Senior community physiotherapist

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1. Communication and relationship skills

To communicate effectively with patients and carers and other health professionals using a wide range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to share assessment findings, agree treatment plans, progress rehabilitation, give advice, teaching etc.  This will include patients with communication and comprehension difficulties and those who may be unable to accept diagnosis/prognosis.

To work with, and delegate work under protocol to associate practitioners, and other junior colleagues.

To liaise with health and social care professionals regarding patient care, treatment progress and discharge planning.

To liaise with staff in the inpatient setting sharing rehabilitation goals and how they are able to support the patient day to day

Maintain appropriate communication with the Team Leader, participating in regular supervision of caseload and seeking advice when appropriate.

Internal

Patients, Relatives and Carers

Referrers

Medical and Nursing Colleagues

Integrated Discharge Team

AHP colleagues

Members of the Physiotherapy Therapy Team

Physiotherapy peers in Medway

External

Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and Special Interest Groups

Colleagues in Medway NHS Trust and Physiotherapy Teams

Colleagues in Intermediate Care Teams and Social Care

Physiotherapy and AHP colleagues in referring/receiving hospitals

Equipment Services: Medequip, Wheelchairs, Prosthetics, Orthotics.

2. Knowledge, training and experience

• Diploma/degree in Physiotherapy
• Current Health Professions Council registration
• Membership of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
• Membership of Special Interest Group
• Post Graduate training e.g. courses, other CPD activities
• Broad range of experience at junior level.
• Experience of responding to demand/prioritising work/managing caseload
• Supervision of Physiotherapy students/junior staff
• Good knowledge of basic assessment and treatment of patients with a broad range of conditions- experience with neurological patients.
• Understanding of national and professional issues
• Knowledge or primary and secondary care services
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Able to communicate clearly with other team members and patients/carers
• Teaching and presentation skills
• Basic IT skills
• Able to demonstrate a holistic approach to patient management
• Able to work in and fully contribute to a team
• Basic audit skills
• Awareness of limitations, personal strengths and weaknesses
• Reflective practitioner
• Adopts a problem-solving approach
• Flexible, Reliable and organised
• Professional approach and appearance

3. Analytical and judgement skills 

To assess patient 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.

To undertake, record, continually review and work within individual patient Risk Assessments in line with local policy, referring to the Leader where risk cannot be safely reduced/managed.

To refer patients appropriately to other health and social care services according to protocol providing timely and detailed information to ensure good continuity of care.

4. Planning and organisational skills 

To contribute to the development of the team and wider Physiotherapy services making recommendations to the Team Leader. 

To be responsible for the supervision and co-ordination of less senior staff and students on a daily basis as allocated by the Team Leader. 

Deputise for the Team Leader in their absence, taking responsibility for the operational management of the team, allocating work and organising the work of less senior staff and assistants to meet service priorities. 

Ensure that your own practice and that of staff under your supervision meets legal, service and professional standards.

To comply with organisational, departmental and Trust policies and procedures and be involved in commenting on and proposing changes to, polices and protocols.

To collect and submit all data and statistics as required in a timely and accurate manner and ensure team members do so.

To be aware of Health and Safety aspects of your work and implement any policies, which may be required to improve the safety of your work area, including your prompt recording and reporting of accidents or concerns.

To manage clinical and non-clinical risk within own role according to team and Trust protocols including the development of individual patient clinical risk assessments and assist the Team Leader in ensuring the whole team do likewise.

To be responsible for organising and planning own caseload, allocated staff and work demands to meet patient and service priorities, in conjunction with the Team Leader, alerting them of excessive demands and effects on patient care

5. Physical skills 

To deliver individualised Physiotherapy treatment programmes using a broad range of Physiotherapy skills in individual and group settings.

To provide assessment and intervention for patients to maximise independence, enable adjustment to long term disability and support patients newly discharged from hospital.

To work as part of a large specialist multidisciplinary team.

Ability to travel across Medway in a timely manner.

6. Responsibility for patient / client care 

To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work including responsibility of an allocated patient caseload/workload.

To undertake assessments of patients including those with diverse and complex presentations and conditions: using clinical reasoning skills and assessment techniques to formulate individualised treatment plans and programmes.

To continually reassess patient progress, adapting treatment plans accordingly, and developing discharge plans.

To attend and actively contribute at MDT meetings, Ward Rounds, Case Conferences etc discussing patient care, treatment programmes, goals and discharge planning.

7. Responsibility for policy and service development implementation 

To contribute to the planning and provision of speciality placements for the under-graduate Physiotherapy students, training, supervising and contributing to their formal assessments.

Be actively involved in the planning, delivery and participation of in-service training programme, professional clinical groups, peer review groups, attendance at external courses and all other professional development activities.

Understanding of the balance of professional development needs with service needs              

8. Responsibilities for financial and physical resources 

To assess patients for standard and bespoke aids and appliances, request their provision and teach patients and carers in their safe application and use, assisting less senior staff where needed.

To be responsible, and assist the Team Leader with the team, in ensuring the safe and competent use of all equipment and facilities, ensuring faulty items are removed from use and reported for action.

9. Responsibilities for human resources (HR) 

To teach, assess and contribute to the appraisal and development of less senior team members.

To be responsible for maintain and developing own competency to practice and developing in depth knowledge of specialist areas and conditions, through professional development and CPD activities and maintain a portfolio which reflects development.

Participate in the Trust’s Staff Appraisal System as an appraisee, including the agreement of Personal Development Plans. 

10. Responsibilities for information resources 

To keep up to date, accurate, problem orientated medical records in Physiotherapy and MDT notes in line with Organisation policy, legal requirements and professional standards and to provide written reports, discharge summaries etc as required and to support the Team Leader in ensuring all team members achieve these standards.

Understanding of Clinical Governance and managing risk in your own work

11. Responsibilities for research and development (R&D) 

To participate in team and service audits and research projects, identifying areas for study in conjunction with the Team Leader. 

12. Freedom to act 

To abide by the Rules of Professional Conduct of the Health Professionals Council.

To develop and evidence your competence in the Clinical Education of Physiotherapy under-graduates, developing contact with university departments assigning students to the trust and contributing to the physiotherapy Clinical Educators Group, monitoring and improving the quality of Clinical Education in Physiotherapy