Job Description

We are looking for a dedicated and compassionate Pelvic Health Physiotherapist to join our team on a 12-month fixed-term contract or secondment opportunity to cover maternity . This is an exciting opportunity to work within a supportive and dynamic Pelvic Health outpatient service.

Some Key responsibilities include:

To provide advanced assessment and treatment for a range of highly complex patients within the MSK/Pelvic Health outpatient service.



To supervise, teach and appraise Band 5 physiotherapists, technicians, assistants, students and other members of the multi-disciplinary team.



To support the team leader with operational management.



To participate in CPD, IST, audit, evidence-based projects and service development projects which may include making recommendations for change in practice.



Outpatient settings include Worthing, Southlands, Littlehampton Health Centre and satellite clinics. Also covering Hydrotherapy.



To provide advanced assessment, treatment and management for a range of potentially highly complex patients with pelvic conditions. Patients will be seen in an in-patient and out-patient setting.



To supervise, teach and support members of the Pelvic Health Physiotherapy team and multi-disciplinary team.



To liaise with other physiotherapists as necessary, with regards to patient care and arrange outpatient /community /clinic appointments when required.

To be an active member within the team and ensure good communication skills with other professions both verbally and in writing e.g. maintaining comprehensive and contemporaneous patient record and be responsible for the writing of legal reports when necessary

To communicate effectively with other disciplines outside the immediate team both internally and externally to ensure an ongoing multidisciplinary approach to care. This communication will be both verbal and written, such as providing clinic letters and referral letters.

To initiate and maintain contacts with local and national clinical interest groups appropriate to the clinical field.



To communicate effectively with patients with a variety of communication difficulties e.g. blind, deaf, dysphasic, and for people who do not have English as their first language, on a one-to-one level and to enable the patient to integrate in group activities. This will involve the effective use of verbal, written, pictorial, tactile and visual communication tools.



Educate patients, carers and relevant MDT staff on a range of topics including therapeutic positioning, exercises, mobility activities and advice and education with regards to patient condition



We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping them manage their health, avoid hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.



Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.



Why work for us?

Positive 2024 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeing Varied environments: community hospitals, patients' homes, and bases across Sussex Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retirement Excellent training, development, and research opportunities Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brighton Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networks Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trust Beautiful Sussex location near the South Downs and coast

Our values -- Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence --guide everything we do.



We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.



This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.



To be responsible for implementing within your clinical practice the relevant standards and policies, including those applicable to the Trust, and wider policies and guidelines, for example set by the CSP / NICE etc.



To ensure that as an individual practitioner the post holder advises the Team Lead and Physiotherapy Manager of any changes to the service to ensure quality and effectiveness of care for their patients.



To work with the physiotherapy team to provide an efficient and effective service.



Be involved in the proposal/development and implementation of departmental policies, pathways, guidelines etc.



To comply with fire, health & safety, universal precautions, infection control measures and all other departmental policies.



To report all complaints/incidents to the immediate senior member of staff and document accordingly.



To identify areas where the service is not working as effectively or efficiently as possible and liaise with the line manager, offering reasoned ideas for solutions.



To propose and make changes to working practices in consultation with the team leader where applicable. To support the ongoing development and improvements of Physiotherapy services.



To work a rostered 7-day service when implemented.



To ensure that junior members of the team are informed of developments and changes and that they work to these standards.



To assist in the supervision of Band 5 physiotherapists, physiotherapy technicians, and physiotherapy students on clinical placements.



To share responsibility for the training of students on placement, juniors, technicians and assistants within the clinical area. Being

proactive with teaching in practical situations, assessing competencies, delivering good quality in-service training.



To participate in the Trust Appraisal Scheme both as an appraiser and an appraisee.



To carry out role as an appraisee by appraising staff in-line with department appraisal guidelines, at least annually and jointly helping devise learning needs, objectives and development plans for staff.



To give staff ongoing support to aid them in achieving their objectives.



To have a role in organising relevant in-service training programs and supporting its delivery



To communicate on a regular basis with staff regarding the Trust's objectives, plans and business developments.



To discuss expected outcomes of training and development activity with staff prior to attending training events.



To discuss outcomes with staff after attending training and development activities and to assist staff to transfer, develop and use new skills acquired.



To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through continued professional development activities and recording this in a portfolio and in the KSF document.



To keep abreast of all new developments, which includes activities such as attending IST, relevant study days and reading current literature.



To work with the pelvic health and wider physiotherapy teams to provide an efficient and effective service.



To propose and make changes to working practices in consultation with the team lead where applicable. To support the ongoing development and improvements of pelvic health services.



To maintain a high standard of clinical care using evidence-based practices and evaluate the outcomes.



To be responsible as an autonomous practitioner to undertake a significant clinical caseload and identify signs of serious pathology and refer on to appropriate specialists.



To undertake the comprehensive assessment and treatment of a variety of patients including those with complex presentations.



To develop skills in the management, assessment and treatment of patients in the following areas: pelvic floor dysfunction, obstetric and postnatal musculoskeletal disorders.



To undertake comprehensive triage and assessment of patients including those with complex presentation using investigative and analytical skills. To seek guidance from Senior staff as required and give guidance to junior staff.



To devise an individualised management and/or treatment plan, using clinical reasoning skills, utilising a range of treatment options and evidence-based practice.



To be able to devise and lead specialist treatments which may include group work e.g. classes including PGP, antenatal and postnatal hydrotherapy, general MSK classes.



To participate in group education classes, antenatal and postnatal classes (including hydrotherapy groups).



To devise an individualised pelvic health management and/or treatment plan, using clinical reasoning skills, utilising a range of treatment options and evidence-based practice.



To demonstrate a sound understanding of clinical governance, clinical risk and to demonstrate the use of treatment plans with an evidence-based link.



To demonstrate physical ability to carry out assessment and interventions, including highly developed manual techniques and therapeutic handling. There is sometimes a requirement to exert moderate physical effort for some periods of the day.



To be responsible for implementing within your clinical practice the relevant standards and policies.



To demonstrate the trust values and attitudes regarding the management of patients and everyday working with colleagues.



To seek guidance from senior staff as required and to give guidance to more junior staff.



To be responsible for the safe use of equipment used in carrying out duties, adhering to the department's medical devices policy. This includes competence and accuracy to use equipment by

yourself and other healthcare professionals, carers and patients e.g. monitoring and maintaining the safety and condition of the gym equipment.



To be able to manage potentially stressful, upsetting or emotional situations in an empathetic manner including patients with chronic pain presentations and psychosocial problems.



To be solely responsible for leading outpatient classes including hydrotherapy, conditioning lower limb, dynamic lower limb, back and shoulder classes.



To be responsible for the safe use of equipment used in carrying out physiotherapy duties, adhering to the department's medical devices policy. This includes competence and accuracy to use equipment by yourself and other healthcare professionals, carers and patients e.g. TENS machines, maternity belts and walking aids. To be able to assess and treat patients over the phone.



Attend mandatory training updates as required.



Undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with the line manager as part of the personal development process.



Achieve and demonstrate agreed standards of personal and professional development within agreed timescales.



Identify your own learning needs and jointly plan training requirements with your line manager.



Participate in the Trust's appraisal process to discuss how your role will help deliver the best possible care to our patients and help to deliver any changes

To liaise with other physiotherapists as necessary, with regards to patient care and arrange outpatient /community /clinic appointments when required.



To be an active member within the team and ensure good communication skills with other professionals both verbally and in writing e.g. in the patients' notes and be responsible for the writing of legal reports when necessary



To communicate effectively with other disciplines outside the immediate team both internally and externally to ensure an ongoing multidisciplinary approach to care. This communication will be both verbal and written, such as providing clinic letters, transfer reports.



To initiate and maintain contacts with local and national clinical interest groups appropriate to the clinical field.