treatment
- To be responsible for the assessment and requesting of equipment such as postural sleep systems, walking aids and standing frames, for CYP on the postholders caseload, considering effective use of resources
- To be responsible for the safe and competent use of all equipment, patient appliances and aids used by CYP
Policy development
- To undertake evidence-based audit and research projects to further own and teams clinical practice
- Make recommendations to the Physiotherapy clinical lead for changes to practice and be willing to lead/support the implementation of changes to practice or contribute to service protocols/pathways
- To undertake the measurement and evaluation of current practices through the use of evidence-based practice projects, audit and outcome measures, either individually, in task and finish groups or alongside Physiotherapy Team Leaders/Physiotherapy Clinical Lead. To work with colleagues to change the service protocol in line with results
Communication
- To represent the childrens physiotherapy service and/or individual CYP at the multi-disciplinary and multi-agency team meetings, to ensure the delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service, and integrate physiotherapy treatment into the management programme. This will include discussion of patient care, patient progress, entry to school, and access to the curriculum and involvement in discharge planning
- To work effectively with other members of the team around the CYP, including families, carers, education staff, other health professionals, social services, and voluntary agencies
- To assess the ability of the CYP and their carers to understand the management programme and to gain valid informed consent. To work within a legal framework with CYP who lack capacity to consent to treatment
- In some instances, the post holder may be required to take on the key worker role for a CYP on the caseload, requiring liaison with other disciplines agencies and interpretation of professional jargon for the families
- To provide clear, concise written reports for other agencies for statutory processes to meet legal requirements, e.g. Education, Health and Care Plan, Tribunal cases
- Contribute to CCS internal communication strategies ensuring effective two-way communication and engagement within the organisation
- Contribute to CCS external communication strategies working with the Head of Communications to raise awareness and promote the reputation of CCS services
- The post holder will be required to use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with CYP and their carers to progress rehabilitation and treatment programmes. This will include working with CYP who may have difficulties in understanding and/or communicating. To work with families and parents who are often in a grieving process, giving difficult information to families during this time
- To communicate effectively with CYP, families and other professionals to agree joint goals for therapy
- To employ advanced communication skills to investigate and manage concerns, incidents and complaints recognising limitations and referring to more senior colleagues, where appropriate
Patient and Public Engagement
- To contribute to ensuring that CCS responsibilities to engage and consult with patients and the public are met in line with statutory requirements, e.g. through Youth Focus Group, parent Groups, attendance at Pinpoint Conference
- To actively seek feedback from service users to help inform improvements and developments in services delivered
People Management
- Maintaining own professional development and ensure complies with mandatory requirement to take part in appraisal process
- To be involved in the supervision of physiotherapy students in their clinical practice and effective use of the clinical record keeping system (SystmOne), according to our professional body guidance and the Cambridgeshire Community Services standards
- To provide support, guidance and training to therapy assistants assessing and evaluating competence and delegating work appropriately
- To encourage and support the professional development of other members of the team
- To participate in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraiser for therapy assistants, where appropriate
- To support in the recruitment of therapy assistants and administrative staff, where appropriate
- To train educational assistants to support the childs physical goals in the educational setting
Research & Development Activity
- To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through CPD activities, and to maintain a portfolio which reflects personal development
- To maintain and develop current knowledge of evidenced-based practice in paediatric physiotherapy developing specialist knowledge of particular conditions and patient types
- To participate in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee and be responsible for complying with his agreed personal development programmes to meet set knowledge and competencies
- To undertake the measurement and evaluation of work and current practices through the use of evidence-based practice projects, audit and outcome measures, either individually or with more senior physiotherapists
- To be an active member of the in-service training programme by attendance at, and participation in, in-service training programmes, tutorials, individual training sessions, external courses and peer review, ensuring delivery of feedback following attendance at external courses
- To be competent in carrying out literature searches and to actively maintain/update specialist knowledge
- To partake in research opportunities as they arise, including application for funding where appropriate
- To undertake the collection of data for use in service audit and research projects
- To manage and undertake research into specific areas of clinical practice and service delivery using a range of research methodologies as part of MDT audit and departmental research initiatives. To work with the lead practitioner to change practise in line with the results of audit
Job description
Job responsibilities
The main roles would be:
- To provide specialised paediatric physiotherapy assessment and treatment for CYP in our specified geographical area.
- To work and communicate effectively with multidisciplinary and multi-agency teams.
- To supervise, educate and assess the performance of physiotherapy students, working with universities to ensure the standard of practice and teaching meets the standards set down by the degree level qualification.
- To appropriately delegate work/tasks to therapy assistants, maintaining oversight of their input with children and young people.
- To work in a variety of settings such as clinics, mainstream schools/nurseries, special schools/nurseries, clients homes and other community settings.
- Where appropriate, to act as a key worker for CYP on their caseload, ensuring that there is effective communication between all members of the team and that a coordinated approach is in place
Planning
- To plan their own diary and prioritise their caseload to ensure fair and equitable service delivery for all service users, in line with the service offer
- To work as an autonomous practitioner supported by regular clinical and management supervision
- To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of their own work, including the management of CYP in their care
- To comply with departmental and organisational policies and procedures
- To keep abreast of the latest equipment options, and to be responsible for the assessment and requisition of equipment such as postural sleep systems, specialised orthotics, walking aids and standing frames for CYP on their caseload
Patient contact
- To undertake comprehensive, specialised physiotherapeutic assessments of CYP including those with diverse or complex presentations considering their functioning in family, school and other environments, using advanced clinical reasoning and communication skills
- To develop and support individualised aims and programmes in collaboration with CYP, their families and other professionals
- To support parents/carers in developing skills to support physiotherapy aims and ensuring their competence, when the CYP requires support
- To work collaboratively in multi-disciplinary clinics e.g. joint paediatrician/physiotherapy clinics, complex physical needs clinics, plaster clinics to support the needs of CYP and their families and agree joint goals/plans for intervention
- To be responsible for reassessing CYP care as treatment progresses and make appropriate adjustments to therapy programmes, using appropriate outcome measures to guide practice and measure effectiveness
- To accurately and efficiently identify presenting symptoms, formulate prognoses and work towards the best course of intervention, including knowing when to refer on to additional services
- To incorporate evidence-based practice and NICE guidelines using clinical assessment, reasoning skills and knowledge of treatment modalities available, to provide cost-effective and efficient physiotherapy for CYP
- To be responsible for discharging CYP from caseload on completion of treatment
- To be responsible for the assessment and requesting of equipment such as postural sleep systems, walking aids and standing frames, for CYP on the postholders caseload, considering effective use of resources
- To be responsible for the safe and competent use of all equipment, patient appliances and aids used by CYP
Policy development
- To undertake evidence-based audit and research projects to further own and teams clinical practice
- Make recommendations to the Physiotherapy clinical lead for changes to practice and be willing to lead/support the implementation of changes to practice or contribute to service protocols/pathways
- To undertake the measurement and evaluation of current practices through the use of evidence-based practice projects, audit and outcome measures, either individually, in task and finish groups or alongside Physiotherapy Team Leaders/Physiotherapy Clinical Lead. To work with colleagues to change the service protocol in line with results
Communication
- To represent the childrens physiotherapy service and/or individual CYP at the multi-disciplinary and multi-agency team meetings, to ensure the delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service, and integrate physiotherapy treatment into the management programme. This will include discussion of patient care, patient progress, entry to school, and access to the curriculum and involvement in discharge planning
- To work effectively with other members of the team around the CYP, including families, carers, education staff, other health professionals, social services, and voluntary agencies
- To assess the ability of the CYP and their carers to understand the management programme and to gain valid informed consent. To work within a legal framework with CYP who lack capacity to consent to treatment
- In some instances, the post holder may be required to take on the key worker role for a CYP on the caseload, requiring liaison with other disciplines agencies and interpretation of professional jargon for the families
- To provide clear, concise written reports for other agencies for statutory processes to meet legal requirements, e.g. Education, Health and Care Plan, Tribunal cases
- Contribute to CCS internal communication strategies ensuring effective two-way communication and engagement within the organisation
- Contribute to CCS external communication strategies working with the Head of Communications to raise awareness and promote the reputation of CCS services
- The post holder will be required to use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with CYP and their carers to progress rehabilitation and treatment programmes. This will include working with CYP who may have difficulties in understanding and/or communicating. To work with families and parents who are often in a grieving process, giving difficult information to families during this time
- To communicate effectively with CYP, families and other professionals to agree joint goals for therapy
- To employ advanced communication skills to investigate and manage concerns, incidents and complaints recognising limitations and referring to more senior colleagues, where appropriate
Patient and Public Engagement
- To contribute to ensuring that CCS responsibilities to engage and consult with patients and the public are met in line with statutory requirements, e.g. through Youth Focus Group, parent Groups, attendance at Pinpoint Conference
- To actively seek feedback from service users to help inform improvements and developments in services delivered
People Management
- Maintaining own professional development and ensure complies with mandatory requirement to take part in appraisal process
- To be involved in the supervision of physiotherapy students in their clinical practice and effective use of the clinical record keeping system (SystmOne), according to our professional body guidance and the Cambridgeshire Community Services standards
- To provide support, guidance and training to therapy assistants assessing and evaluating competence and delegating work appropriately
- To encourage and support the professional development of other members of the team
- To participate in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraiser for therapy assistants, where appropriate
- To support in the recruitment of therapy assistants and administrative staff, where appropriate
- To train educational assistants to support the childs physical goals in the educational setting
Research & Development Activity
- To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through CPD activities, and to maintain a portfolio which reflects personal development
- To maintain and develop current knowledge of evidenced-based practice in paediatric physiotherapy developing specialist knowledge of particular conditions and patient types
- To participate in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee and be responsible for complying with his agreed personal development programmes to meet set knowledge and competencies
- To undertake the measurement and evaluation of work and current practices through the use of evidence-based practice projects, audit and outcome measures, either individually or with more senior physiotherapists
- To be an active member of the in-service training programme by attendance at, and participation in, in-service training programmes, tutorials, individual training sessions, external courses and peer review, ensuring delivery of feedback following attendance at external courses
- To be competent in carrying out literature searches and to actively maintain/update specialist knowledge
- To partake in research opportunities as they arise, including application for funding where appropriate
- To undertake the collection of data for use in service audit and research projects
- To manage and undertake research into specific areas of clinical practice and service delivery using a range of research methodologies as part of MDT audit and departmental research initiatives. To work with the lead practitioner to change practise in line with the results of audit
Person Specification
Qualifications & Training
Essential
- Diploma or a degree in physiotherapy
- HPC Registration
- Recent attendance at relevant postgraduate courses
Desirable
- Membership of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
- Membership of the Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists
- Membership of other relevant special interest groups
- Evidence of Continuing Professional Development maintained in a portfolio
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working as a general physiotherapist
- Evidence of working as a member of a multidisciplinary team
- Experience in working with children as a physiotherapist
Desirable
- Experience of supervision of junior staff
- Experience of working in the community setting
- Previous involvement in audit, research and understanding quality issues
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Understand the legal responsibilities of the profession including documentation
- Evidence of the ability to organise, prioritise and delegate
- Evidence of presenting
- Evidence of participation in research/audit
Desirable
- Ability to comprehend and work within the Trust's policies of data protection, equal opportunities and health and safety and meet the differing needs of the patients
- Evidence of supervision of other staff e.g. assistants, students
- Ability to think innovatively to support service development
- Experience of delivering services in clinic situations
- Knowledge of the presentation and challenges of children and young people with neurodevelopmental conditions
- Understanding of clinical governance and its implications for services, including experience of quality issues and audit
Person Specification
Qualifications & Training
Essential
- Diploma or a degree in physiotherapy
- HPC Registration
- Recent attendance at relevant postgraduate courses
Desirable
- Membership of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
- Membership of the Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists
- Membership of other relevant special interest groups
- Evidence of Continuing Professional Development maintained in a portfolio
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working as a general physiotherapist
- Evidence of working as a member of a multidisciplinary team
- Experience in working with children as a physiotherapist
Desirable
- Experience of supervision of junior staff
- Experience of working in the community setting
- Previous involvement in audit, research and understanding quality issues
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Understand the legal responsibilities of the profession including documentation
- Evidence of the ability to organise, prioritise and delegate
- Evidence of presenting
- Evidence of participation in research/audit
Desirable
- Ability to comprehend and work within the Trust's policies of data protection, equal opportunities and health and safety and meet the differing needs of the patients
- Evidence of supervision of other staff e.g. assistants, students
- Ability to think innovatively to support service development
- Experience of delivering services in clinic situations
- Knowledge of the presentation and challenges of children and young people with neurodevelopmental conditions
- Understanding of clinical governance and its implications for services, including experience of quality issues and audit
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).
Additional information
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).