Physiotherapist

Job summary

We are looking for an enthusiasticand highly motivated Physiotherapist to be based at our hospice in Mount Edgcumbe Hospice St Austell, working hours per week.

You will use specialist skills to provide aholistic palliative Physiotherapy service for inpatients. The emphasis being on Function ,frequently compromised by symptoms including breathlessness, fatigue, anxietyand pain; Rehabilitation and Enablement, empowering patientsto have maximum choice and control over their own lives; Person Centred Goal Setting, identifying and addressing patientspriorities and maintaining quality of life and independence within the specialistpalliative care setting.

You will have the opportunity and be encouraged toinnovate and to try new things. Our scope of work and our confidentorganisational vision creates opportunities for progress and development. Wework together in an environment where people are caring, considerate, inclusiveand welcoming. It can be hard some days, we wont hide away from it, but youwill see clearly the impact and the important work you do and feel recognisedand part of something that really makes the difference.

Main duties of the job

You will use specialist skills to provide a Physiotherapy service for inpatients, day therapy and outpatients when required; the emphasis being on symptom control, rehabilitation and enablement, maintaining quality of life and independence within the specialist palliative care setting.

This post offer the opportunity to work with a highly specialist multi-disciplinary team providing care and support for people with cancer and other life limiting illnesses.

You will have held your own caseload, have excellent communication and planning skills, with a diploma or degree in Physiotherapy and be MCSP/HCPC Registered.

About us

Our vision is for all people living with terminal illness inCornwall to be able to access the care and support they may need at the timeand in the place that is right for them and their families.

We aspire to deliver the highest possible quality care andsupport to our patients and their families. We will strive to develop andsecure the resources necessary to achieve this, now and in the future.

Ouremployees and volunteers are essential to the care we provide. In return,for joining a team of people having such a positive impact on others, weprovide:

A chance to make a real difference Supportive working environment Access to a wide range of training and development opportunities Generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days plus bank holidays (pro-rata), which increases with service and the option to buy or sell leave. Contributory pension scheme Life Assurance Non-contributory medical cash plan, with the option to include your family members Employee Assistance Programme Enhanced sick pay scheme EarlyPay Scheme Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title Physiotherapist

Reports to Therapy and Community Manager

Job Role To provide a high standard of Physiotherapy service performing a specialist assessment of patients, including those with highly complex presentations and using evidence based, patient-centred principles formulate a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan which is carried out as an autonomous practitioner. Will have experience of treating palliative patients in any setting and experience of rehabilitating patients with cancer and other life limiting conditions. The position holder must have a minimum of 3 years post qualification experience and to have held their own caseload.

1. To act with the other physiotherapists as an expert resource and provide advice, education and support to other health care professionals within the multidisciplinary team as appropriate.

2. To attend multidisciplinary team meetings to ensure there is an integrated approach that benefits patients’ overall care and discharge plans.

3. To liaise with other healthcare professionals providing therapy services across the community.

4. To promote the key values of specialist palliative care and liaise with patients, families and carers.

5. To provide Physiotherapy to inpatients and outpatients attending both hospices and Cornwall Hospice Care Neighbourhood Hubs.

6. To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including management of patients in your care. To hold responsibility for own caseload and work as an autonomous practitioner.

7. To undertake a comprehensive specialist assessment of palliative care patients including those with diverse or highly complex presentations/multi pathologies to determine appropriate treatment and goal setting of palliative care patients.

8. To use advanced clinical reasoning skills using specialist knowledge underpinned by theory and/or practical experience and advanced expertise to determine a clinical diagnosis.

9. Formulate and deliver an individual programme based on sound knowledge of evidence based practice and treatment options using clinical assessment, reasoning skills and knowledge of treatment to recommend the best course of intervention for that particular episode of care.

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

11. To assess patient understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.

12. To provide and receive highly complex or sensitive information where there are significant barriers to acceptance which need to be overcome using the highest level of interpersonal and communication skills.

13. To communicate complex information to patients/carers/relatives and other clinical/social care staff.

14. To deal with distressed carers and family who may have high levels of anxiety, be angry or confused.

15. To analyse clinical and social information from a range of sources and integrate into Physiotherapy assessment and development of care/treatment plan.

16. To use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with patients and carers to progress rehabilitation and treatment programmes. This will include patients and carers who may have difficulties in understanding or communicating, or who may be unable to accept their diagnosis.

17. To be able to motivate and persuade patients with a range of highly complex conditions/disabilities to work with treatment/management programmes and work towards agreed goals.

18. To manage clinical risk within own patient caseload.

19. To work within the standards and guidelines of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), Cornwall Hospice Care, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) and Association of Physiotherapists in Oncology and Palliative Care (ACPOPC) and to have a good working knowledge of national and local standards and care pathways and monitor own and others’ quality of practice as appropriate.

20. To be responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive patient treatment records in line with CSP and Cornwall Hospice Care record keeping standards of practice.

21. To represent Physiotherapy service and/or individual patients at multidisciplinary team meetings, to ensure the delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service and integrate Physiotherapy treatment into the treatment programme.

22. To work in a variety of settings including wards, patients’ homes and clinics as required and transport self and equipment to visit patients and attend meetings.

23. Facilitate the discharge planning process.

24. Work with patients, carers, other professionals and agencies to meet identified needs.

25. Provide teaching and guidance to both patients and carers as required.

26. Ensure that referrals are dealt with in a timely manner, taking into consideration clinical priorities in case management.

27. Manually handle equipment (wheelchairs, health care equipment) and furniture frequently, following ergonomic risk assessment as per statutory training and service risk assessment.

28. Treatments may necessitate working in restricted positions or limited space.

29. Moving and handling of patients in relation to assessment, treatment and rehabilitation.

Professional:

1. To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through Continuous Professional development (CPD) activities and maintain a portfolio which reflects personal development.

2. To participate in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee and be responsible for complying with your agreed personal development programmes to meet set learning and competencies.

3. To demonstrate a sound understanding of clinical governance, including ability to audit own and teams’ practice.

4. To be an active member of the in-service training programme by attendance at and participation in in-service training programmes, tutorials, individual training sessions, external courses. Be actively involved in the professional clinical groups, ACPOPC Peer Review Groups and other professional activities.

5. Promote awareness of the therapy role within the team, negotiating priorities where appropriate.

6. To undertake as directed the collection of date for use in service audit and research projects.

7. To participate in the supervision, education and assessing performance of students on placement at Cornwall Hospice Care including medical, nursing and allied health professional students.

8. To continually monitor the service and assist in developing policy together with line manager in supporting the development and progression of Physiotherapy practice and the service provided by Cornwall Hospice Care.

General

This job description is intended to provide an outline of the duties and responsibilities of the post and is not exhaustive and may be amended periodically as necessary.

The post holder may be asked to undertake other duties within the general level and scope of the post and to work at other Cornwall Hospice Care sites as required.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

Diploma/Degree in Physiotherapy. HCPC Registration. Evidence of further formal study. Evidence of a broad range of experience in respiratory, older adults and end of life care. Highly developed skills in clinical assessment, intervention and evaluation. Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team and an in depth understanding of their roles. High level of skill and experience including supervision of support staff. Advanced autonomous worker with extensive experience of managing the risks associated with unsupervised loan working. A minimum of 2/3 years post qualified experience and to have held own caseload. Specialist knowledge and application of physiotherapy assessments and interventions. Car Owner

Desirable

Membership of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Membership of appropriate clinical interest groups. Comprehensive experience in hospice and community settings with advanced clinical skills in highly complex conditions. Experience of teaching other health care professionals, service users and other agencies. Knowledge of national and local agendas, legislation, policies and procedures affecting practice. Evidence of clinical skills in palliative care.

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