Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist in Pelvic Health Position

Job Summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly skilled and experienced physiotherapist to join our specialist Pelvic Health Team at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. This team works closely with the Therapy team in Outpatients and is based across two hospital sites: Leicester General Hospital and Leicester Royal Infirmary.

The successful candidate will work in partnership with the existing Pelvic Health Physiotherapy team and the wider Maternity, Urogynaecology, Colorectal and Urology Multi-Disciplinary Team.

This is a part-time permanent contract, offering a unique opportunity to develop your skills and expertise in a specialist area.

Main Duties of the Job

As a Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist in Pelvic Health, you will be responsible for the assessment and treatment of patients requiring specialist and/or complex Pelvic Health physiotherapy. You will work with patients from various specialties, including gynaecology, urogynaecology, colorectal and obstetrics.

About Us

Our new strategy, developed with the support and feedback of colleagues, patients, and partners, is our compass for the next seven years. We have four primary goals: high-quality care for all, being a great place to work, partnerships for impact, and research and education excellence.

We will embed health equality in all we do, taking active steps to reduce avoidable differences in healthcare that some people face, working in partnership with communities.

Job Responsibilities

The Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist for the Pelvic Health Service will:

• Provide clinical and professional leadership to physiotherapy colleagues in the speciality area
• Lead, evaluate and develop clinical practice within their speciality, ensuring compliance with national and local guidelines and frameworks
• Be responsible for the clinical standards, evidence-based practice and quality metrics within the speciality
• Work as an autonomous practitioner to provide specialist therapy assessments, diagnose and develop individualised treatment programmes based on the individuals' needs, using advanced clinical reasoning skills
• Be responsible for a clinical caseload which will include complex cases within their area of speciality
• Undertake an active role in developing physiotherapy within the speciality
• Be responsible for the day-to-day management of the delivery of physiotherapy by the specialist team in an efficient and effective way within this complex and pressurised environment
• Participate in the planning, development and evaluation of Physiotherapy within the specialist team, holding responsibility for defined projects
• Work alongside the Therapy Speciality Lead/Therapy Clinical Team Leader to develop links between the specialist therapy team and relevant Clinical Management Groups within UHL
• Ensure the training and development of staff within the Therapy speciality team
• Liaise with colleagues and work across site/cross specialty if appropriate, to ensure the provision of a seamless equitable service
• Deputise for the Therapy Clinical Team Leader as appropriate
• Develop the evidence base for practice through audit, clinical effectiveness and research activity
• Assist and support the Therapy Leadership Team, Therapy Speciality Leads and Therapy Clinical Team Leaders in the improvement and transformation of Therapy services

Service Development, Governance and Evaluation

The Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist for the Pelvic Health Service will:

• Assist in the integration of services within a speciality and within Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy
• Facilitate a culture of quality, continuous innovation, improvement and productivity within the speciality
• Comply and be aware of all aspects of the Clinical Governance agenda, risk, audit, EBP, patient involvement
• Facilitate patient involvement within practice development and audit
• Work collaboratively with others to develop a coordinated cross-site and cross-profession approach to the management of patients within the Therapy Service

Provide specialist clinical advice to inform the service planning process

• Instigate, monitor and evaluate systems to ensure that the quality and efficiency of the service is maintained, identifying opportunities for development and implementing them where appropriate, in conjunction with the Therapy Speciality Lead, Therapy Clinical Team Leader and advanced clinical practitioners where applicable
• Have a sound and current theoretical knowledge base and keep up to date with all current developments associated with their speciality and profession, and be responsible for promoting the application of evidence-based practice at every opportunity
• Develop, identify, implement and evaluate clinical outcomes, both therapy and patient reported, that measure efficiency and effectiveness
• Collect Patient, carer and family feedback and develop appropriate action plans in order to drive responsive changes in care
• Assume a key role in projects and initiatives internal and external, where appropriate, in conjunction with colleagues, professional body specialist section groups, Tissue Viability Links, Lead for Infection Prevention
• Be aware of medical, political and therapeutic developments impacting on Therapy and healthcare delivery, reviewing the implications within the specialist area and change or develop practice accordingly, in consultation with the Therapy Clinical Team Leader
• Contribute to the development, implementation and monitoring of professional standards within the team, and to lead on clinical audit
• Assist in reviewing and updating policies and procedures
• Collaborate with the Therapy Leadership Team in identifying opportunities for service development
• Compare own practice with peers in other Trusts and participate in national, regional and professional networks to develop best practice

Clinical Practice and Patient Care as a Clinical Specialist

The Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist for the Pelvic Health Service will:

• Be responsible for managing a complex clinical caseload from assessment, intervention/treatment to discharge/transfer of care, in order to facilitate a timely and safe discharge from hospital
• Provide appropriate education to patients and carers in order to encourage and support participation in the management and care of their child
• Have specialist knowledge and skills related to this clinical area in order to provide specialist teaching, clinical advice and recommendations to Therapy staff, the multi-disciplinary team and families in relation to patient care
• Use specialist techniques, including therapeutic handling and rehabilitation techniques, to maximise functional potential for each individual
• Assist patient, family and other staff during Therapy by responding to medical emergencies and/or performing other activities, including personal care
• Communicate complex, sensitive, distressing and contentious information effectively with individuals, carers and staff in the multi-disciplinary team and other agencies
• Delegate clinical duties to therapists and/or support staff, ensuring that they have appropriate knowledge, understanding and competence, and to provide training and supervision as required
• Negotiate, agree expectations and set appropriate, realistic and individualised Therapy goals in partnership with the patient, parents, carers and families and MDT colleagues
• Select and use appropriate assessment techniques in hospital, the patient's own home and/or in community-based settings
• Set up equipment for therapy and ensure it is used safely by parents, carers, staff and students
• Treat, monitor, and develop each individual's therapy programme using outcome measures and work towards a timely discharge, in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary team
• Have day-to-day management, coordination and organisation of the Therapy referral systems and clinical caseload for the specialty team, and ensure patients receive high standards of intervention at all times, in accordance with the Code of Professional Conduct for Physiotherapists, as appropriate
• Provide specialist clinical support, advice and teaching for physiotherapy staff, the wider therapy team and other professionals
• Use advanced clinical reasoning and highly specialist skills to assess, plan and implement treatment regimes for individuals referred, and taking particular responsibility for those with the most complex needs
• Adapt and utilise appropriate techniques or precautions when treating/handling individuals
• Use clinical reasoning skills to prescribe, plan, treat lead and facilitate discharge, where appropriate
• Liaise with individuals, carers and other relevant healthcare professionals and community services to establish individual needs and ensure all appropriate recommendations are actioned
• Ensure collection of statistical information and maintain a professional level of record keeping and report writing, in accordance with the UHL Documentation Policy, HCPC and professional guidelines
• Teach therapy techniques to family and carers, including safe use of equipment, handling and management of their family member's condition, ensuring all relevant appropriate documentation is completed
• Participate in multidisciplinary case review meetings to discuss progress and to plan treatment and safe discharge
• Explain therapy, gain consent and work with individuals and carers to achieve goals
• Gather, analyse and evaluate information to identify problems in partnership with the individuals, carers and colleagues
• To have shared responsibility for monitoring the safety of patients and team members whilst working in the community, if appropriate, and be responsible for actioning emergency procedures if their safety is compromised
• Advise the Therapy Clinical Team Leader of any concerns regarding clinical practice
• With the agreement of the Therapy Leadership Team, as appropriate, develop competencies in roles outside the normal scope of practice, within an approved training and ratification process, with ongoing review