Extended Scope Practitioner (ESP) with Special Interest in Long Covid

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

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

To hold responsibility for own caseload within a defined area of the service,
working as part of the MDT.

To perform advanced assessment of patients with diverse presentations,
to provide a diagnosis and deliver a specialised treatment plan, based on
evidenced based practice.

To maintain associated records

To be involved in peer review sessions as necessary.

Knowledge skills and experience required:

Clinical

Act as an expert clinician within the Long Covid Service undertaking
comprehensive assessments of patients with diverse and complex
presentations. Use advanced clinical reasoning and assessment skills to
formulate an accurate clinical diagnosis and individual specific
management and evidence based treatment objectives.

To be competent in referring for diagnostic tests (i.e. x-ray, MRI, ultrasound,
EMG studies and blood tests) and be able to competently interpret results as required, communicate outcomes professionally to patients, sometimes
delivering difficult news.

To possess specialist clinical knowledge related to Long Covid acquired
through Master’s level (or equivalent) study, supplemented by vast
specialist training experience.

Act as an expert clinician for Long Covid offering advice, support and
guidance and acting in a consultancy role for other staff.

To support the inpatient follow up service for patients diagnosed with Covid 19 as inpatients, working in close collaboration with the Long Covid Lead and other disciplines (i.e. physiotherapy/nursing staff and respiratory
consultant)

To work closely with the SWFT Respiratory wards and department to
ensure Long Covid patients are offered an equitable service across South
Warwickshire.

To work within CSP, Departmental & Trust Guidelines, National Clinical
Guidelines and National Service Frameworks and to monitor own and
others standards of practice, as appropriate.

Managerial / Organisational

Together with the Long Covid Pathway Lead deputise for the operational
management and co-ordination of the Long Covid Service, in line with Trust
policies and procedures.

To work with the Long Covid Lead and to evaluate Long Covid Services
and inpatient follow up and undertake strategic and operational planning
and implementation of service developments to provide patients with the
best evidenced care within resources available.

Work with the Long Covid Lead to collect activity and clinical audit data
relevant to the SWFT Long Covid Service. Analyse and interpret data to
provide reports and recommendations to the Long Covid Pathway Leads.

The post holder will help ensure that the Long Covid Service delivers
effective healthcare that is evidence based and in line with professional and
trust policies and NICE guidelines using accredited outcome measures in
order to provide a high quality service and will support the Long Covid Team to achieve this.

Liaising with the Long Covid Lead ensure SWFT Long Covid Service is
coordinated and integrated effectively conforming to professional and trust standards, in line with the principles of Healthcare Governance and the Quality Care Commission Standards.

To assess and manage clinical risk within the limits of own scope of
practice. To be aware of Health and Safety aspects of work and implement
any trust policies, including prompt recording and reporting of incidents
using the Trust incident reporting system.

To provide support, teaching, specialist and highly specialist advice to
other staff within the Long Covid team on a planned and spontaneous
basis. E.g. peers, less experienced colleagues; assistants, medical or
work experience students on observational visits or staff from other
clinical areas.

To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work.

To set a high personal standard of work and professional attitude and
encourage others to do likewise.

To maintain assessment, treatment and discharge records/reports and
follow guidelines, protocols and procedures in accordance with
professional, legal and departmental standards.

To be responsible for organising and planning own caseload to meet
service and patient priorities. Re-adjusting plans as situations
change/arise.

To have an active role in facilitating quality care by contribution towards
development of clinical guidelines or pathways, education, standard setting, audit and research.

To contribute to meeting the requirements of the Trust’s Corporate
Governance agenda.

To be committed to a team approach in order to provide continuity and
efficiency of service provision.

To maintain high morale and sound staff relations within the department.

To actively participate in clinical trials, relevant to area of practice, within
the multi-disciplinary teams

Professional / Educational

To maintain and further develop own clinical Professional Development
(CPD) by keeping abreast of any new trends and developments, evidence
based practice and incorporate them as appropriate into own clinical
practice to maintain competency to practice. Provide evidence of how
learning is applied

To be an active member of the in-service training programme by attending
and delivering presentations and training. To attend external courses as
well as practising reflective practice, peer review and personal study.

To participate in the staff appraisal scheme and Personal Development
Review (PDR) as both an appraiser and appraisee and to be responsible
for complying with the agreed personal development plan.

To undertake the measurement and evaluation of your work and current
practice through the use of Evidence Based Practice (EBP) projects,
audit, outcome measures, either individually, within the clinical speciality
or with a manager. Make recommendations for change.

To demonstrate a sound understanding of Clinical Governance and Risk
Management and apply these principles to the work situation

To attend professional meetings, and departmental team meetings as
required

To provide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to
relatives, carers and other professionals, to promote understanding of the
aims and goals relating to physiotherapy and to ensure a consistent
approach to patient care to such a level that where appropriate relatives
and carers are able to carry out the therapy programme including
discussing the implications of diagnosis and long term rehabilitation with
clients and their relatives

To provide highly specialist advice to physiotherapy colleagues working
within other clinical areas in clinical matters relating to your specialist area

To provide expert specialist advice, teaching and training to other
members of the MDT regarding the physical / rehabilitation management
of patients with a diversity of highly complex conditions in work place and
domiciliary setting if required in specialist area

To give advice and provide clinical supervision for band’s 5 and 6, to
provide clinical supervision to other Band 7s and 8as.

To induct, train, supervise and manage performance of more junior staff,
support workers and students. This will include the use of formal appraisal
documentation in relation to staff.

To take on the role of clinical educator and participate in education of
physiotherapy students on placement from local universities. To include
recording of activities and undertaking clinical reasoning, in conjunction
with university clinical staff.

Communications and Working Relationships

To communicate the clinical diagnosis and facilitate understanding of
mutually agreed treatment plans. To gain informed consent to treatment in
accordance with trust policy. This will frequently involve communication
with patients/carers who have complex emotional, physical and
psychological conditions (e.g. deafness, dysphasia, depression) and will
require expert use of verbal and non-verbal communication tools.

To communicate effectively with patients, relatives on an individual basis in
order to maximise rehabilitation potential. This may require explanation
instruction, persuasion, motivation, negotiation and reassurance or use of
behavioural modification techniques.

To communicate with other relevant professionals (e.g. GP, Consultants,
Psychologists) and provide highly specialist advice regarding patient
needs.

To be aware of the need for sensitivity and understanding when
communicating with patients who may be anxious or hostile especially
when imparting information about chronic conditions.

To be legally accountable for all aspects of your role and produce accurate,
legible, comprehensive and contemporaneous documentation, in line with
the HCPC Core standards and Trust policies and legal requirements.

Use digital dictation to compile clinic letters according to CSP, HCPC and
Trust standards, ensuring reports are completed timely and compiled
professionally.