Job summary

Ready to be part of something extraordinary? Where the smallest steps for our patients and their families can be their biggest moments. We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic physiotherapist with specialist skills in paediatrics and a keen interest in neonatal care to join our team and work within an integrated AHP service on the neonatal unit at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth. Working alongside the nursing and medical staff and sharing knowledge and experience will be a key part of this role.

As a neonatal team we work together, to provide comprehensive, compassionate, individualised care and support to our babies and their families, which are then realised in the outstanding outcomes we achieve for our babies (NNAP 2022).The NICU is a busy tertiary Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with 18 intensive care/ high dependency cots and 13 special care cots. Our neonatal unit has 7 full time Consultant Neonatologists and outcomes remain excellent with survival rates well in excess of the Epicure 2 rates for infants
Peer support and development opportunities are provided both within the team and in conjunction with the Thames Valley and Wessex Neonatal Network.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for an enthusiastic, highly motivated physiotherapist with paediatric experience and a positive attitude to team working. Ideally you will have attended relevant specialist training courses and completed some neonatal competencies. Training will be available for extending and developing competencies if required.

You will be expected to provide specialist clinical expertise in the assessment and management of premature and term babies working closely with other members of the team.

You will be able to evidence that you have delivered training as well as educating and supporting parents.

We know that the secret to our success is through investment in our team, and so in return for your commitment and enthusiasm, we promise you: a supported induction and orientation programme tailored to your needs, advanced leadership and management training programmes with coaching or mentoring support, a focus on staff wellbeing and emotional support, including access to our on-site wellness centre and training, including emotional resilience, relocation package for those moving from out of area (subject to suitability), flexible working opportunities, NHS benefits, including Pension and Discount Schemes.

About us

The Trust is committed to driving excellence in care for our patients and communities and was rated good by the Care Quality Commission report published 2020 and became a University Hospital. We are ranked as the third in the country for research; embedding education and training across the organisation and we continuously strive to achieve our core values which are at the heart of everything we do. The Trusts main hub is the Queen Alexandra Hospital, starting life as a military hospital over a century ago and now one of the largest hospitals on the south coast and you may have seen us on the TV series Nurses on the Ward. The Trust provides comprehensive secondary care and specialist services to a local population of 675,000 people across South East Hampshire. The Trust employs over 8,000 staff and are #ProudtobePHU; our patients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because its the right thing to do, but because it makes our hospital stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for providing outstanding care and support for patients, colleagues and our community you will find a home at PHU. In recruiting for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veterans status, colour, religion, disability, sexual orientation and beliefs.

Job description

Job responsibilities

• To provide specialist physiotherapy assessment and treatment of neonatal and paediatric patients, working collaboratively with MDT colleagues within children's services.
• To provide education and training to staff and colleagues working within children's services to ensure they have appropriate understanding and skills to carry out treatment plans.
• To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner. Access to advise and support from senior staff is available as required.
• To liaise with community MDT colleagues to ensure smooth transition of care.
• To be responsible for a caseload, performing integrated and specialist physio assessments of patients with diverse presentations. Setting goals and developing and delivering an individualised treatment plan as part of a multi professional programme of care.
• Participate in the out of hours respiratory on call service.
• To work in an integrated way with OT, carrying out cross boundary working when appropriate and indicated.
• To supervise and provide clinical support for Physiotherapists, Physiotherapy Assistants, Technicians and Associate Practitioners.
• To supervise, educate and assess the performance of physiotherapy students.
• Undertake evidence-based audit and research projects.
• Will be required to work a 7 day working pattern to support weekend working.
• Participation in the out of hours respiratory on call service.

Key Responsibilities:

Professional/Clinical

• To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including the management of patients in your care.
• To undertake a comprehensive physiotherapy assessment of patients including those with diverse or complex presentations /multi pathologies; use advanced clinical reasoning skills and manual assessment techniques to provide an accurate analysis of a patients presenting problems.
• To work closely with patients, carers and families, agreeing decision making relevant to the patients management. Ensuring the patient, career, family are involved in the planning and prioritisation of their care plans (e.g. goal setting) whenever possible to ensure optimum outcomes.
• To work in an integrated way with the AHP team, referring for specialist AHP assessment where indicated and setting joint goals to facilitate a safe discharge as soon as patients are medically optimised for DC (previously know as medically fit for DC).
• To identify health and social care problems requiring assessment /intervention from other agencies, and with the consent of the patient/carer/family action those referrals.
• To develop enhanced negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations, seeking advice and support t resolve, where appropriate.
• Assess patient/carer/family understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent to treatment.
• To keep accurate, legible records of patient care in line with service guidelines.
• Evaluate patient progress, reassess and alter treatment programmes if required.
• Manage clinical risk within own patient case load.
• To adapt to meet the individual patient/carer/family circumstances, including cultural and linguistic differences.
• Use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with patients to progress rehabilitation and treatment programmes. This will include patients/carers/families who may have difficulties in understanding or communicating. For example, patient/carer/family may be dysphasic, depressed, deaf, and blind or who may be unable to accept diagnosis.
• Work within trust clinical guidelines, HCPC standards and Chartered Society of Physiotherapy guidelines and to have a good working knowledge of national and local standards and monitor own and others quality of practice as appropriate.
• To maintain up-to-date and accurate case notes in line with CSP and HCPC professional standards and local trust policies, including assessment results, treatment plans and reporting to source of referral and other appropriate colleagues. Report will reflect knowledge of diagnosis and management/care plans.
• A 7 day working pattern, including shift patterns and weekend working and TOIL will be adhered to.
• Participation In the emergency respiratory on-call list is expected.

Management and Leadership

Responsibility for ensuring that:

• Staff are managed and standards of work are maintained.
• Trust policies for the management of staff performance are adhered to.
• Appraisals of staff directly managed are undertaken and that the appraisal process is maintained throughout the team.
• Staff receive appropriate health and safety and other mandatory training as prescribed and that relevant records are maintained.
• Other records are maintained by the team ensuring compliance with the agreed record keeping systems of the Trust.
• Informed consent is obtained where appropriate and documented in accordance with Trust procedures.
• Appropriate risk and other assessments are completed and documented in a timely manner in accordance with Trust policy.
• Equipment is maintained in accordance with Trust policy and defective equipment is reported and made safe without delay in accordance with Trust procedures.
• Infection prevention and control procedures are followed by all staff within their area of responsibility.
• All staff follow Trust clinical governance requirements.
• Plan the daily management of a patient caseload and be able to prioritise clinical work and balance other patient related and professional activities in accordance with the departmental requirements.
• Be responsible for the supervision and co-ordination of junior staff, physiotherapy support staff and students daily, their clinical practice and record keeping.
• To plan and co-ordinate rehabilitation programmes delivered by other healthcare support workers.
• Represent the physiotherapy service and / or individual patients at the multi-disciplinary team meetings, to ensure the delivery of a co-ordinated multi-disciplinary approach and integrate physiotherapy treatment into the treatment programme. This will include discussion of patient progress and involvement in discharge and transfer of care planning.
• To be responsible for the safe and competent use of all electrotherapy equipment, gym equipment and patient appliances and aids used by patients; ensure that junior staff/assistants attain competency prior to use.
• Support the leadership of the inpatient Physiotherapy Team on the relevant hospital/community site, providing operational and clinical leadership for the service. Deputise for Band 7 in their absence.
• To be able to manage potentially stressful, upsetting or emotional situations in an empathic manner.
• To work with the physiotherapy team to provide an efficient and effective service and to be involved in the proposal/development and implementation of departmental policies and the annual business plan.
• To maintain and provide accurate and timely statistical information as required in consultation with senior staff.
• To participate in the Trust appraisal scheme as an appraise and appraiser.

Administrative/Communication

• To liaise with other members of the physiotherapy team as necessary regarding patient care.
• To communicate effectively with other agencies /disciplines within the neonatal and paediatric team to ensure a multidisciplinary approach to care.
• To be able to communicate complex and sensitive information to patients, carers and other staff including imparting unwelcome news.
• To ensure timely and effective communication with the Physiotherapy Team Leader and other senior staff on all professional matters.
• To maintain an accurate record keeping system in line with HCPC standards and local guidelines.
• To attend any ward rounds, meetings, case conferences as appropriate in order to ensure appropriate and timely management of patients through to discharge.
• To attend and be an active participant in specialty, peer group and departmental staff meetings.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Health Care Professions Council Registration.
• BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy, or equivalent.

Desirable

• Member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

Experience

Essential

• Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.
  
  C8192-CD-23-0522