Specialist community paediatric physiotherapist

Job overview

• The Specialist Children’s Division is a highly experienced and Professional multi-disciplinary provision delivering Therapeutic services for children with the London borough of Enfield.
• The services currently comprise of: Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech and language therapy, Dietetics, Complex Needs and Palliative Care Nursing and Specialist Family support. The service works closely with other disciplines within the Child Development Team and Primary Care Team (Health Visiting, School Nursing and Safeguarding services) to provide services across the borough
• The service also works closely with the Local Authority (Joint service for children with Disabilities and Special Education Needs Department) including Schools in the provision of a joined-up Health, Education and Social Care provision.
• The Physiotherapy service is an established Musculoskeletal (0-18 years) and Neurodisability (0-19 years) service which provides specialised Physiotherapy assessment and intervention to children with varying needs in community settings, special schools, clinic and the CDC.
• The band 7 physiotherapist will have a mixed caseload consisting of children of all ages.
• The service works with other disciplines within the Child Development Team and Primary Care Team (Health Visiting, School Nursing and Safeguarding services) to provide services across the borough.

Main duties of the job

• To provide specialist assessment for children aged 0-19, who may have complex presentation, to determine relevant clinical picture and specific treatment indicated, working as an autonomous practitioner
• To provide specialist advice and work closely with members of the multidisciplinary team, including Paediatricians, Orthopaedic Consultants, GPs, SLT, OT, Nurses, Social care professionals, educational professionals and other services.
• To educate families and carers regarding their child’s specific physiotherapy management including exercise programmes, targeted activities, positioning advice and physical activity recommendations.
• To work closely with Wheelchair services, Orthotics department and other specialist equipment agencies, Voluntary agencies and other professional groups to ensure physiotherapy treatment is fully integrated into patient care programmes.
• To be responsible for the appropriate physiotherapy treatment of an identified group of children, with a wide variety of conditions, including children with severe physical and/or cognitive impairment, some of whom may have complex social and psychological needs
• To formulate individualised physiotherapy management and treatment plans using clinical reasoning skills and utilizing a wide range of specialist treatment approaches.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To maintain an accurate and evaluative record keeping system using POMR (problem orientated medical records) format and in accordance with departmental standards in order to maintain a high level of care and legal evidence of practice

To write high quality, concise and informative physiotherapy reports, discharge summaries and EHCP advice.

To work effectively with clients, carers, colleagues and education staff around individual case management, providing advice, guidance and support as necessary and involving them in the planning and prioritisation of care wherever possible

To attend TAF (team around the family), professional and children protection proceedings, demonstrating the ability to provide accurate and objective information, which may be used as evidence in legal cases and require attendance at court proceedings.

To safeguard and promote the welfare of children and work to agreed safeguarding children policies

To demonstrate a sound understanding of risk management and to undertake risk assessments involved in the manual handling of the children during physiotherapy management.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.