Trainee (Apprentice) Physiotherapist (Annex 21)

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To be professional and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of your own work including the management of patients/clients in your care.
• To undertake a comprehensive assessment of patients/clients including those with diverse or complex presentations/multi pathologies; use specialist clinical reasoning skills and appropriate assessment techniques to provide an accurate diagnosis of their condition.
• Formulate and deliver an individual treatment programme using assessment, reasoning skills and treatment skills based on a sound knowledge of evidence based practice and treatment options.
• To take delegated responsibility from a senior clinician for managing patients/clients with particular conditions and be responsible for providing specialist assessment and treatment plans for patients with these conditions.
• Evaluate patient progress, reassess and alter treatment programmes as required, reporting back to senior clinician with regular support and advice.
• To have the ability to undertake self-directed/lone working in a variety of locations.
• To participate in weekend, evening working and seven day working rota’s. 

CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• To maintain Professional Registration.
• To work within Trust clinical guidelines, HPC and CSP guidelines and to have a working knowledge of national and local standards and monitor own and others quality of practise against these .
• To establish, maintain and develop professional working relationships with colleagues.
• To be responsible for a designated area of work, as delegated by a senior clinician. Plan and organise efficiently and effectively patient/client caseload and use of time for self.
• To be responsible for equipment used in carrying out clinical duties, and to adhere to policy, including competence to use equipment and to ensure the safe use of equipment by others through teaching, training and supervision of practice.
• To provide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to relatives, carers and other professionals to promote understanding of the aims of treatment and to ensure a consistent approach to patient care.
• To provide clinical advice to colleagues working within other clinical areas.
• To train / supervise more junior staff and students. This will include the use of formal appraisal documentation
• To communicate effectively with patients and carers to maximise potential and to ensure understanding of their condition.
• To assess capacity, gain valid informed consent and have the ability to work within a legal framework with patients/clients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
• To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with the multi-disciplinary team (MDT team) to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service.  This will include participating in a variety of MDT internal and external agency meetings and forums plus other forms of verbal/written communication as necessary including report writing and referrals to other agencies.
• To communicate highly sensitive information effectively with all patient groups/clients/carers where there may be difficulties in accepting or understanding information.
• To maintain tact and diplomacy and use highly developed communication skills when working in situations which may become hostile/antagonistic including potential complaints as per Trust Policy.
• To be aware of and to be responsive to the changing nature of the trust and adopt a flexible and pro-active approach to work.

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

• To maintain accurate, comprehensive and up to date documentation, in line with legal and local requirements and communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines in the form of reports and letters.
• To undertake as directed the collection of appropriate data and statistics for the use of the department.

TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSBILITIES

• To maintain own clinical professional development (CPD) by keeping abreast of any new trends and developments, and incorporate them as appropriate into your work. To support other staff to do likewise.
• To be an active member of relevant training programmes attending, delivering presentations, training sessions at staff meetings, tutorials  and by attending external courses and being a reflective practitioner.
• To participate in the supervision scheme as supervisor and supervisee when appropriate.

LINE MANAGEMENT/SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

To demonstrate leadership by means of:

-          Effecting change within sphere of practice when and where indicated, to improve service delivery.

-          Motivating, supporting and enabling others to contribute towards the effectiveness and success of the Therapy Team.

• To take responsibility for own decision making and the decisions of their team which effect service delivery.
• To undertake any other duties that would be expected of a band 5 practitioner

CLINICAL GOVERNANCE, RESEARCH & AUDIT

• To adhere to the CSP code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and comply with local and national standards of practice.
• Implement policy and service development changes as directed
• To demonstrate a sound understanding of clinical governance and risk management and apply to work situation.
• To undertake the measurement and evaluation of your work and current practices through the use of evidence based practice projects, audit and outcome measures under direct guidance. 
• To comply with the organisational and departmental policies and procedures and to be involved in the reviewing and updating as appropriate.
• To support research activity within the Service.
• To engage actively in practice development, evaluation, audit and research activities relevant to service to promote evidence based practice.

GENERAL DUTIES

• To observe the provisions of and adhere to all Trust policies and procedures.

• To actively participate in the annual performance review to identify personal development needs

• To attend Trust Statutory and Mandatory training sessions as required and any other training courses relevant to the post.

• To fully comply with the relevant sections of the Health and Safety at Work Act.  They must also understand and implement St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Hospitals Trust “Statement of Policy on Health and Safety at Work” and the Trust corporate “Health and Safety Policies and Procedures”.  You are required to follow all applicable rules and procedures relating to Health and Safety at Work and to take all responsible precautions to avoid actions.

·         To be aware of the confidential aspects of the post. To keep up to date with the requirements of information governance; undertake mandatory training and follow Trust policies and procedures to ensure that trust information is dealt with legally, securely, efficiently and effectively. Breaches of confidentiality will result in disciplinary action that may involve dismissal. You must maintain the confidentiality of information about service user staff and organisational business in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation 2018 (GDPR) and Caldicott principles.

•  The post holder should also be aware that, regardless of any action taken by the employing authority, breaches of confidentiality could result in civil action for damages.

·         All staff will be treated with respect by management, colleagues, patients and visitors and equally staff will treat management, colleagues, patients and visitors with the same level of respect. Staff will be supported to challenge any discriminatory behaviour that may be based on differences in race, disability, language, culture, religion, sexuality, age, and gender or employment status.

·         You will be expected to undertake the Trusts’ commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

·         To ensure that when creating, managing and sharing information records it is done in an appropriate way, subject to statutory requirements and agreed security and confidentiality policies, procedures and guidelines.  All employees are responsible for implementing and maintaining data quality, ensuring that records are legible and attributable and that the record keeping is contemporaneous

·         In accordance with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, the post holder will actively participate in the prevention and control of infection within the capacity of their role.  The Act requires the post holder to attend infection prevention and control training on induction and at regular updates and to take responsibility for the practical application of the training in the course of their work.  Infection prevention and control must be included in any personal development plan and/or appraisal.

·         To adhere to relevant Code of Practice of Professional body (if appropriate)

• The post holder must be flexible in the duties performed and it is expected that similar duties, not specifically listed above, will be carried out as required and may be cross site.

• The duties contained in this job description are not intended to be exhaustive.  The duties and responsibilities of this post are likely to evolve in line with the Trust’s continued organisational development.

·         To adhere to the NHS Constitution and its principles and values. You must be aware of your Duty of Candour which means that you must be open and honest during your employment and if you see something wrong, you must raise it. You must read the NHS Constitution in full and can download this from the Trusts intranet site or the www.gov.uk website. Hard copies are available from the HR Department on request.

·         The Trust is a non-smoking site. Failure to follow this rule could lead to disciplinary action.