Physiotherapist - Warwickshire Integrated Community Stroke Service

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity for a committed, organised and enthusiastic Physiotherapist to join the Warwickshire Integrated Community Stroke Service in our North Warwickshire locality team based at Wayside House.

In this post you will be working within a large team of therapists and assistants from different disciplines providing assessment and rehabilitation. The varied role provides opportunity to further develop clinical skills in stroke.

We are looking for a Physiotherapist who has considerable skills and experience in the assessment and treatment of stroke patients to join our supportive multidisciplinary team. A passion for working with people, excellent communication skills, flexibility, good time management and organisational skills are essential for this post. In addition, the post holder will be required to travel so being a car owner is essential.

You will receive support through appraisal, supervision, team meetings plus access to in-house training.

Main duties of the job

To provide a high standard physiotherapy service to patients in specialist area.

To work as an accountable and autonomous practitioner, holding responsibility for own caseload.

To work in conjunction with the Pathway and Team leads in planning, co-ordinating, delivering and evaluating the Physiotherapy service within the speciality on a day to day basis.

To take a role in the provision of support and clinical supervision of less experienced physiotherapy staff and undergraduate students.

To deputise for the Team leaders as required.

To keep accurate records of patient contact using written records and electronic data capture.

To contribute to out of hours working as required.

To maintain own competency to practise.

About us

Come and join a Trust rated Outstanding by the CQC. South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust have been rated as outstanding following our latest inspection by the CQC and we are recruiting new staff to come and help us improve even further.

We provide services across Warwickshire and beyond ranging from Hospitals in Warwick, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Royal Leamington Spa and Shipston-on Stour to Community Services across the county. We are a progressive, expanding organisation with great ambition around improving quality, integrating pathways and delivering high levels of productivity.

Our values can be summed up in one sentence. We are 'Trusted to provide safe, effective and compassionate care'. Throughout the recruitment process you will be asked to think about how you demonstrate these values and how they impact on your work. It doesn't matter what role you do, whether it is patient facing or not, we are all working in the same way with our values at the core.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical

To gain informed consent from each patient prior to assessment and treatment. The Physiotherapist should be familiar with and adhere to South Warwickshire Foundation Trust policies on consent.

To undertake a comprehensive Physiotherapy assessment of the individual patient including those with diverse or complex presentations/multiple pathologies; gaining relevant information by clinical examination; observation, questioning, discussion and manual physiotherapy assessment techniques.

Apply advanced clinical reasoning skills to formulate a clinical diagnosis of their condition and set therapeutic/rehabilitation objectives.

To formulate and deliver an individual physiotherapy treatment programme based on specialist knowledge of evidence-based practice and treatment options using clinical skills manual physiotherapy techniques, patient education, exercise programmes or classes, electrotherapy, and other alternative options. Ensuring competency to practice is maintained as appropriate.

To evaluate patient progress, reassess and alter treatment programmes as required.

To formulate a prognosis and recommend best course of interventions developing comprehensive treatments and discharge plans.

To make informed clinical decisions on timely discharge planning and / or referral to other services.

Communication

To communicate the clinical diagnosis and facilitate understanding of a mutually agreed treatment programme to patients and carers.

To communicate effectively with other patients, relatives or carers on a group or individual basis in order to maximise rehabilitative potential through verbal and non- verbal methods. This may require explanation, instruction, persuasion, motivation, negotiation and reassurance or use of behavioural modification techniques.

To communicate with colleagues and other relevant professionals professionally and appropriately and in a timely manner ( medical notes, letters and reports).

To assess individual patients understanding of proposed treatment modalities and have the ability to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to intervention, in line with Trust policy in gaining consent.

To maintain accurate, legible, comprehensive and contemporaneous documentation, in line with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Core Standards, Trust policies and legal requirements.

Educational

Participate in staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee and be responsible for complying with agreed personal and professional development programmes to meet knowledge, skills and competency requirements.

To be responsible for maintaining and developing specialist knowledge of evidence-based practice ensuring own competency to practice through CPD activities.

To undertake clinical and professional updating through means identified during the appraisal process.

To develop an individual learning plan, maintain CPD records/portfolio which reflect personal development and provide evidence of how learning is applied to practice.

Be an active member through planning, implementation, attendance at and leading, of the in-service training programmes.

To participate in the clinical supervision of less experienced staff and students through teaching, peer reviews and mentoring.

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 equipment by others through teaching, training and supervision of practice.

Undertake regular measurement, data collection and evaluation of your work and current practices through the use of evidence-based practice projects, audit and outcome measures either individually or with more senior physiotherapists.

Management/ Professional

To be responsible for: organising and planning own caseload to meet service and patient priorities. Re-adjusting plans as situations change/arise, this may include adapting a new working environment.

To monitor and mentor the caseload of less experience staff providing support and guidance as required.

To be responsible for supervising, teaching and assessing Physiotherapy students to graduate level demonstrating advanced clinical ability and clinical reasoning skills.

To supervise the other staff within the MDT as required less experienced physiotherapists, TIs, Assistants, Physiotherapy, medical or work experience students ensuring they meet Trust and professional expectations and standards.

To identify opportunities to improve the physiotherapy service and implement changes with senior support in order to provide the best patient care within resources available.

To maintain own competency and to be responsible for the safe and competent use of manual handling, gym and electrotherapy equipment by patients and students/assistants/TIs through teaching, training and supervision of practice.

To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work .

To assess and manage clinical risk within the limits of own scope of practice.

To work within Trust policy and Chartered Society of Physiotherapy guidelines and to have a good working knowledge of national and local standards. Monitor own and others quality of practice, as appropriate.

To work within CSP, Trust Guidelines, National Clinical Guidelines and National Service Frameworks. To monitor own and others standards of practice, as appropriate.

To set a high personal standard of work and professional attitude and encourage others to do likewise.

To maintain high morale and sound staff relations within the department.

To maintain assessment, treatment and discharge records/reports and follow guidelines, protocols and procedures in accordance with professional (Chartered Society of Physiotherapy), legal and departmental standards.

To contribute to meeting the requirements of the Trusts Corporate Governance agenda.

To be committed to a team approach in order to provide continuity and efficiency of service provision.

To be the first point of contact in dealing with minor complaints from staff, patients and carers/visitors in line with Trust Policy.

To be aware of Health and Safety aspects of your work and implement any policies, including prompt recording and reporting of incidents to senior staff, using the Trust incident reporting system.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Degree or equivalent in physiotherapy Member of the CSP Registration with the HCPC Evidence of post graduate training relevant to the clinical fields within the specialisms Evidence of well-rounded clinical experience within the relevant specialisms

Experience

Essential

Evidence of post graduate experience as a rotational band 5 covering core areas within the specialisms Experience of working as part of a Physiotherapy Team and MDT team

Desirable

Experience in contributing to the clinical education / supervision of peers, students or less experienced staff Involvement in clinical audit / research and understanding quality issues Evidence of an ability to deputise for seniors and act as peer mentor to less senior staff

Skills

Essential

Specialist knowledge within the post specialism which is both experience & evidence led A working knowledge of a broad range of conditions Ability to problem solve & clinically reason complex patient presentations Have an ability to prioritise, delegate and set realistic treatment objectives Able to demonstrate a knowledge of clinical governance & the legal responsibilities of the profession Ability to produce accurate and legible documentation Sufficient computer skills for job requirements email, data input etc

Personal Qualities

Essential

Able to present information orally in a clear, non-discriminately and logical manner Able to communicate effectively with patients to maximise their rehabilitation potential Able to influence and persuade other professionals, patients and others Able to work effectively as part of a team Self-motivation and self-organisation skills Be aware of own learning needs/ commitment to CPD

Desirable

Willingness to take on and manage additional roles and responsibilities student rep, H&S Rep

Personal Qualities

Essential

Able to be flexible within the working hours of the department, to suit client and department needs. This includes on call and out of hours/weekends & Bank Holidays Applicant must have good standard of written and spoken English Car Driver and independent means of transport Able to pass Occupational Health requirements Willing to undertake a Criminal Records Disclosure to enhanced level Legally entitled to work in this country

---