Highly Specialised Physiotherapist Specialising in Cystic Fibrosis

Job overview

An exciting 12 month opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and proactive respiratory physiotherapist (Band 7) to join the Cystic Fibrosis physiotherapy service at Alder Hey.

Alder Hey provides shared care together with a network of 11 district general hospitals across the North West, North Wales and the Isle of Man looking after over 300 children and their families.

The successful candidate will work as a physiotherapist within the multidisciplinary team for children and young people with cystic fibrosis. They will support the children and their families when they have admissions to Alder Hey, during the multidisciplinary team clinics, and through attendance at the joint peripheral clinics with the local team.

You will have access to regular clinical and managerial supervision and be supported by our band 8a clinical specialist and management team within the Acute Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Service at Alder Hey.

Main duties of the job

• Supporting clinical specialist in CF clinics
• Supporting CF team in the treatment and management of inpatients and outpatients
• Home visits to support new diagnosis and community exercise sessions to support engagement
• Support the running of our North West CF network through contact and communications with regional partners and delivery of shared care clinics.
• Organising, and completing exercise testing of the CF cohort. Entering data from these and feeding results back to family as relevant.
• Support with data input for the CF registry and clinical trials ran through and by Alder Hey.
• Participation in clinical audit, service evaluation and research delivery within the CF team and wider respiratory service.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Alder Hey Children’s NHS Trust provides local and network care for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients within the North West region. The postholder will take a lead role locally and regionally in the planning, implementation and progression of all aspects of physiotherapy management for CF patients from diagnosis to transition to adult services.
• To take a clinical lead in the provision of a comprehensive respiratory physiotherapy service including the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of children with CF and respiratory conditions in an inpatient, outpatient, home and community setting.
• The post holder will use highly developed assessment skills to provide individualised treatment plans, using a range of modalities including exercise, adjuncts, nebulisation therapy and ventilatory support to promote wellbeing with a holistic approach to clinical management.
• The post holder will contribute to the assessment and monitoring of CF patients at Annual Review, in accordance with national guidelines. They will formulate and evolve realistic and achievable management plans working in conjunction with the patient and their families/carers.
• The Band 7 physiotherapist will take a lead role in providing education and advice to patients, families, carers and MDT colleagues regarding all aspects of CF and respiratory physiotherapy management. This will include teaching and supervision of students, physiotherapy assistants and colleagues.
• The post holder will initiate and actively participate in audit and research projects in respiratory care and CF, supported by the respiratory Clinical Specialists and disseminating results as appropriate
• Support and build on transition pathways between Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust and our adult service colleagues at Liverpool Heart and Chest hospital.

Please refer to Job Description and Person Specification for additional information.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.