Specialist Physiotherapist (non-rotational) - Pain & Rehab

Job overview

The post holder will provide a high standard physiotherapy service to patients through all stages of their Chronic Pain & Rehabilitation pathway.  As a non-rotational physiotherapist, act as a link person in the day to day running of the area of specialty, liaising with other professional team members.

Main duties of the job

To perform advanced physiotherapeutic assessment of patients with diverse and complex conditions, including but not limited to: Persistent Widespread Pain, Fibromyalgia, Joint Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Chronic Low Back Pain, Inflammatory joint disease and Osteogenesis Imperfecta.

To develop and deliver a patient focused management programmes across the range of rehabilitation programmes on offer. These include individual and group based education and treatment.

To be responsible for own caseload, working without direct supervision.  All aspects of clinical duties will be undertaken as an autonomous practitioner within the wider Multidisciplinary team. Supervision takes the form of regular formal training and clinical reasoning sessions, problem case sessions and peer review.   Access to advice and support from senior colleagues is available when required.

To supervise, educate and assess the performance of rotational staff, Therapy technician’s and physiotherapy students. To provide support and supervision to staff undergoing preceptorship and apprenticeships.

To undertake evidence based audit and research projects to further own and teams clinical practice.  To make recommendations to the Clinical Specialist for changes in practice by team.  To lead on the implementation of specific changes to practice.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including the management of patients in your care

• To undertake a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment of patients with diverse or complex presentations, using advanced clinical reasoning skills.

• To formulate and deliver an individual physiotherapy management programme based upon sound knowledge of the evidence of the treatment options available and skills to facilitate behaviour change

• To plan and prioritise your own patients case load and that of more junior staff and Therapy technician’s where necessary

• To take delegated responsibility from senior colleagues for managing and treating patients with particular conditions and be responsible for providing specialist physiotherapy assessment and management plans

• To recognising the impact of psychological and social factors on prognosis and able to develop discharge plans

• To determine the patients’ understanding of treatment proposals to ensure valid patient consent.  To understand and work within a legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent to treatment

• Be highly skilled in communicating with patients of all ages and cultural backgrounds who have a range of physical, psychological and language barriers to understanding

• To be able to effectively present information and facilitate discussion in small groups.

• To evaluate a patients’ progress, reassess and alter treatment programmes if required, ensuring reflective practice

• To manage clinical risk within own patient case load

• To work within Trust and Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) clinical guidelines and to have a good working knowledge of national and local standards and monitor own and others quality of practice as appropriate

• To be responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive patient treatment records in line with CSP standards of practice

• To supervise junior, rotational staff, Therapy Technician’s  and student physiotherapists record keeping according to professional and physiotherapy service standards

• To represent physiotherapy/individual patients at MDT meetings.  To ensure the delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service and integrate physiotherapy treatment into the treatment programme.  This will involve discussion of patient care, patient progress and involvement in discharge planning

• To be responsible for the safe and competent  use of all equipment and techniques  And ensure that junior staff and Therapy technicians attain competencies prior to use

• To be competent using the internet in the search for evidence based practice and the internal IT systems for communication purposes

• The post holder must comply with the Physiotherapy Code of Professional Conduct
• To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through CPD activities, maintaining a portfolio, which reflects personal development

• To be responsible for teaching student physiotherapists to graduate level and more junior staff on physiotherapeutic skills and knowledge within the Rehabilitation & Pain Management specialist unit

• To maintain and develop current knowledge of evidence based/best practice, developing specialist knowledge of particular conditions within specialist unit

• To undertake evidence based projects, contributing to changes in service delivery and clinical practice.

• To participate in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee and be responsible for complying with your agreed personal development programmes to meet set knowledge and competencies

• To assist more junior staff in the development of their IPR objectives, sometimes and appraise some junior staff where appropriate

• To undertake the measurement and evaluation of your current practice through the use of projects, audit and outcome measures either individually or working with more senior colleagues

• To actively participate in the in service training programmes, tutorials, individual training sessions, external courses and peer review

• Under direction, to collect data for use in service audit and research projects.  To manage and undertake research into specific areas of clinical practice and service delivery using a range of research methodologies as part of audit and research initiatives

• To be actively involved in professional clinical groups such as peer review groups, journal clubs, CSP interest groups and other professional development activities

• To provide clinical education and training to physiotherapy students to graduate level. To provide support, guidance and training to rotational staff and Therapy Technician’s , assessing and evaluating competence.

• 4.    Teach, assess and contribute to the performance assessment and appraisal of more junior  and therapy technician staff

Organisational

• Ensure that your own practice meets the required professional standards of physiotherapy practice

• To deputise for the Band 7 in their absence, taking responsibility for the day to day operational management of the team, allocating and organising the work of junior rotational staff and Therapy technician’s to meet service priorities

• To actively participate in other professional and departmental duties

• To support the work experience programme providing the opportunity for students to observe physiotherapy, thereby promoting the profession

• To be responsible for own time management in planning caseload to meet service and patient priorities

• Carry out assessments and treatments of patients with musculo-skeletal conditions requiring moderate to intense physical effort on a daily basis

• To comply with Trust manual handling policy and local therapeutic handling guidance at all times

• To deal sensitively with patients who have high levels of anxiety and aggression caused by pain or limited mobility

• To work alone at times when required

• 1.    To be responsible for the supervision and co-ordination of junior staff, students and Therapy Technician’s.

Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults At Risk

The Trust recognises its duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people and adults. Staff must at all times treat patients with dignity and respect protecting, young people and adults at risk from abuse and neglect

Employees have a responsibility to ensure that prompt and appropriate action is taken when concerns have been made about a child, young person or adults at risk.  Employees should be aware of their responsibilities as detailed in the Local Safeguarding Children Procedures and Safeguarding Adults at Risk Policy.

The Trust will assist you by providing mandatory training, support and advice.

Safeguarding children and adults is everyone’s business

IT Skills

All staff are required to demonstrate a level of IT literacy skills appropriate to their job, as the use of IT is fundamental in delivering good quality efficient health care.