Senior Acute Physiotherapist

at  Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust

KEY TASKS & Responsibilities: Clinical To be responsible as an autonomous practitioner to undertake a significant clinical caseload within the ED, AMU and other medical wards as required. To undertake the comprehensive assessment of patients including those with complex presentation using investigative and analytical skills. To seek guidance from senior staff as required. To assess patient understanding of treatment proposals, gain informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
To be aware of and comply with Trust Adult Safeguarding policies and procedures. To maintain a high standard of clinical care using evidence based practices and evaluate the outcomes. To devise an individualised physiotherapy management and/or treatment plan, using clinical reasoning skills to utilise a range of treatment options in formulating a specialised programme of care. To assess and manage clinical risk within own patient caseload.
To be responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive patient treatment records in line with professional and Trust standards of practice. This includes patient documentation in both and monthly statistical work sheets. To demonstrate a sound understanding of clinical governance, clinical risk and to demonstrate the use of treatment plans with an evidence based link. To demonstrate physical ability to carry out physiotherapy assessment and interventions, including highly developed manual physiotherapy techniques and therapeutic handling.
There is a frequent requirement to exert moderate physical effort for short periods during the day. To keep up to date with clinical developments and maintain background knowledge in this speciality area analysing current research and discussing and implementing changes in clinical practice. To ensure that as an individual practitioner, the post holder advises the Team leader and Principal Physiotherapist of any changes to the service to ensure quality and effectiveness of care for their patients. 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. To support the wider Medical physiotherapy team if service needs require. To participate in the on call and weekend rotas. This job will involve frequent exposure to unpleasant working conditions eg.
bodily fluids, including sputum, unpleasant smells and occasional exposure to hostility in the form of verbal and physical aggression. Management To be able to prioritise both clinical and managerial work including responding to urgent referrals and an unpredictable workload. To be responsible for effective management, treatment and discharge for these patients through prioritisation, communication and team working. To deputise for the Team leader in their absence.
To maintain and provide accurate and timely statistical information as required in consultation with senior staff. To participate in the Trust Appraisal Scheme both as an appraiser and an appraisee. To supervise and ensure the development of designated unqualified therapy staff within the acute team. To ensure that all equipment defects, accidents and complaints are reported to your line manager and the physiotherapy manager immediately to ensure that appropriate action may be taken.
Communication To liaise within the MDT, individually and on ward rounds, service providers and service users as necessary with regard to patient care. To arrange follow up to relevant discharge schemes, services, ongoing rehabilitation as required to ensure a seamless service is maintained. To be able to communicate in potentially stressful, upsetting or emotional situations in an empathetic manner. This includes connecting with patients and relatives who are potentially dealing with a traumatic attendance to hospital as well as communicating complex, sensitive information to patients, carers and other staff.
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 speciality, peer group, clinical interest groups and departmental staff meetings. To be able to motivate others through effective communication skills. To report all complaints/incidents immediately to the senior member of staff and document accordingly.
Education To be responsible for and actively record your own personal development that will include appraisal activities. Participating in in-service training and being available for training other health care professionals on study days and within the area. To be responsible for the training of students on placement, juniors, technicians and assistants within the clinical area. Research/Audit/Quality To be involved in appropriate work related research/evaluation projects and to be aware of current research relevant to the speciality.
In line with the Trusts commitment to Clinical Governance, to initiate and carry through clinical audit programmes and evaluate your own clinical effectiveness. To play a significant role in the specialities annual business plan which, as part of the Performance Plan, is monitored on a quarterly basis. This job description is an indication of the type and range of tasks that are expected of the post holder, and other duties may be required, in line with the role and the banding. It will be reviewed and amended from time to time in consultation with the post holder to take account of changing organisational need.
This job description should be read in conjunction with the supervisory JD addendum

Please refer the Job description for details