Job responsibilities
JOB SUMMARY:
To manage a case load of patients with varying diagnosis and/or highly complex needs, using evidence based/patient centred principles
to assess, plan,
implement and evaluate interventions in a
defined clinical area.
To work closely with the Consultant physiotherapists in
supporting and co-ordinating clinical education within the service.
To act as a source of expertise in the management of the service and provide an advisory service to patients and other healthcare professionals, GPs and Consultants
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Clinical
To triage, assess, diagnose and manage patients referred to the service from GPs, Consultants and other
AHPs and arrange investigations and organise onward referral where
appropriate
To treat and manage patients appropriately within a range of options including referring for diagnostics, referring patients onto a consultant for an expert medical
opinion,
referring patients to physiotherapy, podiatry, surgical appliances and any other community and secondary care services.
To undertake highly specialised assessment of routine and highly complex patients presenting with spinal, peripheral and chronic pain problems using advanced
management and treatment plans utilising a range of specialist treatments.
To interpret and analyse tests
and
investigations to form
accurate diagnosis and prognosis for a wide range of
specialist treatments
To recommend the evidence based/best practise intervention for routine, complex and some highly complex conditions. This may include direct referral to Secondary care consultants or allied health professionals and
specialist
investigations or the decision that no further
treatment is required
To determine clinical indication and independently request specific diagnostic investigations e.g. X-ray, MRI, US, nerve conduction tests. To follow up on the results with patients and arrange further management as necessary
To determine and
set agreed
and realistic
outcomes with patients to achieve
anticipated
outcome
of treatment
To independently triage patients into the service referred by GPs,
Consultants and AHPs.
To perform steroid injections as appropriate
Management
To manage a caseload
of
patients
with varying
diagnosis and/or complex
needs, using
evidence based/patients centred principles to assess, plan,
implement and evaluate in a defined area.
To hold responsibility for own caseload working without direct supervision. Supervision taking the form of regular formal training and clinical reasoning sessions, peer review, case conferences. Access to
advice and
support from Clinical Lead, ESPs, GPwSI and externally by local Consultants Surgeon
To be professionally accountable and responsible for own work and to maintain a high standard of clinical care for patients in accordance with recognised standards,
guidelines or best practise
To induct and mentor physiotherapists and AHPs and to ensure competencies are completed in a timely fashion
To work within the CSP and Healthshare guidelines to maintain knowledge of national and local standards
and monitor own and colleagues safe and competent
practise.
To undertake and assist in audits of the OPD, Extended Scope clinics and other
services as required.
To participate in both professional and clinical supervision this might include supervising senior, less experienced physiotherapists and students.
This will
involve mentoring more than one member of staff.
Communication
To receive and interpret complex information about patients musculoskeletal
health,
the
impact on their quality of life. To facilitate patients to disclose sensitive information relevant to the presenting problem, this may include exploring work ability, sphincter disturbance and sexual function. Confidentiality
is maintained at all times.
To provide complex and sensitive information, in simple terms about diagnosis, prognosis, concerns, treatment options and scientific information to patients, carers and others (within and outside own profession), who may find such ideas difficult to understand due to differences in educational or language background, and who may not want to accept information provided. Information needs to be clearly conveyed without causing offence or distress. This must be done whilst ensuring that patients have full understanding.
To facilitate patients attitudinal change towards their condition and thus engage the patient with treatment
choices and empower self-management.
To diffuse potentially hostile and antagonistic situations with patients, staff and relatives, using highly developed negotiation and interpersonal skills.
To communicate with all other
healthcare professionals, and professional
networks concerning patient care and ensure good working relationships for the effective
provision of musculoskeletal management.
To effectively
and
efficiently
escalate information to appropriate senior clinicians where there is clinical concern related to serious pathology. This includes colleagues, GPs, Consultants
To report complaints to service lead or consultant physiotherapist
in
line with Healthshare formal complaints procedure.
To ensure effective
and
appropriate communication and reporting
takes place at all
times, both within the
hospital and to General Practitioners and other community based health team members.
To be responsible for typing/dictating and signing clinical letters/reports
to referrers and clinical departments at each stage of the pathway of care.
To develop and maintain effective communication channels with the multidisciplinary team
involved in the
MSK Triage and Outpatient Physiotherapy Service.
To attend and actively participate in any of the OPD, MSK Triage and team's meetings as required.
Deputising for the Team Leader as
required.
To initiate
and
maintain contacts with local and national clinical interest groups
appropriate to the musculoskeletal and spinal fields.
Education
To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through undertaking appropriate CPD
To maintain membership of and participate in Special Interest Groups as appropriate.
To demonstrate a highly skilled knowledge, understanding and ability to apply new research evidence and established theory into clinical practise across specialties of physiotherapy and orthopaedics.
To contribute to the development and improvement of service guidelines and protocols
To guide and advise less senior members of the team on patient management
Effort
To provide advice to patients relatives, carers and other AHPs to promote understanding of the aims of the care
pathway
Assess patient understanding of assessment/treatment proposals to gain valid consent and have the capacity to work within the legal framework with patients who lack capacity to connect to treatment
To demonstrate a sound undertaking of clinical governance and to demonstrate the use of treatment plans
with an evidence-based link.
To demonstrate
physical
ability
to carry
out physiotherapy assessment and interventions,
including highly developed manual physiotherapy techniques and therapeutic handling
To participate as required in appropriate work related research/evaluation projects
To assist in the Management of all
Complaints, Incidents and Near Misses.
To undertake monthly marketing activities to enhance the referral rate to the service
To be aware of the boundaries of own extended scope of practise and to manage the associated clinical risk
effectively at all times
To provide comprehensive progress and discharge reports to GPs, consultants and patients
To contribute to the induction of new staff into their clinical area To ensure safe practise through checking the standard of new starters documentation, assessment, treatment skills and competences with medical devices.
To contribute to the evaluation of the service through research and audit. To implement appropriate change in clinical practice and service as required and continue the audit cycle to monitor change.
To ensure that all relevant Key Performance Indicators are continually achieved including taking effective action and involving other colleagues where appropriate.
