Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a developmental role within the pelvic health physiotherapy team at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust. The role involves providing advanced assessment and treatment for a range of highly complex patients within the pelvic health inpatient and outpatient service.
You will be supported by our clinical specialist 8a and B7 team with regular in service training and supervision.
Main duties of the job
• To supervise, teach and appraise Band 5 physiotherapists, technicians, assistants, students and other members of the multi-disciplinary team.
• To support the team lead with operational management.
• To participate in CPD, IST, audit, evidence based projects and service development projects which may include making recommendations for change in practice.
• Outpatient settings including: Worthing and satellite clinics at other site. Also covering Hydrotherapy.
• To provide advanced assessment, treatment and management for a range of potentially highly complex patients with pelvic conditions. Patients will be seen in an in-patient and out-patient setting.
• To supervise, teach and support members of the Pelvic Health Physiotherapy team and multi-disciplinary team
Working for our organisation
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.
As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.
We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Communication
1. To liaise with other physiotherapists as necessary, with regards to patient care and arrange outpatient /community /clinic appointments when required.
2. To be an active member within the team and ensure good communication skills with other professions both verbally and in writing e.g. maintaining comprehensive and contemporaneous patient record and be responsible for the writing of legal reports when necessary
3. To communicate effectively with other disciplines outside the immediate team both internally and externally to ensure an ongoing multidisciplinary approach to care. This communication will be both verbal and written such as by providing clinic letters and referral letters.
4. To initiate and maintain contacts with local and national clinical interest groups appropriate to the clinical field.
5. To be able to motivate others through effective communication skills.
6. To communicate effectively with patients with a variety of communication difficulties e.g. blind, deaf, dysphasic, and for people who do not have English as their first language, on a one to one level and to enable the patient to integrate in group activities. This will involve the effective use of verbal, written, pictorial, tactile and visual communication tools.
7. Educate patients, carers and relevant MDT staff on a range of topics including therapeutic positioning, exercises, mobility activities and advice and education with regards to patient condition
8. To liaise with other physiotherapists as necessary, with regards to patient care and arrange outpatient /community /clinic appointments when required.
9. To be an active member within the team and ensure good communication skills with other professions both verbally and in writing e.g. in the patients’ notes and be responsible for the writing of legal reports when necessary
10. To communicate effectively with other disciplines outside the immediate team both internally and externally to ensure an ongoing multidisciplinary approach to care. This communication will be both verbal and written such as by providing clinic letters, transfer reports.
11. To initiate and maintain contacts with local and national clinical interest groups appropriate to the clinical field.
12. To be able to motivate others through effective communication skills.
Service Delivery and Improvement
1. To be responsible for implementing within your clinical practice, the relevant standards and policies, including those applicable to the Trust, and wider policies and
guidelines, for example set by the CSP / NICE etc.
2. 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.
3. To work with the physiotherapy team to provide an efficient and effective service.
4. Be involved in the proposal/development and implementation of departmental policies, pathways, guidelines etc.
5. To comply with fire, health & safety, universal precautions, infection control measures and all other departmental policies.
6. To report all complaints/incidents to the immediate senior member of staff and document accordingly.
7. 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
8. 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.
9. To work a rostered 7 day service when implemented.
People Management and Development
1. To ensure that junior members of the team are informed of developments and changes and that they work to these standards.
2. To assist in the supervision of Band 5 physiotherapists, physiotherapy technicians, and physiotherapy students on clinical placements.
3. To share responsibility for the training of students on placement, juniors, technicians and assistants within the clinical area. Being proactive with teaching in practical situations, assessing competencies, delivering good quality in-service training.
4. To participate in the Trust Appraisal Scheme both as an appraiser and an appraisee.
5. 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.
6. To give staff ongoing support to aid them in achieving their objectives.
7. To have a role in organising relevant in-service training programmes and supporting its delivery
8. To communicate on a regular basis with staff regarding the Trust’s objectives, plans and business developments.
9. To discuss expected outcomes of training and development activity with staff prior to attending training events.
10. To discuss outcomes with staff after attending training and development activity and to assist staff to transfer, develop and use new skills acquired.
11. 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
12. To keep abreast of all new developments which includes activities such as attending IST, relevant study days and reading current literature
13. To work with the pelvic health and wider physiotherapy teams to provide an efficient and effective service.
14. To propose and make changes to working practices in consultation with the team lead where applicable. To support the ongoing development and improvements of pelvic health services
Patient Care Delivery
1. To maintain a high standard of clinical care using evidence-based practices and evaluate the outcomes.
2. To be responsible as an autonomous practitioner to undertake a significant clinical caseload and identifying signs of serious pathology and refer on to appropriate specialists.
3. To undertake the comprehensive assessment and treatment of a variety of patients including those with complex presentations.
4. To develop skills in the management, assessment and treatment of patients in the following areas: pelvic floor dysfunction, obstetric and postnatal musculoskeletal disorders.
5. To undertake the comprehensive triage and assessment of patients including those with complex presentation using investigative and analytical skills. To seek guidance from Senior staff as required and give guidance to junior staff
6. To devise an individualised management and/or treatment plan, using clinical reasoning skills, utilising a range of treatment options and evidence-based practice
7. To be able to devise and lead specialist treatments which may include group work, e.g. classes including PGP, antenatal and postnatal hydrotherapy, general MSK classes.
8. To participate in group education classes, antenatal and postnatal classes (including hydrotherapy groups).
9. To devise an individualised pelvic health management and/or treatment plan, using clinical reasoning skills, utilising a range of treatment options and evidence-based practice.
10. To demonstrate a sound understanding of clinical governance, clinical risk and to demonstrate the use of treatment plans with an evidence-based link.
11. To demonstrate physical ability to carry out assessment and interventions, including highly developed manual techniques and therapeutic handling. There is sometimes a requirement to exert moderate physical effort for some periods of the day
12. To be responsible for implementing within your clinical practice, the relevant standards and policies.
13. To demonstrate the trust values and attitudes regarding the management of patients and everyday working with colleagues.
14. To seek guidance from senior staff as required and to give guidance to more junior staff
15. To be responsible for the safe use of equipment used in carrying out duties, adhering to the department’s 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.
16. To be able to manage potentially stressful, upsetting or emotional situations in an empathetic manner including patients with chronic pain presentations andpsychosocial problems
17. To be solely responsible for leading outpatient classes including hydrotherapy, conditioning lower limb, dynamic lower limb, back and shoulder classes.
18. 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. TENS machines, maternity belts and walking aids. To be able to assess and treat patients over the phone
Learning and Development
• Attend mandatory training updates as required.
• Undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with the line manager as part of the personal development process.
• Achieve and demonstrate agreed standards of personal and professional development within agreed timescales.
• Identify own learning needs and jointly plan training requirements with your line manager
• Participate in the Trust’s appraisal process to discuss how your role will help deliver the best possible care to our patients and help to deliver any changes in service.
This job description is an outline of the role and responsibilities. From time to time due to the needs of the service, we may ask you to flexibly undertake other duties that are consistent with your role and banding, including project work, internal job rotation and absence cover.
The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the department and the organisation.
Person specification
Experience and qualifications
Essential criteria
1. Physiotherapy or Osteopathy (BSc or MSc equivalent)
2. Minimum of 2 years NHS or other relevant experience.
3. Health and Care Professions Council registration
4. Broad range of clinical rotations as a junior physiotherapist, including in and outpatient services and experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team or evidence of working in a senior position within a musculoskeletal multi-professional care environment
5. To be able to demonstrate sound clinical reasoning and problem solving skills
6. To be able to demonstrate evidence of further experience within MSK
Desirable criteria
7. Member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and/or relevant clinical interest groups
8. Involvement in carrying out clinical audit/ service development
9. Experience of supervising less experienced staff such as students and assistants
10. Evidence of post graduate education such as post grad diploma or MSC modules.
11. Experience of treating a variety of complex conditions within NHS MSK outpatient setting
12. Experienced in treatment and assessment of obstetric, MSK and gynaecological patients
Skills
Essential criteria
13. Have experience of effective communication with patients, relatives, carers colleagues and other members of the MDT sometimes in difficult circumstances
14. Ability to manage a busy clinical and non clinical workload, using effective time management, prioritisation and delegation skills.
15. Able to present information, written and verbally, in a clear and logical manner
16. Ability to use assessment findings / evidence to form individual patient treatment plans for sometimes complex patients
17. Ability to record all assessments and treatments in physiotherapy and MDT documentation to a high standard
Desirable criteria
18. Awareness of your role in managing wider team caseload and strategies to improve patient flow in times of business continuity
19. Previous experience in service development projects
20. Ability to generate and analyse data from information systems e.g., spreadsheets
People Management and Development
Essential criteria
21. Experience of Appraising and supervising less experienced staff and students.
22. Experience of developing and leading training sessions
23. Ability to manage a busy and complex caseload, and complete clinical and non-clinical duties
Desirable criteria
24. Experience of supporting / supervising staff with performance development needs
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Essential criteria
25. Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
26. Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
Important information for applicants
Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.
DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check. We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.
Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for those that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker.
Closing adverts early: Please apply as early as you're able for this role. In the event of exceptional interest we may close adverts earlier than specified.
UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications