Specialist paediatric physiotherapist

at  Medway Community Healthcare CIC

Are you a physiotherapist with an interest in community paediatrics?
Are you looking to develop your skills working with children from 0-19 and in a multidisciplinary therapy team?
If you answered yes, we’ve got the perfect role for you!
An exciting and rare opportunity has arisen for a paediatric physiotherapist to join the dedicated multi-disciplinary children’s therapy team based at Orchards MASH in Sittingbourne. This is a community-based job with the team working from Orchards and visiting children in schools, nurseries and their homes in Sittingbourne and surrounds and the
Isle of Sheppey. We are a friendly and supportive multidisciplinary team who work consistently to offer children an integrated approach to therapy, through holistic assessments and intervention.
We are also part of a wider Children’s Therapy Team that also covers the Medway towns and surrounds, this enables broader supervision and learning opportunities.
The successful applicant will have post graduate clinical experience, ideally working in the community and or with children. They will be expected to work with a wide range of children aged 0-19 years with neurological conditions and severe physical and complex needs. They will be highly motivated to and to make a difference by working to improve outcomes for children.
This is a part time role. Please call if you are interested as there is a possibility to be flexible with working patterns.
So what else?
This is your chance to join a progressive and innovative service in a social enterprise that is patient and staff focused - you’ll even have the opportunity to become an MCH shareholder.
We encourage staff to get involved in exploring new ways of working and service development.
We’ll provide well established, in-service training, one to one supervision, and appraisals with regular support.
You’ll be able to develop your skills in a friendly and supportive team.
Would you like to work flexibly? In the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important work life balance is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement.
The small print
Informal visits can be arranged on request.
We will offer you the choice of two pension schemes; the NHS Pension scheme and the scottish widows group pension scheme.
MCH encourages all staff to be double COVID vaccinated to protect themselves, their colleagues, their family and their patients.
Communication and relationship skills
To communicate effectively with patients and carers and other health care professionals and non-professionals using a wide range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to share assessment findings, agree treatment plans, progress and modify management programmes, give advice, teaching etc. This will include patients, family members or carers with communication and comprehension difficulties and those who may be unable to accept diagnosis prognosis
To liaise with health and social care professionals and other agencies regarding paediatric patient care, treatment progress and discharge planning
To provide specialist advice to physiotherapy colleagues working within other clinical areas regarding paediatric conditions, treatments and management
To be a source of clinical expertise and advice for more junior staff in the team and to assess the needs for, plan and contribute to the delivery of an in-service training programme for them
Knowledge, training and experience
To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own work including the management of paediatric patients in your care. To ensure a high standard of clinical care for your own patients and to support staff under your responsibility to do likewise
To be a source of clinical expertise and advice for more junior staff in the team and to assess the needs for, plan and contribute to the delivery of an in-service training programme for them
To maintain a high level of specialist knowledge in the management of paediatric conditions, maintaining own clinical professional development by keeping abreast of new developments and incorporating them as necessary into your work and the work of your team. To maintain a Continuing Professional Development portfolio which reflects development
To contribute to the induction programme for new members of staff and staff joining the department on rotation
To plan and provide specialty placements for physiotherapy students, training, supervising and assessing them at BSc and MSc level. This includes formal assessment of practice, which contributes to the degree classification
To maintain, develop and evidence competence in the clinical education of physiotherapy students, maintaining regular contract with the universities. To contribute to the Clinical Educators Group to monitor and improve the quality of clinical placements.
Analytical and judgement skills
To interpret and analyses clinical and non-clinical facts to form an accurate diagnosis in a wide range of highly complex paediatric conditions
To deliver a paediatric MSK and neurological service
To determine clinical diagnosis and ensure the provision of advanced physiotherapy treatment indicated.
Planning and organisational skills
Under the direction and supervision of the Lead for Swale Children’s Therapy Team to be responsible for the physiotherapy treatment of children living within the Swale geographical area. Undertake the planning, coordination, delivery and evaluation of physiotherapy for children of all ages
To manage, supervise and teach more junior staff, technical instructors, administrative staff and students, other agencies (non -medical and medical and Multidisciplinary team) Social Services, Education and Parents/Carers.
Work alongside other senior staff to develop the physiotherapy paediatric community service (including musculoskeletal) and to liaise and work closely with professionals in the education service to assist in the smooth transition of care from pre-school services to school service
To plan, organise and prioritise own workload, balancing other patient related and professional demands ensuring that these remain in accordance with those of the team as a whole and assisting / guiding more junior physiotherapists, technical instructors and physiotherapy assistants to do likewise
To organise, manage and delegate work under protocol to Assistants and Technical Instructors ensuring a high standard of service.
Physical skills
To undertake specialised assessment of paediatric patients including those with diverse and complex presentations and life changing conditions: using clinical reasoning skills and assessment techniques to formulate an age appropriate and individualised treatment plan and programme
Responsibility for patient / client care
To deliver individualised physiotherapy treatment programmes using a broad range of physiotherapeutic skills in individual and group settings
To continually reassess patient progress, adapt treatment plans accordingly, and develop discharge plans
To refer patients appropriately to other health and social care services according to protocol providing timely and detailed information to ensure good continuity of care
To assess patient, parent, carer and educational staffs, understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent to treatment
To be responsible for equipment used in carrying out physiotherapy duties and to adhere to departmental policy, including competence to use equipment and to ensure the safe use of equipment by others through teaching training and supervision of practice.
Responsibility for policy and service development implementation
To work with other senior staff to ensure that Clinical Governance targets are met including the development of clinical standards and protocols, audit, research, clinical and non-clinical risk management
To provide specialised spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and training to other members of the MDT and other agencies regarding the management of paediatric patients neurological, respiratory, orthopaedic and musculoskeletal conditions and to promote understanding of the aims of physiotherapy and to ensure a consistent approach to patient management and care
To work closely with Swale Senior Team to introduce innovative methods of service delivery, which provide best practice, positive outcomes, improved access and the involvement of users in the planning, implementation and evaluation of services
To undertake the measurement and evaluation of your own and the team’s work and clinical practice through the use of Evidence Based Practice Projects, audit and outcome measures. To make recommendations for change to service delivery, protocols etc in conjunction with the Lead for Swale Children’s Therapy Tea

Please refer the Job description for details