Neurosurgery Physiotherapy Team Lead

This is a fantastic opportunity to become part of our dynamic, friendly, and forward-thinking Physiotherapy Team at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279). As a Physiotherapy Team Lead in Neurosurgery, you will be responsible for leading a team of physiotherapists in providing high-quality patient care to patients with neurological conditions.

• Communication
  • Adapt communication to ensure all team members do likewise and advise other staff on appropriate basic communication strategies.
  • Assess capacity to give consent, gain informed consent, and work with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
  • Provide day-to-day operational management of the Neurosurgery Physiotherapy team.
  • Motivate, empathize, reassure, explain, and encourage patients to undertake their treatment program to maximize rehabilitation potential.
  • Diffuse challenging situations with staff, patients, and relatives using negotiation and interpersonal skills.
  • Demonstrate ability to clearly communicate complex and sensitive information to staff, patients, and carers.
  • Maintain accurate, comprehensive, and up-to-date documentation, in line with legal and departmental requirements, and communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines.
  • Maintain close links and work collaboratively with all staff and people to promote good working relationships at all times.
  • Ensure timely and effective communication with all physiotherapy staff on professional matters.
  • Resolve verbal complaints and report all formal complaints, incidents, and accidents to physiotherapy management as soon as possible, document according to trust policy, and carry out preliminary investigation.
  • Communicate sensitive information to staff, patients, and carers.
  • Determine clinical diagnoses and physiotherapy treatment indicated, and maintain records.
  • Communicate effectively and work collaboratively with medical, nursing, and therapy colleagues to ensure delivery of a coordinated multidisciplinary service.
  • Ensure timely communication with the team leader on all professional matters.
• Service Delivery and Improvement
  • Be responsible for the learning and development of your team, ensuring they are engaging in regular in-service training.
  • Be responsible for the organization of the caseload management within the team.
  • Plan and undertake the measurement and evaluation of practice and performance through clinical audit and studies with guidance from the Team Leader.
  • Demonstrate a sound understanding of Clinical Governance and Risk Management and apply to work situation.
  • Assist Band 8a Staff in the proposal and implementation of Trust Policy and Service Developments within the physiotherapy department.
  • Provide specialist advice to other professionals both within the Trust and outside agencies, nursing staff, and other health and social service colleagues.
  • Be responsible for teaching, supervision, and appraisal of Band 6 and Band 5 staff, and undergraduate students to ensure a high quality of clinical care within the specialty.
  • Be responsible for the equipment used in carrying out Physiotherapy duties, and adhere to departmental equipment policy and Care Quality Commission (CQC) standards.
  • Comply with and ensure implementation of all trust policies and procedures and the Health and Safety at Work Act, including adherence to Universal Precautions and Infection Control measures.
  • Identify changes in the heads of the service to plan and implement appropriate changes.
  • Implement policy and service development for the services in liaison with the senior clinical team lead.
  • Identify and implement service development within the Neurological specialty and ensure clinical effectiveness of patient care is continually monitored.
  • Participate or lead in the interviewing and appointment of new Trust Physiotherapy staff.
• People Management and Development
  • Be a clinical lead in the day-to-day operational management, supervision, and coordination of the in-patient Neurological Physiotherapy team at RSCH.
  • Supervise less experienced staff and formulate Individual Development Plans and undertake regular appraisals with Junior and assistant staff.
  • Support the physiotherapy management in matters of grievance and disciplinary action if and when necessary.
  • Supervise undergraduate physiotherapy students on clinical placements within the department.
  • Lead interdisciplinary projects to develop the service, with assistance and guidance of more senior members of staff.
  • Use good prioritizing and time management skills to meet the unpredictable and conflicting needs of the service.
  • Participate in departmental meetings, including staff, unit, and grade meetings as required, and participate in multi-disciplinary team meetings as required.
  • Report all complaints, incidents, and accidents to the immediate senior member of staff as soon as possible and document according to trust policy.
  • Be responsible for maintenance of an accurate and evaluative record-keeping system using POMR (Problem-Oriented Medical Records).
  • Adhere to Trust policies and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Code of Conduct and be guided by National Standards.
  • Record statistical information related to own activity and highlight variances in consultation with senior staff.
  • Use databases to provide and analyze accurate reports containing statistics and clinical information as requested by Physiotherapy Heads of service and use initiative to collect further data according to the needs of the service.
  • Ensure competence, through teaching and appraisal, of all staff within the Neurological Team in the use of equipment used in carrying out Physiotherapy duties.
  • Be responsible for developing, planning, and delivering induction training and competency assessment for staff working on Neuroscience and neurosurgical or participating in weekend on-call working.
  • Provide specialist advice to physiotherapy colleagues working within other clinical areas.
  • Provide specialist advice, teaching, and training to patients, carers, and members of the multidisciplinary team.
  • Train and assess competence of physiotherapists, physiotherapy assistants, and undergraduate students in therapeutic handling techniques and the risk assessment of these techniques.
  • Be professionally and legally responsible and accountable, as an autonomous practitioner, for all aspects of your own work, including the management of patients in your care.
• Patient Care Delivery
  • Flexibly plan and prioritize own time and that of the in-patient Neuroscience and neurosurgical Physiotherapy team to ensure patient care, training, supervision, and a wide variety of meetings are undertaken (including management, service development, and those with other health professionals).
  • Use excellent prioritizing and time management skills to meet the unpredictable and conflicting needs of the service and assist staff with their time management.
  • As an autonomous practitioner, carry a clinical caseload of patients who may have complex and/or chronic presentations and require advanced clinical reasoning skills.
  • Be competent in the comprehensive assessment of a wide range of patients, including those with a complex presentation, using advanced theoretical knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and pathology.
  • Formulate and develop individual patient management, treatment, and discharge plans, using clinical reasoning, current evidence, and a wide range of treatment skills.
  • Demonstrate well-developed dexterity, coordination, and palpatory skills for the assessment, therapeutic handling, and manual treatment of patients, specific soft tissue mobilization, facilitation of movement, and massage.
  • Continually re-assess patients in order to progress treatments effectively and advise patients and carers on the appropriate time to return to work, sports, and other activities.
  • Demonstrate a sound understanding of Clinical Governance and Risk Management.
  • Maintain patient confidentiality and dignity at all times and support people's equality, diversity, and rights.
  • Use theoretical and practical knowledge to refer to other health disciplines as appropriate, for assessment or further treatment or specialist consultant opinions.
  • Maintain professionalism in public, ward, and rehabilitation areas.
  • Interpret and analyze clinical and non-clinical facts, which may be conflicting.
  • Be competent in the comprehensive assessment of a wide range of neurological presentations.
  • Be competent in tracheostomy weaning and care, working closely with Speech and Language Therapists with Tracheostomy weaning.
  Person Specification

Written and Verbal

• Essential
  • BSc/MSc Physiotherapy
  • Member of HCPC
  • Completed at least 2 years B5 experience, completed all B5 rotations or equivalent, including acute Respiratory, MSK, acute Neuro, and surgical
  • Completed at least 3 years B6 experience, completed relevant B6 rotations, including ITU Respiratory, Neuro, Trauma, and Ortho
  • Specialized in Neuro Sciences with evidence
  • NHS experience
  • Experienced student educator
  • Leadership experience
  • Experience with HR Policies
• Desirable
  • Post-grad Masters or relevant Darzi within Neuro
  • Previous B7 experience
  • Involved in research
  • Evidence of QI projects
  • Leadership qualification
  • CSP member
  • Evidence of emotional intelligence

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

• Essential
  • Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
  • Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role)