Job Description

An exciting opportunity has arisen within Whittington Health for an experienced band 5 or existing band 6 physiotherapist to develop their skills and knowledge in a range of challenging rotations



The Physiotherapy service covers a broad range of services with 6 monthly B6 rotations, you will have the chance to deepen your experience as an autonomous practitioner. Working as part of integrated Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Teams you will be providing a high standard physiotherapy service to patients at Whittington Health



Respiratory ward Including active participation in physio led acute NIV provision



ITU Working in a 15 bedded ITU



General Medicine W orking with Gastro, Haematology and general medical patients



Care Of Older Persons Team A dedicated unit for older people presenting with complex needs including, frailty, delirium, dementia, medical comorbidities, and social concerns. There is also an opportunity to work with neurological outliers



Acute Medical Admissions and ED Working on AMU and ED with an admission avoidance focus



Orthopaedics Surgical and Trauma at Whittington and Elective at the purpose built Southern Elective Orthopaedic Hub



Community Discharge to Assess Supporting the transition from hospital to home



All rotations strongly encourage CPD, and there are robust in-service training, appraisal, and personal development programmes. The Whittington has a reputation for providing a friendly working environment with supportive and experienced clinicians



As an autonomous practitioner to provide a high standard physiotherapy service to patients within Whittington Health as part of a six-monthly rotations through Whittington Hospital, Southern Elective Orthopaedic Hub and Islington Discharge to Assess Service.



To supervise and teach Junior Physiotherapists (Band 5), Therapy Assistants and Technicians, and students and be involved in teaching colleagues from other disciplines.



Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.



1. Clinical



Work as an autonomous practitioner, to assess and treat own caseload of patients, including those with complex presentations. In each rotation treatment decisions will be underpinned by specialist knowledge gained from post graduate study of evidence-based treatments and from previous experience.



To carry out assessment of patients, including those with complex presentations, drawing on a wide range of information sources and using clinical reasoning skills to determine an accurate diagnosis and to identify an appropriate physiotherapy care plan from the many treatment options available.



To utilising a wide range of treatment skills in delivery of treatment plans having the highly developed physical skills necessary for provision of effective physiotherapy treatment



To formulate and deliver physiotherapy treatment programmes in a variety of settings and as part of a 24/7 service. Settings include: hospital, community, patients' home, home visits, as part of a team, as a sole practitioner and as on call physiotherapist.



To work collaboratively to prevent inappropriate hospital admissions and to facilitate hospital discharge in order to minimise hospital stays.



To develop comprehensive discharge plans in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary team members.



To keep accurate treatment records, which fulfil legal and statistical requirements, and which are in accordance with HPC/CSP/Trust/departmental standards.



To provide comprehensive progress and discharge reports to GP's, consultants, patients, members of the multi-disciplinary team and other patient services as required.



Demonstrate the ability to seek guidance and support when needed or when treatment required is not within scope of professional knowledge or skill.



To manage clinical risk within own patient caseload at all times



To work flexibly to provide cover in other clinical areas when required.



2 Communication



To gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent to treatment.



To be able to motivate and persuade others through effective communication skills, with the benefit of verbal and non-verbal skills, for example, patients with communication difficulties, hearing or sight impairments, memory loss, mental illness or those who may be unable to accept their diagnosis.



To communicate effectively providing and receiving complex information in relation to patients care including but not limited to liaising with:



Other members of the Multi-disciplinary team (Consultants, General Practitioners, medical staff, Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language therapists, Dietitians, Social Workers etc) to develop and agree management programmes for the patients in your care adopting and developing effective interpersonal skills to ensure comprehensive management.

Relatives or carers to gain the best possible understanding of each patient and give suitable guidance and support



To arrange and participate in case conferences with patients who have complex physical, psychological and social presentations.

To produce written, electronic and verbal reports for the MDT other Health or Social care providers and be able to convey this to the patient in an accessible and meaningful manner, often in the face of communication barriers.



To build a network of professional contacts across a range of professions in various settings such as community services, social services and other acute hospitals.



To attend Professional physiotherapy staff meetings and other meetings when necessary.



3 Education and Training



Maintain and develop current knowledge of evidence-based practice in each rotation, developing specialist knowledge of particular conditions and patient types.



To contribute to the education of multidisciplinary groups, patients, families and carers as appropriate.



To, be actively involved in induction and education of new staff, rotating staff and students.



To be responsible for and actively record own professional development and maintain a CPD portfolio which reflects the same.



To be pro-active in organising, teaching and actively participating in the in-service and post-registration education programme within every clinical area. Attendance of other outside courses/lectures is encouraged.



4 Management

4.1 Organisation:

To flexibly plan and organise own time, patient caseload and meetings (including ward, departmental, inter-departmental and service development meetings) and adjusting plans according to staffing levels.



To carry an identified bleep as required by rotation and be able to respond to unpredictable work and frequent interruptions.



To assist the team leader in allocating and organising the work of junior, assistant, technical instructor, and student staff to meet service priorities on a daily basis and to deputise fully in their absence.



To deputise for the team leader during periods of absence ensuring on-going smooth running of the team.



To be responsible for the day-to-day supervision of junior and/or assistant/tech grade staff and to assist in the line-management of junior staff as delegated by team leader including setting of staff objectives and completing staff appraisal for junior staff.



To implement department and trust policies in each rotation and contribute to service development by proposing changes to current practice.



To take responsibility for allocated departmental duties or attendance at committees as requested.

4.2 Physical Resources:

To be responsible for the safe and competent use of all patient related equipment and ensure that junior staff/assistants/technical instructors attain competency prior to use.



To implement department and trust policies in each rotation and contribute to service development by proposing changes to current practice.

4.3 Human Resources :

To supervise and assist in the line-management of junior physiotherapists, Apprentices, Therapy Technicians and assistants as delegated by team leader



To be responsible for the supervision, co-ordination and appraisal of junior staff/students and assistants on a daily basis.



To be responsible for teaching junior staff/students and assistants including formal group session (theoretical and practical), watched assessments and complex patient reviews.



To be responsible for undergraduate student physiotherapists in accordance with the fair share policy, as allocated by the team leader and to regularly liaise with academic institutions. This involves continual assessment of the student's competency and grading them accordingly.



Please see the and the Persons Specification for further details about the job role.