Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Cardiac Rehabilitation Therapy Team at Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospital for a Specialist Physiotherapist.

The successful candidate will have excellent clinical skills, be able to communicate effectively provide assessments, exercise prescription, advise and guidance and deliver exercise sessions to group and individual patients in a community environment.

The ideal candidate will have the ability to work both individually and as a member of a team within the areas that the team covers.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will :

• A registered Physiotherapist with the HCPC (Health Care Professions Council)
• Deliver a high standard of evidence based care
• Be able to carry out complex holistic assessments
• Make prompt clinically reasoned decisions
• Work flexibly and adaptably when appropriate
• Have a working knowledge of a broad range of conditions with proven clinical skills
• Formulate and deliver an individual physiotherapy treatment programme to a specialised caseload including patient education and exercise classes
• Had at least 2 years post graduate NHS experience

Our philosophy is to keep the patient at the heart of everything we do. We look for people who are willing to go the extra mile, not because they are asked to, but because they are committed to being part of a healthcare team that delivers an excellent caring service to our patients.

In return for your hard work and dedication we can offer a friendly and welcoming team and all the support and continuing professional development you will need to make a difference to patients and staff.

We have an innovative service of AHP's with an excellent staff supervision system enabling our staff to be committed to developing both their service and themselves.

Clinical Governance, research and audit activities are encouraged within the service.

About us

The Secretary of State has approved the partnership between St Helens & Knowsley and Southport & Ormskirk Hospitals.

From 1st July we have come together as a single organisation under the name Mersey & West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

The Trust delivers acute hospital care, intermediate care, community, and primary care services to a population of over 600,000 people with a combined workforce of around 9000 dedicated and skilled staff from 17 locations including Whiston, Southport & Formby, St Helens, Ormskirk and Newton hospitals.

The Trust provides regional services for burns, plastic surgery and spinal injuries to more than 4 million people across Mersey and West Lancashire, Cheshire, the Isle of Man and North Wales.

Our Vision is to deliver 5 Star Patient Care :

• CAREthat is evidence based, high quality and compassionate
• SAFETY that is of the highest standards
• COMMUNICATION that is open, inclusive and respectful
• SYSTEMS that are efficient, patient centred and reliable
• PATHWAYS that are best practice and embedded, but also respect the individual needs of patients

Our achievements include :

• Trust rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
• Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
• Awarded National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for our Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme

Please see our Wellbeing & Benefits booklet for more information on our staff benefits. Accessible version available upon request.

Job description

Job responsibilities

KEY DUTIES

• To be professional and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of your own work including the management of patients / clients in your care.
• To ensure a high standard of clinical care for the patients / clients under your care, and support more junior staff to do likewise.
• To undertake a comprehensive assessment of patients / clients including those with diverse or complex presentations / multi pathologies;

use specialist clinical reasoning skills and appropriate assessment techniques to provide an accurate diagnosis of their condition.

Formulate and deliver an individual treatment programme using assessment, reasoning skills and treatment skills based on a sound knowledge of evidence based practice and treatment options.

Formulate an initial diagnosis and prognoses in order to recommend best course of intervention and develop comprehensive discharge plans.

• To take delegated responsibility from the Band 7 clinician for managing patients / clients with particular conditions and be responsible for providing specialist assessment and treatment plans for patients with these conditions.
• Evaluate patient progress, reassess and alter treatment programmes as required.
• To have the ability to undertake self-directed / lone working in a variety of locations.

CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• To maintain Professional Registration
• To work within Trust clinical guidelines, HCPC and Registrant Body guidelines and to have a working knowledge of national and local standards and monitor own and others quality of practise against these.
• To be responsible for a designated area of work, as delegated by a senior clinician. Plan and organise efficiently and effectively patient / client caseload, and use of time for self and more junior staff.
• To be responsible for equipment used in carrying out clinical duties, and to adhere to policy, including competence to use equipment and to ensure the safe use of equipment by others through teaching, training and supervision of practice.
• To provide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to relatives, carers and other professionals to promote understanding of the aims of treatment and to ensure a consistent approach to patient care.
• To provide specialist clinical advice to colleagues working within other clinical areas
• To provide specialist clinical advice, teaching and training to other members of the MDT regarding the management of patients
• To train, supervise and performance manage more junior staff and students. This will include the use of formal appraisal documentation.
• To communicate effectively with patients and carers to maximise potential and to ensure understanding of their condition.
• To assess capacity, gain valid informed consent and have the ability to work within a legal framework with patients / clients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
• To communicate highly sensitive information effectively with all patient groups / clients / carers where there may be difficulties in accepting or understanding information.
• To maintain tact and diplomacy and use highly developed communication skills when working in situations which may become hostile / antagonistic including potential complaints as per Trust Policy.

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

• To maintain accurate, comprehensive and up to date documentation, in line with legal and local requirements, and communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines in the form of reports and letters.
• To undertake as directed the collection of appropriate data and statistics for the use of the department.
• To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service.

This will include participating in a variety of MDT, internal and external agency meetings and forums plus other forms of verbal / written communication as necessary including report writing and referrals to other agencies.

TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES

To maintain own clinical professional development (CPD) by keeping abreast of any new trends and developments, and incorporate them as appropriate into your work.

To support junior staff to do likewise.

• To be an active member of relevant training programmes attending and delivering presentations and training sessions at staff meetings, tutorials , and by attending external courses and being a reflective practitioner.
• To participate in the supervision scheme as supervisor and supervisee.

LINE MANAGEMENT / SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• To demonstrate leadership by means of :
• Delivering change within sphere of practice, when and where indicated, to improve service delivery.
• Influencing, motivating, supporting and enabling others to contribute towards the effectiveness and success of the Therapy Team
• To provide specialist advice and guidance in working with colleagues locally to ensure best practice across all disciplines in the assessment, treatment and long-term management of patients / clients within sphere of practice.
• To deputise for the band 7 in terms of operational issues
• To take responsibility for their own specialist and complex decision making and the decisions of their team which effect service delivery
• To undertake any other duties that might be considered appropriate by senior staff.
• To participate in working parties developing policy changes within speciality which will impact on all service users.

CLINICAL GOVERNANCE, RESEARCH & AUDIT

• To adhere to the appropriate Registrant Body code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and facilitate compliance of staff with local and national standards of practice.
• Implement policy and service development changes as directed.
• To demonstrate a sound understanding of clinical governance and risk management and apply to work situation.
• To undertake the measurement and evaluation of your work and current practices through the use of evidence-based practice projects, audit and outcome measures under the guidance of senior staff.

Make recommendations for change and to implement change.

• To comply with the organisational and departmental policies and procedures and to be involved in the reviewing and updating as appropriate.
• To support research activity within the Service
• To engage actively in practice development, evaluation, audit and research activities relevant to service to promote evidence-based practice.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree in Physiotherapist
• HCPC registration
• 2 years post graduate NHS experience

Desirable

• Clinical Educators Certificate
• Post Grad accredited study MSc in relevant health studies
• Member of any specialist groups BACPR, ACPICR

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

• Advanced clinical knowledge relevant to the care environment and evidence of evidence-based practise in relevant health setting
• Awareness of own strengths and limitations
• Knowledge of relevant national policies and guidance and relevant assessment tools
• Experience of line managing a team including setting objectives, conducting appraisals and effective delegation and co-ordination
• Evidence of effective working within an MDT
• Experience of Service development
• Demonstrate experience of problem-solving approaches
• Demonstrates continuous Professional Development

Desirable

Audit and research in a clinical area

Skills

Essential

• Demonstrates ability to motivate team performance to achieve objectives
• Ability to prioritise and work to deadlines
• Ability to communicate effectively in a variety of settings
• Accurate record keeping, report writing and IT skills including presentation skills
• Have a flexible approach to working with good time management

Desirable

Mentorship skills

Other

Essential

Last updated : 2024-04-23