Community Physiotherapist

Job overview

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Community Physiotherapist (Rotational post Band 6)

We are offering an exciting career opportunity for an experienced physiotherapist to join our well-established Community Physiotherapy Team, to cover a maternity leave within the community physiotherapy pathway.  The team works works alongside in a number of specialties, including the Transfer of Care Hub, Urgent Care Response Therapy, inpatient rehab, stroke, neurology (LTC) and the community falls service.

You will join our forward-thinking multidisciplinary teams to deliver high quality patient care, tailored to meet the patient’s needs in a variety of settings. You will be assessing and treating patients with a diverse range of conditions and multi-pathologies in a number of clinical settings. You may see people only once following surgery through to patients living with complex and long-term conditions, including the frail elderly.

You will be asked to provide expert opinion whether a patient can remain within their home with additional support or require hospital admission. As your caseload will be varied, experience in all core rotations with evidence of working with older people and the multidisciplinary team is essential.

This post is based at Honor Oak Health Centre, 20 Turnham Road SE4 2LA.

Main duties of the job

You will be required to assess the patient’s physical, social and psychological needs in discussion with the patient, carers and the multidisciplinary team. You will formulate and implement treatment plans and delegate tasks to the rehabilitation assistants as appropriate.

Good IT, written and verbal communication skills are important to liaise with a wide range of healthcare professions, the patients and their carers. You will need to be flexible, able to work alone and as part of a team and will be required to travel across the borough via car or other means (e.g bicycle). Community experience is desired but not essential.

Continuing Professional Development is encouraged through the online appraisal system. Senior and peer support is available at all times, and you are encouraged to take part in the regular in-service education programme.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Purpose

1          To provide a physiotherapy service of assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of patients in the borough of Lewisham.

Job Summary

1          To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner.

2          To perform advanced physiotherapeutic assessment of patients with diverse presentations and complex physical and psychological conditions; to provide a provisional diagnosis and develop and deliver an individualised treatment programme.

3          To take responsibility for own caseload, being responsible for a defined area of the service, with the support of a Band 7/8 physiotherapist.

4          With the team, to participate in evidence-based audit / research activity to further the team's clinical practice.

5          To make recommendations to the lead Band 7/8 for any changes to practice by the team.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1          CLINICAL

• To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of your own work, including the management of patients in your care.
• To undertake a comprehensive, and holistic, assessment of patients including those with complex presentations / multi-pathologies.
• To use manual and other assessment techniques and clinical reasoning skills to provide an accurate diagnosis of patients' conditions and identify their problems.
• 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.
• To use clinical assessment and reasoning skills combined with a specialist knowledge and clinical experience of patho-physiology, evidence-based practice and treatment strategies to provide an effective treatment plan and goals in collaboration with the patient.
• To evaluate patients' progress, re-assess and alter treatment programmes as required.
• To formulate accurate prognoses and liaise with the multi-disciplinary team regarding discharge planning, where necessary, to ensure safe, timely and effective discharge from hospital and following a community-based episode of care.
• To be responsible for the safe and competent use of electrotherapy, manual handling and respiratory equipment, as well as the use of other aids and appliances by patients in your working area, ensuring that any Band 5 Physiotherapists and assistant staff attain competency prior to use.
• To use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication skills to communicate effectively with patients during assessment and treatment. To communicate appropriately at all times with all individuals in a respectful manner.
• 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 and those with newly acquired disabilities.
• To work within Trust, departmental and CSP guidelines, ensuring a good working knowledge of national and local standards.
• When working in the community and domicilary settings, to work as a lone practitioner with telephone support from a senior physiotherapist if required.
• To participate in 8am- 8pm, 7/7 working pattern.

2          MANAGEMENT

• 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.
• To be responsible for organising, prioritising and planning your own caseload to meet service needs and patient priorities, adjusting plans as situations arise.
• To identify and manage clinical risk within your own patient caseload and clinical Area,
• To comply with all Trust policies and procedures, and the Health & Safety at Work Act, and the Data Protection Act.  To report on complaints, accidents and clinical incidents to the immediate senior as soon as possible.
• To be familiar with and comply with local fire procedures.
• To be familiar with all Trust and Therapy emergency and precautionary procedures,  both on and off site, and to respond as necessary – eg. hydrotherapy, emergency resuscitation, infection control etc.
• To ensure that all equipment defects are reported to the Therapy Manager immediately, and that appropriate action is then taken.
• To advise and demonstrate to carers, nursing and other staff on the safe manual handling, positioning and moving of patients.
• To provide training on the use of equipment and management of conditions for

carers, nursing and other staff when necessary.

• To make appropriate referrals to other health professionals following assessment / identification of need.
• To participate in the managerial matters of the unit and department as required, and to attend staff meetings.

3          EDUCATION AND TRAINING

• To participate in mandatory and statutory training, having an awareness of and complying with Trust and departmental procedures.
• To attend Trust in-house training sessions / programmes and external courses as appropriate.
• To contribute to the education of Therapy Assistants when necessary.

4          COMMUNICATION

• To participate in staff meetings, ward rounds, seminars/case conferences, multi-disciplinary team meetings and other meetings of the specific unit and Therapy department as required, providing a clinical opinion about specific patients.
• To maintain close links with the Therapy Manager and Band 7 Physiotherapist in the specific rotation, as well as maintaining close working relationships with other disciplines within the hospital to ensure optimal patient care and management.
• To ensure close links of communication / liaison with the Therapy Manager, senior staff, schools of physiotherapy and all other disciplines involved in patient care, both in the hospital and in the community, and to promote good working relationships.
• To provide comprehensive discharge summaries and patient reports when requested by Doctors and outside bodies.
• To participate in IT training and be able to use therapy computer software.
• To encourage health promotion within the Hospital and Community by example and advice to individual patients.
• To deal with any verbal and telephone complaints from patients, relatives or carers, ensuring necessary documentation.  To report on any such complaints to the immediate senior as soon as possible.

5          RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND AUDIT

• To be involved, with the clinical team, in clinical / organisational audits, ensuring quality standards of service are maintained.
• To be aware of current research and best evidence relevant to the clinical speciality, and incorporate it into your treatment.
• To work with members of the team to identify needs and develop the service and policies.