Virtual Ward - Respiratory Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist
NHS AfC: Band 7
Main area Physiotherapist Grade NHS AfC: Band 7 Contract Fixed term: 1 year (Contracts ends on 31st March 2026) Hours Full time - 37.5 sessions per week Job ref 395-RR039-25
Site Across Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge Town Ilford, Essex Salary Per annum plus HCAS pro rata Closing 22/04/2025 23:59
Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.
The Trust has award-winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients.
Job overview
Exciting new opportunities
Are you an experienced Physiotherapist looking for a new challenge?
We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated individual to join our virtual ward team. This role will involve providing respiratory assessment, advice and support to patients in the comfort of their own homes.
The successful applicant will have a proven track record in Respiratory care or Rapid response team or similar virtual ward roles and a sound knowledge of respiratory physiology and disease processes. They should be familiar with the use of oxygen and pulmonary rehabilitation and possess the ability to teach and support patients with self-management.
The ideal candidate will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships with patients and colleagues. They should be comfortable working across multi-disciplinary teams and be able to work autonomously and as part of a team.
If you think you have the skills and experience to succeed in this role, please apply today. This is an exciting opportunity to make a positive difference to the lives of patients.
You will work in and be supported by a multi-disciplinary care team including nurses, doctors, therapists, and psychologists. It is essential to have access to a car, as the job involves carrying equipment and travel across the BHR boroughs of London.
Main duties of the job
1. The role involves the assessment and management of Respiratory patients admitted to virtual ward beds through admission avoidance and early supported discharge pathways for up to 14 days.
2. Direct Management of the virtual ward beds in liaison with BHRUT respiratory consultants to ensure that we are maximising and monitoring the agreed bed capacity in each geographical area at any given time.
3. To work with referring services in making decisions on accepting or declining patients in the Virtual Ward.
4. Practice as an autonomous professional with confidence and authority using an expert knowledge base, complex decision-making skills and the clinical competencies of specialist, emergency care advanced practice.
5. Initiate pharmacological interventions, using non-medical prescribing to review patients’ medications ensuring they adhere to Trust guidelines and provide for the safe custody and administration of medications prescribed by others by Trust policies.
6. Able to identify deteriorating service users and take necessary actions, liaising with MDT and Respiratory consultant.
7. Take responsibility for the discharge planning process for named patients and work in partnership with the patient, their families, and the multidisciplinary team to provide specialist advice and support to optimise health outcomes and resource usage.
Working for our organisation
Starting with NELFT
NELFT places a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment.
Person specification
Qualifications
* Clinician registered with either NMC or HCPC and a current live registration
* First Degree or equivalent experience
* Completion of any relevant respiratory/emergency care module
* Masters degree in respiratory care or equivalent
Experience
* Evidence of CPD with particular relevance to respiratory
* Minimum of 3 years post registration in NHS UK
* Minimum of 2 years (full-time or equivalent number of hours) in respiratory/virtual ward/matron/emergency care in NHS UK
* Experience of mentoring and supervising staff
* Advanced clinical assessment skill
* Previous experience in working with community service NHS UK
* Non-medical prescribing completed.
Skills
* Applicant will need to be a car driver with a valid UK Licence (this criteria will be reasonably adjusted to meet the requirements of a disabled applicant)
* Knowledge of chronic respiratory disease management
* QI or Research/Audit projects
* Spirometry, Blood gas analysis (capillary or arterial), Venepuncture
* Experience of using electronic patient record - RiO
We believe in bringing your authentic and best self to work, in order to deliver the best care to our patients. We are committed to supporting our employees holistically.
Equal opportunities employer
We are committed to equal opportunities and diversity and positively encourage applications from all sections of the community regardless of any protected characteristic.
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