Senior Physiotherapy Specialist/Respiratory Lead

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Therapy Team at Southport Hospital  as the Respiratory Lead Physiotherapist on a fixed term basis.

The post will involve providing specialist respiratory assessment and treatment for the in-patient adult acute wards, you will work closely with the wider acute therapy team and the Critical Care Specialist therapists.

The post holder will lead on  supervision and education of junior respiratory physiotherapists as well as responsibility for ensuring the operational delivery of the 7 day emergency respiratory on-call physiotherapy service.

The acute therapy team is a dynamic team made up of physiotherapists, occupational therapists and assistants.

We are based in Southport District General Hospital which is easily accessible by car or train from Liverpool City Centre (19 miles), Ormskirk (6.5 miles), Wigan (19 miles) and Manchester (44 miles).

The medical and surgical team is a dynamic multidisciplinary service, delivering an acute in-patient therapy service across a number of medical specialities including respiratory, cardiology, gastroenterology, care of the elderly, in addition to surgery, post-operative critical care and the therapy/nursing led 11A unit.

The successful candidate will support 7 day working and be supported by the clinical therapy management team.

The JD & PS are currently under AfC review and are subject to change

Main duties of the job

• To lead and manage the respiratory physiotherapy service with day to day operations, acting as a representative for the service.
• To act as an advanced clinician and a source of expertise and clinical support and supervision to physiotherapy, occupational therapy and therapy assistant staff within the service.
• To provide formal and informal training, supervision, appraisal and support  to members of staff within the team.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1. To provide a broad range of expert, complex therapeutic advice to patients carers for a wide range of medical conditions to meet varying complex needs. Advice on treatments may need to be given where there is no national or professional consensus to assessment and treatment.

2. To make recommendations to the Medical and Surgical Therapy Team and other Health Professionals regarding therapy needs of patients.

3. To ensure effective internal and external 2-way communication with patients, carers and all other Health and Social Care Professionals to negotiate, review and adapt care plans and in all aspects of patient care ensuring the holistic care of patients.

4. To demonstrate skills of active listening and respond to verbal and non-verbal cues of your patients or their carers, recognising and dealing with their concerns.

5. To provide and receive complex information which requires empathy and reassurance.  Communicating where there may be barriers to understanding, or when patients/their carers may be finding difficulty dealing with their diagnosis and where skills such as motivational  interviewing and counselling are required.

6. To accurately record all assessments and interventions on Therapy records, and in relevant nursing and medical records in line with Trust Policy, ensuring that the data is inputted onto the Trusts data collection/Information systems.

7. To lead and contribute to the production and evaluation of resources produced by the  department e.g. information and training packs, advice leaflets etc.

8. Liaise with Therapists across the region and refer to other health professionals to ensure appropriate care pathways for those patients seeking information outside your area of skills and knowledge.

9. Liaise with colleagues at other Hospitals to ensure a seamless transfer of care between hospitals.

10. To be a member of the multi-disciplinary team and actively participate in M.D.T. meetings and case conferences.

11. To provide cover and when necessary deputise for other team leaders and Therapy Managers during periods of annual leave/sickness.

Advertising date: 15th May 2024

Closing date: 27th May 2024

Shortlisting date: 28th May 2024

Interview date: 4th June 2024