Job Description

A vacancy has arisen for an enthusiastic and flexible band 5 Physiotherapist to join an established, friendly and dynamic service, at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust.



You will be given the opportunity to assess and treat patients in the following clinical areas on a four monthly rotational basis at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich:



Acute Medicine (including ICU, Respiratory and Surgery)



Trauma Orthopaedics



Medical Rehabilitation (including elderly care)



Musculoskeletal Outpatients (including Amputee Rehab)



Neuro Outlier In-Patients



Stroke (UHL)



You will need to be enthusiastic and willing to develop your assessment and treatment skills and to contribute to exciting service developments on site as part of the emerging changes to care and rehabilitation at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.



You will be supervised by experienced senior physiotherapists, with clinical support from experienced support workers.



7 day working is under development at the Trust bringing the opportunity to work in innovative and forward thinking teams, providing a high quality service to patients. You will be required to contribute to emergency and weekend rotas accordingly.



Continued professional development is encouraged and viewed as integral to providing a quality service for patients. We offer regular supervision, in-service training and actively promote the personal development of all our therapists.



Working in Therapies



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVS-EjGWloM



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PLEASE NOTE THAT FOR THIS POST WE MAY RECEIVE A LARGE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS. WHERE THIS IS EVIDENT WE WILL LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF APPLICATIONS WE CAN DEAL WITH AND MAY CLOSE THE ADVERT PRIOR TO THE ADVERTISED DATE



Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:



Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development



Widening access (anchor institution) and employability



Improving the experience of staff with disability



Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development



Making equalities mainstream

Job Summary:

To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner.



To perform physiotherapeutic assessment of patients with diverse presentations and complex physical and psychological conditions - to provide a provisional diagnosis, develop and deliver an individualised treatment programme.



To take responsibility for own caseload, being responsible for a defined area of the service, with access to a senior physiotherapist. Formal supervision is comprised of regular in-service training, appraisal, clinical reasoning sessions, documentation and caseload reviews and observation of clinical assessment / treatment or related discussion. When working as part of the emergency duty rota no supervision is available.



With the team, to participate in evidence based audit / research activity to further the team's clinical practice within each rotation.



7-day working for Therapies is under development within the Trust and it is anticipated that the postholder will be required to work at weekends on a roster basis during some of the above rotations.



To provide a physiotherapy service - including assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of patients in the Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust.



To participate in the rotation scheme, which involves working across the Trust in a range of clinical areas including ward and outpatient settings.

Key Result Areas & Performance:

CLINICAL



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



1.2 To undertake a comprehensive, and holistic, assessment of patients including those with complex presentations / multi-pathologies (e.g. acutely ill, paediatric, elderly, orthopaedic and neurological patients).



1.3 To use manual and other assessment techniques and clinical reasoning skills to provide an accurate diagnosis of patients' conditions and identify their problems.



1.4 To assess patients' understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent to treatment.



1.5 To use clinical assessment and reasoning skills combined with a knowledge of patho-physiology, evidence-based practice and treatment strategies (e.g. breathing exercises, suction, respiratory treatment modalities (NIV, IPPB and CPAP), positioning, manual and neurological techniques, exercise, patient education, care pathways, electrotherapy, hydrotherapy, group work etc.) to provide an appropriate and effective treatment plan and agreed goals.



1.6 To evaluate patients' progress, re-assess and alter treatment programmes as required.



1.7 To formulate accurate prognoses and liaise with the multi-disciplinary team as appropriate regarding discharge planning to ensure safe, timely and effective discharge from hospital, or following an outpatient episode of care.



1.8 To be responsible for the safe and competent use of gym, electrotherapy and respiratory equipment, as well as the use of other aids and appliances by patients in your working area, ensuring that any Assistants also attain competency prior to use.



1.9 To take responsibility from the Senior Physiotherapists for managing patients with particular conditions, and be responsible for providing physiotherapy assessment and treatment plans for patients with these conditions within each rotation.



1.10 To use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication skills to communicate effectively with patients during assessment and treatment. This will include patients who have difficulties in communicating e.g. patients who are depressed, deaf, blind, have cognitive and/or communication impairments, require interpreters or those who are unable to accept their diagnoses.



1.11 To use active listening and optimum communication skills to discuss patients' concerns, worries and prognoses with them and their families, for example patients who have progressive, degenerative or terminal illness and those with newly acquired disabilities.



1.12 To communicate appropriately at all times with all individuals in a respectful manner, eg people who are confused, aggressive or who hold different cultural beliefs.



1.13 To be an active member of the on-call & weekend rota.



1.14 To be confident and competent to undertake the assessment and treatment of acutely ill patients with respiratory problems who may have a complex presentation, and maintain associated records, when working on the emergency duty rota and inpatient rotations.



1.15 To provide advice to medical and nursing staff and other members of the multi-disciplinary team regarding patients' respiratory conditions, when working on the emergency duty rota and inpatient rotations.



1.16 To supervise and delegate to Assistants and provide training when appropriate.



1.18 To work within Trust, departmental and CSP guidelines, ensuring a good working knowledge of national and local standards.



1.19 To ensure your practice meets the required high professional standard of physiotherapy practice.



MANAGEMENT



2.1 To maintain an accurate and evaluative record keeping system in accordance with the Trust and departmental policies, and which can be used for audit and legal purposes.



2.2 To be responsible for organising, prioritising and planning your own caseload to meet service needs and patient priorities, adjusting plans as situations arise.



2.3 To identify and manage clinical risk within your own patient caseload and clinical area.



2.4 To comply with all Trust policies and procedures, and the Health & Safety at Work Act, and the Data Protection Act. To report on complaints, accidents and clinical incidents to the immediate senior as soon as possible.



2.5 To be familiar with and comply with local fire procedures.



2.6 To be familiar with all Trust and Therapy emergency and precautionary procedures, and to respond as necessary, e.g. hydrotherapy, emergency resuscitation, infection control etc.



2.7 To ensure that all equipment defects are reported to the Senior Physiotherapist / Therapy Manager immediately, and that appropriate action is then taken.



2.8 To advise and demonstrate to carers, nursing and other staff safe manual handling, positioning and moving of patients.



2.9 To provide training on use of equipment and management of conditions for carers, nursing and other staff when necessary.



2.10 To participate in the induction programme for new Band 5 and Band 6 staff where appropriate.



2.11 To make appropriate referrals to other health professionals following assessment / identification of need.



2.12 To undertake additional duties as may be deemed necessary, as requested by the Senior Physiotherapist in the specific rotation (e.g. covering additional meetings, classes and clinics when necessary).



EDUCATION AND TRAINING



To comply with the requirements of the Band 5 Knowledge and Skills Framework outline.



3.2 To participate in the individual performance review (appraisal) scheme and to be responsible for complying with your agreed personal development plan to meet set goals.



3.3 To be responsible for maintaining your competence to practise and Health Professions Council Registration, through C.P.D. activities and maintaining a portfolio which reflects personal development.



3.4 To participate in and contribute to the in-service education programmes of the specific rotation and of the department.



3.5 To participate in mandatory and statutory training, having an awareness of and complying with Trust and departmental procedures e.g. emergency resuscitation, hydrotherapy resuscitation, fire evacuation and manual handling procedures.



3.6 To attend Trust in-house training sessions / programmes and external courses as appropriate.



3.7 To contribute to the education of Therapy Assistants when necessary.



3.8 To contribute to the clinical education of physiotherapy students by participating in observational visits, and supporting senior physiotherapists in their role as clinical educators.



COMMUNICATION



4.1 To participate in staff meetings, ward rounds, case conferences, multi-disciplinary team meetings and other meetings of the specific unit and Therapy department as required.



4.2 To maintain close links with the Therapy Manager and Senior Physiotherapist in the specific rotation, as well as maintaining close working relationships with other disciplines within the hospital (e.g. joint treatment sessions with Occupational Therapists and Speech & Language Therapists), to ensure optimal patient care and management.



4.3 To provide comprehensive discharge summaries and patient reports when requested by Doctors and outside bodies (e.g. Young People's Disability (YPD) Service etc, legal and disability reports).



4.4 To participate in IT training and be able to use therapy computer software.



4.5 To encourage health promotion within the Hospital and Community by example and advice to individual patients.