Band 6 Physiotherapist

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Inpatient services

PROFESSIONALLY ACCOUNTABLE TO: Therapy Lead
CLINICALLY ACCOUNTABLE TO: Therapy Clinical Lead
BAND: 6 (Please note that new entrants to the NHS [or 
new to the band] commence at the bottom of 
the salary scale)
HOURS: 37.5 

Job Purpose

As part of the Multidisciplinary in patients’ service, the post holder will work in partnership to assist in the facilitation of hospital discharge and the provision of rehabilitative treatment in line with the overall objectives of the service. 
The post holder will act as an experienced practitioner for physiotherapy providing evidence based specialist knowledge and skills within the Urgent Care division.
The post holder will ensure access to complex and routine Physiotherapy assessment and intervention, provide and monitor treatment programmes and ensure safe discharge or referral on to other services as appropriate. They will work in partnership with patients, carers and 
other health and social care agencies to promote independence and develop individual plans of care relevant to patient need.
This post offers an exciting challenge to work within the Discharge to Assess Model with a complex clinical caseload of general medical, trauma and orthopaedics and neurological conditions of older people, and focuses on client-centred practice within a holistic approach. 
 
The post holder will be expected to work multi professionally, support other team members’ roles and contribute to the future development of the service providing professional advice and appropriate training to others in the multi-disciplinary service.
 

Responsible for supervison of:-
Rotational Physiotherapist
Physiotherapy students on placement
Therapy Assistant Practitioner
Junior therapy staff 

No budgetary responsibilities 

Main Duties
• To work in accordance with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) ‘Rules of Professional Conduct’, and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) ‘Standards of Proficiency’.
• To be responsible for carrying and prioritising own caseload and assisting junior physiotherapy staff, Rehabilitation Technicians and Rehabilitation Assistants to manage their caseloads ensuring effective handover of caseloads during periods of absence.
• To actively contribute in the promotion and development of Falls Awareness, in conjunction with partner agencies raising general awareness with the aim of reducing falls risk factors.
• To ensure, where possible, that all intervention is evidence based, utilising appropriate outcome measures when applicable.
• To be professionally accountable and responsible for all aspects of own work, including the generic and or specialist assessment of clients with a variety of conditions, ascertaining appropriate information, analysing their physical, social and psychological needs, planning, organising and evaluating complex programmes and sign posting to the appropriate professionals within the service and external agencies as required.
• To assess, reassess and provide appropriate physiotherapy Interventions and treatment programmes based on sound clinical reasoning and tailored to fit regularly reviewed client-centred goals. To ensure delivery of these programmes.
• To act autonomously in clinical decision making, seeking advice where necessary.
• To undertake lone working as required and be responsible for clinical risk management within that environment.
 
• To take responsibility for delegation to junior therapists, Rehabilitation Assistants and Rehabilitation Technicians and to supervise these staff in line with CSP guidelines.
• To communicate effectively with patients and carers to maximise rehabilitation potential and ensure understanding of the condition and its implications. To recognise barriers to understanding and employ alternative communication systems or seek advice.
• To communicate complex and sensitive information to the service user, carers, families and staff regarding diagnosis and possible prognosis.
• Create an environment where clients are able to be at the centre of their own care and decision making processes sensitive to the needs of individuals. Respect the dignity, wishes and beliefs of service users, involving them in shared decision making and obtaining their consent to treatment/referrals.
• To deliver a range of treatments which will include the manual handling of clients and equipment including its carriage and fitting, and adapting the home environment to maximise safety.
• Safeguard individuals from abuse by reporting any incidents involving potential or actual abuse and acting upon concerns immediately.
• To keep accurate, up to date clinical records, in accordance with professional, Trust and departmental standards and to highlight circumstances giving cause for concern in relation to patient care, health and safety and follow Trust procedure regarding the reporting of incidents.
• To be responsible for assessing, ordering and advising on safe use of equipment by staff, patients and carers, ensuring onward referral to other providers where appropriate.
• To be an active member of the inter-disciplinary team and participate in staff meetings.
• Participate in clinical audit and professional development activities in relation to the delivery of physiotherapy across the service. 
• To demonstrate awareness and sensitivity of social and cultural diversity of patients, families and staff and to act appropriately.
• To apply a high level of understanding of the effect of disability and impact on lifestyle patients and carers. To make recommendations and changes to clinical practice, protocols and guidelines and lead in implementation and evaluation where appropriate.
• Demonstrate an awareness of the potential for key patient harms, e.g. pressure ulcers, falls, VTEs, catheter related UTIs and to report and act on it within professional boundaries.
• To liaise with other Community and Hospital based Therapists in order to ensure a safe discharge and a seamless movement between services.
• To demonstrate a sound understanding of Clinical Governance and Risk Management and apply it to the work situation.
• To prepare and write discharge summaries and reports for other professionals.
 
Management and Leadership Responsibilities

• Develop and empower all members of your team to perform to high standards and innovate.
• Ensure supportive staff management arrangements are in place and carry out personal development reviews for direct reports. Ensure all staff in your team have annual PDR’s resulting in specific objectives and effective personal development plans in line with the Knowledge and Skills Outline Framework.
• Develop staff knowledge and skills to promote equality and diversity and address inequalities both in employment and service delivery. Ensure specific equality objective are included in PDR’s.
• Participate in a culture that ensure that the standards of Improving Working Lives and Investors in People are achieved and maintained for all staff and that staff’s perception about their working lives are measured and improvements made.
• To participate in the recruitment and selection process where required.
• To conduct Return to Work interviews for short term sick leave for more junior colleagues, when appropriate.
• Be responsible for providing regular clinical supervision for more junior colleagues. To undertake other duties commensurate with this grade of post, in agreement with the relevant line manager.

To minimise the Trust’s environmental impact wherever possible, including recycling, switching off lights, computers, monitors and equipment when not in use. Helping to reduce paper waste 
by minimising printing/copying and reducing water usage, reporting faults and heating/cooling concerns promptly and minimising travel. Where the role includes the ordering and use of supplies or equipment the post holder will consider the environmental impact of purchases.

Key Relationships

To establish effective working relationships with the multi disciplinary team, the wider Therapy team and all internal and external agencies. 

Attend meetings, send timely referrals and share information as appropriate.

Performance Management

All employees have a responsibility to participate in regular appraisal with their manager and to identify performance standards of the post. As part of the appraisal process every employee is responsible for participating in identifying their own training and development need to meet 
their KSF outline.

Health & Safety at Work

Attention is drawn to the responsibility of all employees to take reasonable care for the health & safety of themselves and other people who may be affected by their actions at work.

Equal Opportunities
Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust is committed to being an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from people irrespective of age, gender, race and disability. 

Safeguarding
It is the responsibility of all staff to safeguard and protect children and adults at risk at all times and staff must report any concerns as per Safeguarding Children and Safeguarding Adults polices, which are available on the Trust’s intranet. Every member of staff must undertake 
regular mandatory safeguarding training at a level relevant to the role.

Smoking
The Trust operates a No Smoking policy.

Mobility

Whilst the post holder will be based at one of the In-Patient Units/Wards this is a Trust wide appointment and travel around the Trust may be required.