ORLAU Specialist Physiotherapist and Team Lead

Job overview

An opportunity has arisen for a physiotherapist to join the team to cover maternity leave on a 12 month basis.  This would be an excellent opportunity for someone looking to step up and gain team lead and management experience.

The role combines specialist clinical practice with acting as team lead for our therapists.  It would suit someone looking to explore specialist practice, which will include research and teaching, and who is keen to develop their leadership skills.  Support will be provided in both areas to help the new postholder develop in their career.

ORLAU is specialist centre with a national and international reputation in the field of gait analysis, rehabilitation engineering and orthotics.  Services are offered in a multidisciplinary team context with consultants, physiotherapists, orthotists, clinical scientists (engineers) and technicians.  The department has its own gait laboratories and design and manufacturing facilities for assistive technology.  Specialist staff are active in teaching and training, nationally and internationally, and engage in research and development activities.  The work of the department is covered by accreditation national and international standards (ISO 9001, 13485).

Main duties of the job

• To act as physiotherapy team lead, taking line management responsibility for team members. •    To perform advanced physiotherapeutic assessment of patients with diverse presentations and complex physical and psychological conditions, to provide a diagnosis and develop and deliver an individual treatment programme. •    As part of the multidisciplinary team, to assess, monitor and suggest treatments for patients with diverse gait abnormalities using advanced techniques including clinical examination, 3-dimensional and video movement analysis and electromyography •    To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner. •    Supervise, educate and assess the performance of physiotherapy students, and work closely with the university to ensure teaching meets the standards set by the degree level qualification. •    To lead audits, surveys and evidence-based projects to further own and teams clinical practice as required. To make recommendation of any associated changes to practice by the team.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Organisational Responsibilities

• To participate in the overall management and strategic development of ORLAU through membership of the senior management team.
• To chair team and project meetings as required.
• To lead the physiotherapy team in ORLAU, acting as line manager for the B5/6 physios and any support staff, ensuring all team members develop their skills and practice and engage in appropriate training and CPD.
• To conduct team appraisals, sickness and performance management, managing and approving annual leave through the e-roster system.
• To work with the Clinical Services Lead in the development of physiotherapy job plans.
• To join with other senior staff in managing ORLAU risks and incidents through Datix.
• To provide supervision and co-ordination of junior staff and students a daily basis.
• To be responsible for organising and planning own work caseload to meet service and patient priorities, realising the need to be flexible and being able to adjust plans/delegate, as situations arise.
• To take the lead, when required, in responding to unplanned events, for example rearranging MDT job plans and clinic templates and prioritising patients for cancellation in the event of staff sickness.
• Deputise for the Clinical Service Lead or ORLAU Manager in their absence taking responsibility for the operational management of the team.
• To plan and lead audits, collecting data and using a range of research methodologies and statistical techniques as part of clinical audit and act as an auditor for the department’s ISO9001/13485 Quality Management System, ensuring compliance with national standards (eg CMAS).
• To co-ordinate the delivery of research projects involving ORLAU’s physiotherapy team, working with the Clinical Service Lead and experienced researchers.
• To develop and update standard operating procedures and recording forms for the service, based on current evidence of best practice.
• To identify opportunities to improve/develop the physiotherapy service within ORLAU in order to provide the best patient care within the resources available.
• To lead components of the regular departmental meetings, including presenting new ideas for the progress and planning of the service.
• To be responsible for the safe and competent use of Rehabilitation Engineering  equipment and orthotic devices  by patients and by junior and student physiotherapists through teaching, training and supervision of practice.

Clinical

• To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own work including the management of patients in your care and supporting less experienced staff to do likewise.
• To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner.
• To undertake a comprehensive assessment of patients, both adults and children, with movement impairment including those with diverse or highly complex presentations/multi pathologies and use advanced clinical reasoning skills and manual assessment techniques to provide an accurate diagnosis of their condition. (This includes muscle testing and gait assessment).
• Assess patients understanding of treatment proposals, gain informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
• To plan and deliver individual physiotherapy treatment proposals, based on specialist knowledge of evidence based practice and treatment options using clinical assessment, reasoning skills and knowledge of treatment skills/options e.g. patient education and advice, exercises and manual physiotherapy techniques, correct manual handling techniques.
• Continually reassess/evaluate patient progress and alter treatment programmes as required.
• To represent the physiotherapy service and/or individual patients at the multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings, to ensure the delivery of a coordinated multidisciplinary service and integrate physiotherapy goals into the overall treatment programme. This will include discussion of patient care, patient progress, appropriate referrals for further interventions and involvement in discharge plans.
• To effectively communicate with patients and their parents and/or carers, to progress and encourage compliance with their treatment and rehabilitation programmes. This will include patients who may have difficulties in understanding or communicating; for example patients who are deaf, blind, illiterate, dysphasic, have learning difficulties, have mental health problems (including those with suicidal tendencies), those experiencing difficulties accepting their diagnosis, and for those who may not speak English or it is their second language. This will involve the use of skills such as persuasion, motivation and explanation to ensure optimum outcomes for the patient.
• To provide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to relatives, carers and other professional to promote understanding of the aims of physiotherapy and to ensure a consistent approach to patient care.
• To accept clinical responsibility for a designated case load of patients, to organise this effectively and efficiently with regard to clinical priorities and use of time.
• To participate in the Movement Analysis, Rehabilitation Engineering  and Physiotherapy Team meetings, taking responsibility as meeting chair where necessary, to ensure the maintenance of a high standard of care for patients and the development of practice.
• To support patients through acceptance of stressful, complex physical conditions.
• Consistently maintain accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date treatment records for your patients, in line with legal (CSP Standards of Physiotherapy practice) and departmental requirements and communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines in the form of reports or letters when appropriate.
• To be responsible for the safe and competent use of all Rehabilitation Engineering devices, orthotics and patient walking aids/appliances.
• To demonstrate highly developed dexterity, co-ordination and advanced palpatory senses for assessment and manual treatment of patients.
• To be involved in the assessment for and provision of specialised equipment, including standing frames, walking devices, orthotics, contracture correction devices and Function Electrical Stimulation.
• To participate in the provision of a physiotherapy service within ORLAU, this will include outreach clinics and independent working.
• To participate in the assessment of applicable patients and organisation of the treatment plans and follow up appointments.
• To be familiar with the Quality Management (QM) System  (BS EN ISO 9001:2008) and work in accordance with the QM procedures.
• To work within the multidisciplinary team as part of the Movement Analysis Service in the assessment of movement problems and undertake protocols defined by the QM documentation eg clinical examination, anthropometrical measurements, marker placement, electromyography and energy testing.
• To report clinical data, including video and graphical output from complex measurement systems, compiling evidence based treatment recommendations.

Professional

• Be responsible for maintaining and developing own manual dexterity and competency to practice through CPD activities including relevant internal and external courses to ensure an advanced level of knowledge and skills and maintain a portfolio which reflect personal development. Keep abreast of developments in the profession and encourage others to do likewise. To be aware of the professional clinical interest groups.
• To set high personal and professional standards of work within the CSP/Trusts clinical guidelines, National Service Frameworks (NSF) and NICE guidance and monitor own and others quality of practice as appropriate.
• To be responsible for teaching student physiotherapists to graduate level on physiotherapeutic skills and knowledge within the area of ORLAU’s practice. This will involve the use of appraisal documentation.
• To assist with the training and supervision of less experienced staff and Physiotherapy TI.
• To organise and participate in the programme of in-service training as an active member, by attendance at and/or delivery of presentations and training sessions, either separately or at shared learning sessions.
• To participate in the staff appraisal scheme and personal development plan as both appraiser and appraisee.
• Undertake the measure and evaluation of own work in line with current physiotherapy practice through application of EBP (Evidence Based Practice), audit, research, outcome measures and reflective practice.
• Be responsible for the safe and competent use of Rehabilitation Engineering equipment and orthotic devices by patients and by less experienced and student physiotherapists through teaching training and supervision of practice.
• To take on the optional responsibility of link training for Health and Safety, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or Manual handling, or some other additional training duty within the department as requested.

Please see attached Job Description for further information.

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