Job summary
PREVIOUS APPLICANTS NEED NOT APPLY
To provide a high quality physiotherapy service for children referred to the Community Paediatric Service Line. To perform comprehensive therapeutic assessment for children and young adults with diverse presentations and complex needs. To devise and deliver an individualised management plan.
To carry a clinical caseload within own discipline, providing assessment and intervention in line with departmental pathways. To hold responsibility for own case load and be responsible for the delivery of service, working without direct supervision from a more senior therapist.
Supervision takes the form of regular formal training and clinical reasoning sessions, peer review, case conferences. Access to advice and support from senior physiotherapists is available if required, clinical work is not routinely evaluated.
To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner.
Supervise, educate and assess the performance of physiotherapy students and more junior staff; this would be to a graduate standard and involve working with universities to ensure the standard of practice and teaching meets the standards set by the degree level qualification.
***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as 'Priority' and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***
Main duties of the job
To carry a clinical caseload within own discipline, providing assessment and intervention in line with departmental pathways. To hold responsibility for own case load and be responsible for the delivery of service, working without direct supervision from a more senior therapist.
Supervision takes the form of regular formal training and clinical reasoning sessions, peer review, case conferences. Access to advice and support from senior physiotherapists is available if required, clinical work is not routinely evaluated.
To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner.
Supervise, educate and assess the performance of physiotherapy students and more junior staff; this would be to a graduate standard and involve working with universities to ensure the standard of practice and teaching meets the standards set by the degree level qualification.
About us
We have an opportunity for a Band 6 Community Paediatric Physiotherapist to join our therapy team, where they will be able to gain experience in a wide range of Paediatric settings within Plymouth and the surrounding area.
We are looking for a team orientated physiotherapist with paediatric experience, who is ready to expand their clinical and managerial skills. You will be based in Plymouth Child Development Centre and may work in Special Schools, all with their own distinct character, and in the community in East Cornwall and West Devon.
Our children live in a variety of settings, ranging from the busy centre of Plymouth to isolated rural homes in Cornwall, and we have a diverse and growing population.
You will have opportunities to expand skills in Cerebral Palsy Integrated Pathway, serial casting, Developmental Coordination Disorder assessment and management, as well as assessing and treating a wide range of neurodevelopmental and neuromuscular conditions.
We have an integrated team in the Child Development Centre, working closely with a range of other professionals within the settings and other agencies in the surrounding community.
Job description
Job responsibilities
PRIMARY DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
Clinical :
To set a high personal standard of work, to be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including the management of patients in your care.
To be responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive patient treatment records in line with Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) standards and local/Trust policy. To communicate appropriately with other disciplines (this might include meetings, report and letter writing)
To carry out physiotherapy assessment as an autonomous practitioner. This will involve the use of specialised observation and assessment tools.
To develop and deliver effective specialised treatment, and plan and implement appropriate review for children allocated to your caseload. NICE guidance, Standards of Care and best practice guidance should be considered. This will include regular monitoring of the results of any intervention with ongoing evaluation and adaptation.
To provide therapy intervention according to the childs needs, using appropriate treatment techniques in either an individual or group situation; providing activity programmes, advice and equipment as required. This will involve the management of therapy input to children with a range of complex conditions, including those with severe physical and cognitive impairment or disability.
To have a knowledge of specialist resources and equipment relevant to children and to give advice regarding its use.
To assess and treat children in a range of settings. This will include the Child Development Centre, special and mainstream schools, nurseries or home visits when clinically indicated. This will necessitate travel from venue to venue and lone working situations. Lone worker policy must be followed.
To advise and support parents/carers and other professionals in meeting the needs of children on your caseload.
To be responsible for your own practice and accountable for all aspects of therapy treatment and care delivered to the child.
To work closely with partner agencies to ensure Physiotherapy treatment is fully integrated into a childs holistic programme.
To analyse clinical, social, educational and psychological information from a range of sources and understand the impact that this will have on children and their therapy input.
To provide necessary information to other professionals, families and other agencies including written reports and programmes, and to contribute towards statutory assessment processes as required.
To take part in safeguarding procedures and attend multi agency meetings as necessary.
To manage clinical risk within your own caseload, including undertaking appropriate manual handling risk assessment.
To contribute towards the development of clinical practice within the department.
To train and line-manage technical instructors and students, with supervision from more senior members of the team. This will include clinical supervision, performance management and appraisal.
To participate in safeguarding supervision and to be aware of and adhere to child protection procedures. This may include written reports and core group meetings.
To work within teams to ensure waiting lists are managed efficiently and effectively.
Professional/Educational:
To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through CPD activities, and maintain a portfolio which reflects personal development.
Be an active member of the in-service training programme by attendance at, and participation in, in-service training programmes. This also may include individual training sessions, external courses and peer review, as agreed with the therapy manager.
Ensure that your own practice and that of any staff under your supervision meet the required professional standards of physiotherapy practice.
Organisational:
Participate in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee and be responsible for complying with your agreed personal development programmes to meet set knowledge and competencies.
To undertake as directed the collection of data for use in service audit and research projects.
Be responsible for the safe and competent use of gym, and the equipment that you use with patients, through teaching, training and supervision of practice.
To be responsible for organising and planning own caseload to meet service and patient priorities. Readjusting plans as situations change/arise, adhering to agreed departmental levels of activity for timely service delivery.
To be an active participant in the development of the Community Paediatrics Therapy Service.
The post holder may be required, from time to time, to carry out other reasonable requests and duties as required, consistent with the responsibilities of their banding and development as agreed between employee and manager.
Physical Effort:
Moderate to intense physical effort on a daily basis. Tasks include kneeling/standing/floor sitting.
Moving and therapeutic handling of physically unpredictable children and young adults.
Using hoists and equipment.
Mental effort:
Dealing with complex patients on a daily basis.
Daily requirement for prolonged periods of concentration assessment and treatment of complex and sometimes unpredictable patients.
Ensuring good communications with patients/carers who have impaired understanding or communication difficulties.
Frequently using complex problem solving skills, making and dealing with difficult clinical decisions.
Daily requirement for multi-tasking writing notes, communicating with the team, telephone calls, with regular interruptions
Set goals and plans with the patient, also involving the family as indicated.
On a daily basis organise/prioritise your workload.
Prepare and deliver training packages to a range of staff.
Work with team members on service development.
To take personal responsibility for booking and preparing for clinical supervision/ safe-guarding supervision.
Emotional effort:
Dealing with patients and families of children with complex needs. This may result in anxiety, anger, isolation etc.
Frequently helping patients and carers come to terms with their impairments/ disability.
Immediate response to complaints/demands from distressed or anxious patients, carers and other professionals
Managing confrontation and differing opinions regarding patient management.
Supervise physiotherapy team members; support them through their development.
Support teams with complex emotional situations.
Working with children who have life-limiting or deteriorating conditions.
Being involved with and participating in safeguarding procedures.
Working conditions:
Exposure to some bodily fluids, vomit and soiled linen.
Occasional exposure to verbal and physical aggression, unpredictable behaviour.
Risk of exposure to contagious conditions coughs diarrhoea and vomiting.
Working in non-therapeutic environments, home, school
COMMUNICATIONS & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
Work effectively and flexibly within the therapy team on a daily basis, with support from other team members.
Ability to communicate with all personnel in a variety of clinical and multidisciplinary settings.
Communicate in an effective, professional and appropriate manner with patients and their families.
To foster a teamwork ethic in accordance with trust values to promote quality patient care.
All Job Holders are required to:
Work to the Trust values - Put patients first, Take ownership, Respect others, Be positive, Listening, Learning, Improving.
Adhere to Trust policies and procedures, Health and Safety at Work, Equal Opportunities etc.
Maintain personal and professional development to meet the changing demands of the job, participate in appropriate training activities and encourage and support staff development and training.
Attend statutory, essential and mandatory training.
Respect the confidentiality of all matters relating to their employment and other members of staff. All members of staff are required to comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998.
Comply with the Corporate Governance structure in keeping with the principles and standards set out by the Trust.
Comply with the codes of professional conduct set out by the professional body of which registration is required for the post.
Ensure they are familiar with the Risk Management Framework, follow policies, procedures and safe systems of work, make known any hazards or risks that they identify and take all necessary actions to reduce risk.
Ensure the welfare and safety of children within their care. This includes staff who come into contact with children and families in the course of their work as well as those staff who have a specific role with children and families.
Ensure they attend Child Protection training at the appropriate level within the specified time frame.
Staff must comply with Safeguarding Policies and Procedures in order to promote safeguarding and prevent abuse to vulnerable people using Trust services.
Maintain the prevention and control of infection and fully comply with all current Trust Infection Control policies and procedures.
Take responsibility for any records that they create or use in the course of their duties, in line with the Public Records Act and be aware that any records created by an employee of the NHS are public records and may be subject to both legal and professional obligations.
Person Specification
KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE
Essential
1. Proven knowledge of paediatric conditions requiring therapy input
2. Proven knowledge of therapy input for children with developmental needs
3. Awareness of multi-agency approach to children
4. Proven knowledge of standardised assessments/outcome measures relevant for children
5. Proven knowledge of clinical governance and risk
6. Proven evidence of CPD
Desirable
7. Proven evidence of further post graduate training in an area of specialist paediatrics
8. Previous community therapy role
9. Previous demonstrable experience of working as a children's therapist
10. Previous demonstrable experience of supervising students.
Qualifications
Essential
11. Degree or diploma in Physiotherapy
12. HPC Registered Physiotherapist
APTITUDE & ABILITIES
Essential
13. Demonstrate good communication skills with the ability to build working relationships with peers and multi agency professionals
14. Ability to problem solve and demonstrate good clinical reasoning
15. Good organisational skills
16. Ability to move between therapy settings, including rural educational and home environments in a timely manner
17. Basic IT skills