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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Communication

•  To be an active member within the multi-disciplinary team and ensure effective communication with other professions both verbally and in writing e.g. medical notes and reports to assist achievement of patient centred goals and maximising the patient’s potential.
• To communicate effectively with patients with a variety of communication difficulties e.g. blind, deaf, dysphasic, learning difficulties and for people who do not have English as their first language. This will involve the effective use of verbal, written, pictorial, tactile and visual communication tools.
• To communicate effectively with children parents/ carers and young people of a variety of ages and be able to adapt approach according to their communication needs, level of understanding and in a manner to help develop rapport.
• To be able to communicate with patients effectively in both a one to one and a group or class setting.  
• To liaise with other physiotherapists in regard to patient care and ensure appropriate follow up is arranged where required.
• Educate patients, parents, carers, and relevant MDT staff on a range of topics including Physiotherapy techniques, therapeutic positioning, exercises, mobility activities and advice and education with regards to patient condition
•  Use empathetic, tactful, and interpersonal skills to encourage and empower patients and carers to maximise patients’ rehabilitation potential, giving opportunity for unloading / sharing of concerns and issues.
• To communicate complex and sensitive information to patients, parents, carers, and other staff including imparting unwelcome news.
• To be able to motivate others such as staff, patients, and their carers through effective communication skills. 
• Attend Handover & MDT meetings to represent current Physiotherapy management with regards to patient progress and potential and be able to make to decisions accordingly.
• To liaise with other team members and team lead with regards to day-to-day issues and ward management e.g. staff shortages, increased patient caseload.
• To use effective communication skills to reduce actual or potential conflict situations that may occur with patients, relatives, colleagues etc. To be able to manage situation sensitively, in accordance with trust policies and seeking senior support where required. 
• To be a patient advocate when required and liaise with those involved in patient care.
• To ensure timely and effective communication with the Physiotherapy Manager and Senior Staff on all professional matters.
• To attend and be an active participant in relevant peer group and departmental staff meetings.
• To be aware of the standard information available for patients and use it appropriately.
•    Keep accurate and comprehensive documentation of all patient contact in line with CSP standards and local guidelines including uni and multi-professional documentation. 
•    To initiate and maintain contacts with local and national clinical interest groups, appropriate to the clinical field.
•   Respond promptly and appropriately to telephone enquiries / messages/ e mails received.
•     To provide formal reports to GP’s, school medical service, referring doctor and any other involved professional, where necessary. Statements of special need are to be provided on request from the education department through the community health branch.

Service Delivery and Improvement

·         To be responsible for implementing within your clinical practice, the relevant standards and policies, including those applicable to the Trust, and also wider policies and guidelines, for example set by the CSP / NICE etc.

·         To ensure that as an individual practitioner the post holder advises the Team Lead and Physiotherapy Manager of any changes to the service to ensure quality and effectiveness of care for their patients.

• To work with the physiotherapy team to provide an efficient and effective service.
• To propose and make changes to working practices in consultation with the team lead where applicable. To support the ongoing development and improvements of Physiotherapy services
• Be involved in the proposal/development and implementation of departmental policies, pathways, guidelines etc.

·        To comply with fire, health & safety, universal precautions, infection control measures and all other departmental policies.

·      To report all complaints/incidents to the immediate senior member of staff and document accordingly.

·     To identify areas where the service is not working as effectively or efficiently as possible and liaise with line manager, offering reasoned ideas for solutions.

·     To propose and make changes to working practices in consultation with the team lead where applicable. To support the ongoing development and improvements of Physiotherapy services.

People Management and Development

·  To assist in the supervision of various personnel such as less experienced peers, physiotherapy technicians, and physiotherapy students on clinical placements.

·       To share responsibility for the training of various personnel such as less experienced peers, physiotherapy technicians, and physiotherapy students on clinical placements. Being proactive with teaching in practical situations, assisting with competencies, delivering good quality in-service training. 

·    To participate in the Trust Appraisal Scheme both as an appraiser and an appraisee.

·   To carry out role as an appraisee by appraising staff in-line with department appraisal guidelines, at least annually and jointly helping devise learning needs, objectives, and development plans for staff.

·  To give staff ongoing support to aid them in achieving their objectives.

·       To have a role in organising relevant in-service training programmes and supporting its delivery

·     To communicate on a regular basis with staff regarding the trust and physio department objectives, plans, and vision.

·     To discuss expected outcomes of training and development activity with staff prior to attending training events.

• To discuss outcomes with staff after attending training and development activity and to assist staff to transfer, develop and use new skills acquired.
• To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through continued professional development activities and recording this in a portfolio and in the KSF document.
• To keep abreast of all new developments which includes activities such as attending IST, relevant study days, visits to specialist units, attending relevant networks and reading relevant research and articles.

·   To be pro-active with regard to learning from senior staff and peers within the department.

Patient Care Delivery

·         To maintain a high standard of clinical care using evidence-based practice and evaluate outcomes.

·     To undertake the comprehensive assessment and treatment of a wide variety of paediatric patients (under 18’s) including those with complex presentations.

·     To seek guidance from senior staff as required and to give guidance to less experienced staff.

·  To devise an individualised physiotherapy management and/or treatment plan, using clinical reasoning skills, utilising a range of treatment options and evidence-based practice.

·    To be able to devise and lead specialist Physiotherapy treatments which may include group work.

· To demonstrate the trust values and attitudes in regard to the management of patients and everyday working with colleagues.

• To work with members of the wider multidisciplinary team to ensure a seamless delivery of care, provide advice and education within this forum, acting as an expert in own professional field.
• To be competent in the treatment of paediatric respiratory patients in order to be able to offer advice and support to those on the respiratory on-call rota.

·   To carry out advanced physiotherapy assessment and treatment interventions (on patients who may also be acutely unwell) using developed physiotherapy techniques, knowledge, and therapeutic handling.

·    To identify and highlight any concerns regarding patient health to the appropriate health professional with the appropriate degree of urgency.

·  There is a requirement to exert moderate physical effort for significant periods each day.

· To demonstrate physical ability to carry out physiotherapy assessment and interventions, including highly developed manual physiotherapy techniques and therapeutic handling.

·    To be responsible for the safe use of equipment used in carrying out physiotherapy duties, adhering to the departments medical devices policy. This includes competence and accuracy to use equipment by yourself and other healthcare professionals, carers and patients e.g. monitoring and maintaining the safety and condition of the gym equipment.

·         To be able to manage potentially stressful, upsetting, or emotional situations in an empathetic manner.

• To work with members of the wider multidisciplinary team to ensure a seamless delivery of care, provide advice and education within this forum, acting as an expert in your own professional field.

·      To exert leadership where appropriate during tasks undertaken with physiotherapy colleagues or other MDT members e.g. if leading functional transfers or mobility work

• To assess, measure, label, adjust to size and issue walking aids as appropriate and various standard splints / orthotics.