Senior Physiotherapist

Job overview

We are seeking an enthusiastic and dynamic individual to work within Intermediate Care Services in the delivery of Physiotherapy interventions that will promote real improvements in patient safety, patient experience and clinical effectiveness.

This is an excellent opportunity to gain experience in working in the community setting and develop an exciting career within Intermediate Care in Walsall.

We are looking for Physiotherapists with a broad range of under and post-graduate experience that will support the need for an efficient, proactive service in order to support patients who require rehabilitation following discharge from hospital, or support with hospital avoidance.

We are a multi discliplinary team working closely with our social care colleagues. We provide opportunity for professional development and are proud to have won Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust AHP Team of the Year in 2024.

PLEASE NOTE, WE MAY CLOSE THIS VACANCY EARLY IF WE RECEIVE A HIGH NUMBERS OF APPLICATIONS

Main duties of the job

To work as a Band 6 physiotherapist within the Rehabilitation Services of Walsall Healthcare Physiotherapy.

To act as an autonomous and collaborative practitioner within a variety of multi-disciplinary and interagency teams providing a high standard of physiotherapy to rehabilitation services, this involves working alone as part of a multi-disciplinary team within residential / nursing and community settings.

To participate in the planning, development and evaluation of ICS therapy services.

To provide daily leadership to junior staff through supervision and appraisal, and to contribute to the supervision and training of physiotherapy students on practice placements.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner, including professional and legal accountability and managing clinical risk for all aspects of own work. Some aspects of work will involve delivery of the care as an individual practitioner or as part of a multi-disciplinary team.  In most cases to be the sole health professional with responsibility for that patient’s episode of care.

To be responsible for organising and planning own caseload to meet service and patient priorities. Readjusting plans as situations change/arise.

To undertake advanced physiotherapeutic assessment of patients with diverse or complex physical, psychological, cognitive and behavioural conditions in order to provide an accurate diagnosis and prognosis.  To formulate and deliver an individualised physiotherapy treatment programme including therapeutic handling, patient education, provision of exercise (individual/group), and other options.  This includes the appropriate selection of referrals for inclusion in a range of treatment programmes, one-to-one sessions using advanced treatment options, advanced communication, questioning and reasoning skills.

Supervision takes the form of regular formal training, clinical reasoning sessions and peer review.  Access to advice and support from senior physiotherapists is available if required.  Clinical work is not routinely evaluated or supervised.

To undertake as directed a collection of data for use in service audit and research projects within the Intermediate Care Team.  To manage and undertake research in specific areas of clinical practice and service delivery using a range of research methodologies as part of MDT audit and Rehabilitation Services research initiatives. Make recommendations to clinical lead/manager of rehabilitation services changes to practice by the team. May implement specific changes to practice.

To be responsible for safe and competent assessment, provision and use of physiotherapy equipment, patient appliances and aids by patients ensuring that junior staff/assistants/technical instructor attain competency prior to use.

Assess patient understanding of treatment proposals; gain valid formal consent and jointly agreed goals.  To have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.

Communication will include imparting sensitive and comprehensive information relating to diagnosis, prognosis, physical and functional recovery and potential lifestyle adjustments to patients and their relatives.  This may involve informing patients that they may be unable to return to their previous level of activity/work/leisure or remain at home safely.

Regular use of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to discuss complex information about underlying influences, prognosis, and progression of rehabilitation and treatment programmes with patient or carer.  This will include patients who may have difficulties with regard to complex emotional, psychological as well as physical conditions relating to the presenting complaint.  This client group includes those who have difficulties in understanding or communicating; the patient may by dysphasic, depressed, deaf, and blind or who may be unable to accept their diagnosis.  Communication will involve use of skills in motivating, negotiating, counselling, training, empathising and reassuring.