Senior Physiotherapist

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DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

CLINICAL

·       To undertake highly specialised comprehensive Physiotherapy assessments of patients, including those with complex physical, psycho-social and cognitive problems using advanced clinical reasoning skills to develop and provide specialist individualised programmes of care

·       To be the lead Physiotherapy clinician within TYA and PBT providing highly specialist and expert advice, teaching and training within and external to the organisation

·       To act as an expert resource within the organisation and externally, regarding the Physiotherapy management of TYA and PBT oncology patients

·       To provide specialist Physiotherapy advice and input at MDT meetings, clinics and case conferences

·       To assess patients’ ability to carry out activities of daily living.

·       To accept clinical responsibility for those patients referred to the Physiotherapy service.

·       To monitor, evaluate and modify Physiotherapy treatment plans in order to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of interventions.

·       To assess for specialist disability equipment.

·       To carry out home assessment visits if appropriate

·       To liaise between specialist and local rehabilitation teams to ensure that care for people with rehabilitation needs is transferred efficiently across organisational boundaries

·       To carry out risk assessments and provide training and advice on safe moving and handling within the ward environment and within the patients home environment.

·       To liaise effectively with partner services including Social Services, Private and Voluntary agencies to ensure safe and timely discharges from hospital.

·       To make appropriate and timely referrals to external agencies.

·       To communicate complex and sensitive patient related information to ensure effective collaborative working between multi- disciplinary team members.

·       To provide empathetic spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to relatives, carers and other professionals, to promote understanding of the aims of Physiotherapy and to ensure a consistent approach to patient care

·       To communicate discharge plans and Physiotherapy intervention to the Complex Discharge team, patients and relatives.

·       To be responsible for the safe use of all Physiotherapy equipment within the Trust by staff, patients and relatives.

·       To use expert listening skills to understand the physical, cognitive, psychosocial, emotional and psychological needs of patients and carers and incorporate these into treatment planning.  This includes the ability to interpret and respond to patient’s unsaid needs, to respond to an opening that the patient may provide and, when required, to refer patients to the appropriate health care professional to address this need.

·       To plan and provide highly specialised individual treatment programmes incorporating patient focused goals and outcome measures and ensure appropriate discharge planning. This will be based on specialist knowledge of techniques and treatment options, a sound knowledge of evidence based practice and a sound knowledge of cancer and its treatment.

·       To evaluate clinical outcomes of interventions and to assist other staff in carrying this out.

·       To use advanced communication skills to work with patients and carers in highly complex/sensitive situations, break bad news and discuss end of life issues where appropriate.  To use advanced communication skills and expert clinical reasoning to enable the patient and carers to adapt psychologically to disease, role changes and disability and to set realistic rehabilitation goals.

·       To use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication skills and strategies to communicate effectively with patients.  For example patients may be unable to accept their diagnosis, may have a hearing loss, visual impairment, affected speech, cognitive problems or have a learning disability.

·       To communicate highly complex condition-related information from assessment to clients, carers, families and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions.

·       To advise and support other healthcare staff to develop advanced communication and clinical reasoning skills to work with patients and carers in complex/sensitive situations, enabling them to adapt to the physical, psychological and emotional impact of their disease.

·       To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with medical, nursing and therapy colleagues to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service.

·       To contribute to clinical teams both multi-disciplinary and uni-disciplinary by discussing own and others input around clients’ needs ensuring a well-co-ordinated care plan.

·       To motivate and reassure clients and/or carers to engage in the therapeutic process

·       To attend the relevant multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meetings and case conferences to ensure the delivery of a co-ordinated multi-disciplinary rehabilitation service

·       To contribute to the development of patient information.

·       To assess for and issue relevant appliances and/or equipment in line with the Trust Policy and Medical Devices Agency Regulations as appropriate

·       To use moderate physical effort, manual dexterity and coordination daily to assess and treat patients.  With more complex patients this may require the considerable physical effort of more than one therapist

·       To use advanced personal coping strategies to work with a specialist caseload in the oncology setting.  AHP’s working in this setting have daily exposure to breaking bad news, patients with progressive disease and those who are in the terminal stages of their illness

·       To lead on the development of Physiotherapy specialised care protocols/packages relating to a range of issues to improve patient care e.g. development of care pathways.

PROFESSIONAL

• To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including the management of patients
• To be fully aware of and comply with the rules of professional conduct as set by The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the HCPC
• To work within guidelines of policies and procedures and standards set by the Christie NHS Foundation Trust.
• To ensure the health and safety of staff and patients and to report any areas of potential risk to the Rehabilitation Unit Manager.
• To be responsible for Continued Professional Development as directed by the Health Professions Council.
• To be flexible around working hours to potentially include 7 day working in the future.
• To be professional, legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own work including the management of patients in your care
• To ensure a high standard of patient care is provided by developing, implementing and reviewing clinical standards relevant to the work area
• To demonstrate a robust understanding of clinical governance, clinical risk, and to be able to apply this understanding to clinical practice.
• To be responsible for maintaining own capability and competency to practice through CPD activities and maintain a portfolio which reflects personal development in order to maintain HCPC & CSP (or equivalent professional body for physiotherapists qualified overseas) registration.
• To ensure that own clinical practice and that of staff and students under professional supervision meet the required professional standards of physiotherapy practice.
• To utilise specialist, clinical expertise to train, educate, guide and support registered and non- registered staff.
• To maintain and develop current knowledge of clinical practice development and evidence-based practice, analysing current research and discussing and implementing changes in clinical practice and policies accordingly where this will result in improved performance / patient care across the service
• To work within the guidelines of the policies, procedures and standards of The Christie NHS Foundation Trust.
• To be an active member of the In-service training programme.
• To disseminate knowledge of Physiotherapy in an oncology setting by participating in the organisation of and presenting at courses, study days and conferences locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
• To undertake annual performance development reviews with staff.
• To provide line management to qualified and non-qualified staff within the team.
• To participate in research into specific areas of clinical practice for the benefit of the service
• To provide a physiotherapy contribution into multidisciplinary service delivery and policy projects within the trust (e.g. implementation of NICE guidance documents)
• To raise awareness of the role of the physiotherapist in Supportive Oncology.
• To communicate potentially difficult clinical or non-clinical information to staff. This may include feedback about individual performance, or dealing with conflicting advice and opinions about clinical situations

SERVICE DEVELOPMENT

1.To utilise clinical expertise for ensuring that quality standards and effectiveness of patient care are continually improved within the clinical section.

2.To ensure that all staff within the clinical team implement policy and service developmental changes.

3. To propose pathway changes concerning the physiotherapy management of patients and to guide the team to provide an efficient and effective service

4.To work with the Rehabilitation Manager and Division in developing the strategic and operational management of the TYA and PBT Service.

ORGANISATIONAL

1.To be responsible for the designated area of work as agreed with the Rehabilitation manager

2.To prioritise workload, balancing patient related and professional demands and ensure these remain in accordance with the department as a whole.

3.To liaise across multi professional groups to ensure that the clinical service delivery is co-ordinated with others who may be involved in patient care.

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