Weekend Physiotherapist – Islington Urgent Community Response Team

Job overview

The post holder will deliver a weekend Physiotherapy service for the Islington Urgent Community response team (UCRT) and will be expected to work autonomously, managing their clinical workload and responding appropriately to urgent referrals and changing clinical priorities. The post holder will support Islington UCRT in providing rapid community-based assessment and intervention, with the aim of preventing avoidable hospital admission, and facilitating timely discharge from acute services.

Main duties of the job

This is a 15-hour-per-week Band 6 Physiotherapist post based at Hornsey Rise Health Centre. The post holder will enable continuity of the Urgent response service across the weekend period. During induction, the post holder will be expected to work outside their usual weekend hours for a defined period for training purposes. Following this, the post holder will primarily work independently during their weekend hours, although approximately 2 of the contracted hours will be worked on a Friday or Monday, as required, to facilitate handover, clinical supervision and liaison with the wider team.

This will ensure they are fully integrated into the UCRT service and equipped to work safely and effectively as an autonomous weekend practitioner.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Provide a high-quality, autonomous physiotherapy service within the Islington Urgent Community Response Team (UCRT), delivering timely assessment, intervention and clinical decision-making for adults experiencing acute deterioration, functional decline, falls, mobility problems, frailty and other urgent rehabilitation needs.
• Independently assess and manage a complex, varied caseload across patients’ homes and community settings, working primarily as a sole practitioner.
• Develop, deliver and review individualised, evidence-based physiotherapy and rehabilitation programmes to maximise patients’ function, independence and safety.
• Work collaboratively with patients and carers to promote self-management, rehabilitation and prevention of further deterioration.
• Identify and manage clinical risks, prioritise competing demands and make appropriate decisions regarding treatment, escalation and onward referral.
• Recognise when patients’ needs exceed own competence or authority and seek appropriate clinical advice or escalate concerns to the relevant UCRT team member.
• Work closely with the Urgent Response Nursing Team, Lead Physiotherapist and wider multidisciplinary team to support safe patient management, prevent avoidable hospital admissions, facilitate timely discharge and reduce unnecessary hospital stays.
• Contribute to multidisciplinary discussions about patient care, progress, rehabilitation, discharge planning and onward referrals, ensuring clear and timely handovers.
• Maintain accurate, contemporaneous clinical records and provide appropriate progress updates, discharge summaries and onward referral information in accordance with professional, legal, Trust and departmental requirements.
• Work flexibly and responsively according to weekend service requirements and patients’ changing clinical needs.
• Communicate effectively with patients, relatives and carers, adapting approaches to individual needs and overcoming barriers such as confusion, anxiety, cognitive impairment or communication difficulties.
• Communicate complex clinical information clearly with multidisciplinary colleagues and other health and social care professionals.
• Provide clear verbal and written handovers, communicating relevant clinical information, identified risks, treatment plans and escalation requirements.
• Establish and maintain effective professional relationships with UCRT colleagues and other community, health and social care services.
• Communicate sensitively with patients and families about rehabilitation goals, functional outcomes, risks, discharge plans and ongoing care needs.
• Attend relevant team meetings and contribute to case discussions to support coordinated, person-centred care.
• Maintain and develop professional knowledge and skills relevant to urgent community response, rehabilitation, frailty, falls and complex patient management.
• Participate in continuing professional development and maintain appropriate records in accordance with HCPC and Trust requirements.
• Contribute to the education and development of colleagues, students, patients, families and carers, as appropriate.
• Support clinical supervision, teaching and knowledge sharing within the UCRT team, including physiotherapy assessment, rehabilitation and clinical decision-making.
• Participate in induction, supervision and training to support safe, autonomous weekend working.
• Independently plan, organise and prioritise clinical workloads, responding appropriately to urgent referrals, changing priorities and competing demands.
• Manage time effectively to ensure timely patient assessment, intervention, documentation, communication and follow-up.
• Work autonomously while maintaining appropriate communication with the Lead Physiotherapist and wider UCRT team.
• Follow agreed arrangements for clinical escalation, supervision and handover when working independently at weekends.
• Contribute ideas to improve the quality, effectiveness and responsiveness of the weekend UCRT physiotherapy service.
• Work flexibly outside normal weekend hours for a defined induction period and, where required, for handover and clinical supervision. This includes approximately two hours on a Friday or Monday, by agreement with the service.
• Remain professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own practice, adhering to HCPC and CSP standards and relevant Trust policies and procedures.
• Maintain high standards of evidence-based clinical practice, ensuring assessments and treatments meet patients’ individual needs.
• Identify, manage and report clinical risks, incidents, near misses and safeguarding concerns in accordance with Trust policies and procedures.
• Participate in clinical audits, service evaluations and quality improvement activities as appropriate.
• Ensure patient information is recorded accurately and securely, maintaining confidentiality and complying with information governance requirements.
• Follow infection prevention and control, health and safety, manual handling and safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Use patient care equipment safely and appropriately, reporting defects or concerns promptly.
• Participate in professional supervision and appraisal, and maintain an appropriate personal development plan.
• Contribute to a safe, effective, responsive and person-centred UCRT service.

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.