Physiotherapist

Job overview

Applications are welcome from both established Band 5 and 6 Physiotherapists, as well as newly qualified Physiotherapists.

The Discharge to Assess (D2A) Team has recently merged with our Bed Based teams across our 3 Community Hospitals. This is a hybrid role working as part of the D2A team but embedded within the inpatient team at Herts & Essex Hospital (HEH).  You would be joining a supportive team of qualified therapists and therapy support workers to provide senior clinical leadership to deliver quality care to our D2A patients within care homes in and around the East & North Hertfordshire area, as well as the inpatients at HEH.

It's expected that the split between these two services are as follows:

April-September - 1-2 days D2A & 3-4 days HEH

October-March - 2-3 days D2A & 2-3 days HEH

(Please note that this is dependent on team vacancies and sickness)

You will be based at HEH in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire. However, when providing the D2A service, the post holder will be required to travel between care homes within East & North Hertfordshire including, Stevenage, Hatfield & Broxbourne.

HEH is a 32 bedded unit providing rehabilitation for patients with a wide range of conditions such as falls, frailty, stroke, orthopaedics and amputees.

Main duties of the job

• To provide specialised assessment and treatment packages of high quality for patients with complex conditions including neurology and frailty.
• To provide expert advice, guidance and information to health and social care professionals, carers and relatives and other non- professionals.
• To contribute to the training, development and supervision of junior staff, rehabilitation assistants and students.
• To take a lead in the rehabilitation and discharge planning of patients as part of the "lead therapist" role. This involves the chairing of patient/ family meetings and making onward referrals.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To undertake a comprehensive assessment of patients including those with diverse or complex presentations/multi pathologies; use advanced clinical reasoning skills and manual assessment techniques to provide an accurate diagnosis.

To hold responsibility for own case load and be responsible for a defined area of the service, working without direct supervision.  Supervision takes the form of regular formal training and clinical reasoning sessions, peer review, case conferences and reflective practice.

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

To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own clinical practice and work.

To be responsible for providing advanced physiotherapy assessment and treatment plans for patients with stroke and other complex neurological conditions.

To assess and manage clinical risk within own patient caseload.

Represent D2A/ physiotherapy service and/or individual patients at the multi-disciplinary team meetings.

Ensure the delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service, and integrate physiotherapy treatment into the treatment programme. This will include discussion of individualised patient care and treatment packages, patient progress and involvement in discharge planning from the D2A service or bed bases.

To be responsible for the safe and competent use of all equipment used within the role. This will include walking aids, manual handling equipment, exercise equipment, electrotherapy equipment, splinting and orthotic devices and other patient appliances and aids.

To be responsible for organising and planning your own caseload to meet service and patient priorities.

To be adaptable and readjust plans as situations change/ arise.