Physiotherapist in Elderly Medicine

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an innovative and motivated individual to join the Elderly Medical team as a static Band 6 Physiotherapist within the Therapy department at Northampton General Hospital, part of the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.

Do you have a special interest in working with the elderly population? Do you have the skills and experience to work with the often complex medical, physical, psychological and social situations our patients have? This is the opportunity for you! It is essential that you have excellent communication skills as many of our patients have either physical or cognitive deficits that affect their abilities.

This role will help you develop specialist clinical skills for working with the elderly and frail cohort of patients, as well as allowing you the opportunity to be involved in staff development, audit and service improvement.

We welcome applicants looking to further develop their band 6 skills or those seeking development into their first band 6 role. You will  receive regular supervisions from the Clinical Leads ensuring you are working towards your personal development plan.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to be a preceptor in our newly established Preceptorship programme, supporting newly qualified staff settle into their role as an autonomous practitioner.

Main duties of the job

• To perform more advanced and detailed assessments of patients presenting with a wide range of complex conditions and comorbidities; providing a plan and goals to develop, and to deliver an individualised treatment programme to our patients on the inpatient elderly wards.
• To work closely with Occupational Therapy colleagues to provide joint therapies assessments and treatment plans enabling efficient use of Therapies Team resources.
• To manage a caseload and be responsible for a defined area of the service, working without direct supervision, managing attendance of board rounds and ward meetings to contribute significantly to patient flow when ward based
• To pro-actively contribute to the timely and efficient discharge planning process for patients by selecting and implementing appropriate assessments and interventions, promoting a joint therapies approach with Occupational Therapy colleagues.
• To be highly skilled in identifying pathways of patient care and to have awareness of discharge plans and suitable discharge locations.
• Provide clinical support and access to advice and supervision for junior staff

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Corporate Responsibilities

• Build safe working knowledge of all equipment used to provide safe patient care and participate in maintenance and training

Supporting Clinical and Patient Excellence

• To work autonomously within the elderly therapy teams to provide excellent Physiotherapy care to a diverse client group
• Manage a caseload independently on designated elderly medical wards and support junior staff with their caseload management
• To increase and expand knowledge base and experience, clinically and non-clinically
• To undertake a comprehensive assessment of patients including those with diverse or complex presentation/multiple pathologies; use advanced clinical reasoning skills and manual assessment techniques
• Formulate and deliver a complete specialised Physiotherapy programme based on sound knowledge of evidence based practise and treatment options
• Ensure that all patients have a documented problem list and goals that the patient has been involved in creating.
• To represent the Therapy service and/or individual patients at multidisciplinary team meetings.  This will include discussion of patient care, progress and involvement in discharge planning
• Use clinical reasoning to balance risk, safety, patient choice and eligibility for services
• To provide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to colleagues, relatives and carers when appropriate to promote understanding of the aims of therapy
• Provide support to patients and carers, sharing information to enable them to make informed decisions regarding Physiotherapy recommendations and discharge arrangements
• Liaise with health and social care professionals and other related statutory, private and voluntary organisations, providing verbal and written reports and referrals where appropriate, in accordance with data protection principles.
• Lead on appropriate service development activities through participation in team meetings and service development sessions
• In the absence of Therapy colleagues through planned or unplanned leave, work flexibly to meet the prioritised needs of the Therapy service both within the specific clinical areas and across all service areas
• To participate in 7-day working patterns, including Bank Holidays
• To be an active member of the respiratory on call overnight and weekend rota.
• To submit claim forms in a timely manner following the departments Health Roster Standard Operating Procedure.
• Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate current Physiotherapy research and apply this to practice in conjunction with the Therapy team

People / Management Excellence

• To deputise for team band 7’s as necessary to ensure smooth running of service.
• To be involved in band 5 and support workers appraisals and Preceptorship programme as well as supporting students within the Therapy department.

Supporting Financial Excellence

• To make best use of NHS resources

Professional Responsibilities, Quality Assurance and Monitoring

• To work within Trust Core Competencies and objectives, RCOT guidelines, HCPC standards and code of conduct and to have good working knowledge of national and local standards and policies
• Complete all work necessary to maintain registration and encourage others to do so
• Monitor own and others’ quality and standard of practice by appraisal and review
• Maintain and monitor standards on health and safety, consent, note keeping, clinical governance, continuous professional development on both a personal, professional and departmental level
• To supervise and teach students on placement

Policy and Service Development, Research and Development Responsibilities

• To use information such as Clinical governance, NICE, and other clinical specific guidelines and evidence of best practice to assist in producing working guidelines, competencies and objectives to develop the service

OTHER INFORMATION

• The post-holder may be required to carry out other relevant duties as required.
• The post-holder will adhere to the duties specified under the Staff Responsibilities of the NHS Constitution in their day-to-day work and behaviours.
• The post-holder will be expected to aspire to the Values of the Trust in their day-to-day work and behaviours in order to support the Trust in achieving its Vision.
• The post-holder will adhere to, at all times, any Professional, NHS Code or Conducts and legislation relevant for their area of work.
• The post-holder will make themselves familiar with, and adhere to, at all times, the policies and  procedures of the Trust, and their area of work.
• The post-holder will be expected to work to any Corporate/Division/Directorate/Department objectives and standards in order to provide an acceptable level of service.
• The post-holder will be expected to undertake training, including mandatory and role-specific training, relevant to their role and ensure it is renewed as required.

This job description reflects the present requirements of the post and it does not form part of the contract of employment.  As the duties of the post change and develop the job description will be reviewed and will be subject to amendment, in consultation with the post-holder.  It is the Trust’s aim to reach agreement on reasonable changes, but if agreement is not possible, the Trust reserves the right to effect changes to the post-holder’s job description after consultation with the Appropriate notice of such changes will be given.