Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join a strong and dynamic physiotherapy team working with patients on a variety of neurological rotations covering:

• Acute stroke
• Stroke and neuro rehabilitation
• Community Stroke Rehab Team
• Acute Neurology Team
• Community Neurological Service

As part of the Neurological Rehabilitation & Stroke pathway, you will be based mainly at the Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth with one rotation (CNS) in Portsmouth Community, which is part of Solent Trust. The Queen Alexandra Hospital is a busy district general hospital on the South coast, with a Good CQC rating.

We will actively help you to pursue your career aspirations within neuro physiotherapy, with excellent training, clinical and leadership support and a group of like-minded peers.

For further information about this opportunity please contact:Kath Lake on 02392 286000ext. 6838 or bleep 0086.

Main duties of the job

This is an excellent opportunity to build some highly specialist skills in all neuro areas. On all rotations you will have access to highly skilled clinical specialist staff who are trained in a diversity of neurological approaches to treatment. This rotation is fantastic in meeting your learning needs and truly cementing a love of neurological care.

You will have the opportunity to work closely with all members of the MDT to provide high quality care and treatment and to enhance current service delivery and patient experience in both Physiotherapy and the wider MDT.

You will join a very well led and cohesive team of committed Physiotherapists and technicians.

If you have a minimum of 18 months post-graduate experience, some experience in a neuro setting and you are committed to the care of multi-complex patients and multi-facetted demands of the Neurological Rehabilitation & Stroke pathway, then this is your job.

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

• Senior Physiotherapist on annual rotations (including and according to service need) in Neurological Rehabilitation / Stroke Service.
• Commitment to one out of hours sessions per month. Seven day working rotas in situ for acute rotations.
• To perform advanced physiotherapeutic assessment of patients with diverse neurological presentations and complex physical and psychological conditions. To provide a diagnosis and develop and deliver an individualised treatment programme.
• To hold responsibility for own caseload and be responsible for a defined area of the service working without direct supervision. Supervision will take the form of regular formal training and clinical reasoning sessions, peer review and case conferences. Access to advice and support from a specialist physiotherapist in neurology is available if required. Clinical work is not routinely evaluated.
• To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner.
• Participate in CPD and other departmental activities.
• Supervise assistants / technicians and students. Take responsibility for students - supervise, educate and assess the performance of physiotherapy students; this would be to a graduate standard and involve working with universities to ensure the standard of practice and teaching meets the standards set by the degree level qualification.
• Undertake evidence-based audit and research projects to further own and teams practice within department. Make recommendations to clinical or pathway lead of service for changes to practice by team. May lead the implementation of specific changes to practice or contribute to service protocols.

Rotations

The post will rotate through the following areas across the Trusts:

• Lotus Rehab Centre (stroke and complex neuro rehab)
• Hyper Acute Stroke Unit
• Community Stroke Rehab Team
• Acute Neuro Team
• Community Neurology Service / outpatients

Key Responsibilities:

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 assessment of neurological patients including those with diverse or complex presentations and co-existing pathologies; use advanced clinical reasoning skills and manual assessment techniques to provide an accurate diagnosis of their condition.
• Formulate and deliver an individual physiotherapy treatment programme based on a sound knowledge of evidence based practice and treatment options using clinical assessment, reasoning skills and knowledge of treatment skills e.g. manual physiotherapy techniques and handling skills, patient and carer education, exercise classes, electrotherapy techniques and other alternative options.
• To identify health and social care problems requiring assessment /intervention from other agencies, and with the consent of the patient action those referrals.
• To take delegated responsibility from the senior physiotherapist team leader for managing patients and be responsible for providing specialist physiotherapy assessment and treatment plans.
• Formulate accurate prognoses and recommend best course of intervention, developing comprehensive care plans in conjunction with the patient, carer and the multiprofessional team.
• Assess patient 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.
• Work effectively with those patients whose first language is not English and take into consideration diversity issues in particular differing cultural awareness.
• 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 who may have difficulties in understanding or communicating as a consequence of a neurological deficit or other co-existing pathologies. For example, patients may have expressive or receptive language difficulties, have cognitive impairment, depression, deaf, blind or who may be unable to accept diagnosis.
• Evaluate patient progress, reassess and alter treatment programmes if required.
• Manage clinical risk within own patient case load.
• Work within local and national guidelines. Monitor own and others quality of practice as appropriate (according to Chartered Society of Physiotherapy standards of practice).
• Whilst working in the community and domicillary settings, manage work as a lone practitioner (with telephone support from a specialist physiotherapist if required). This is in adherence to Trust and service home working policies.
• When working on the emergency duty on-call rota, provide advice to medical and nursing staff and other members of the multidisciplinary team regarding patients respiratory and chest functions/conditions.
• Undertake the assessment and treatment of acutely ill patients with respiratory problems, who may have a complex presentation (when working on the out of hours / on-call rota). Maintain associated records as an autonomous practitioner.
• Participate in a weekend working rota. A 7 day working pattern with weekend working and TOIL will be adhered to.
• Participation in the emergency respiratory on-call out of hours service is expected.

Management

• Plan the effective daily management of a caseload of patients including responding to urgent referrals and occasionally unpredictable work patterns.
• To be able to prioritise clinical work. To balance other patient related and professional activities in accordance with the departmental requirements.
• Be responsible for the supervision and co-ordination of Band 5 staff, physiotherapy support staff and students on a daily basis, their clinical practice and record keeping.
• 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, integrating physiotherapy intervention into the rehabilitaion 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 Band 5 , 4 or 3 staff attain competency prior to use.
• To ensure that all equipment defects, accidents and complaints are reported to your line manager and the physiotherapy manager immediately to ensure that appropriate action may be taken in line with Trust Health and Safety Policies.
• Deputise for team leader in their absence, taking responsibility for operational management of the team, allocating and organising the work of Band 5, 4 ,3 or 2 staff to meet service priorities on a daily basis.
• To be able to manage potentially stressful, upsetting or emotional situations in an empathic manner in caring patients with neurological deficits and dealing with their carers.
• To work with the physiotherapy team to provide an efficient and effective service. 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 appraisee).

Communication

• To communicate effectively with other members of the multi professional team or to whom the patients care is transferred to ensure a consistent multidisciplinary approach to care.
• To liaise with other physiotherapists throughout the continuum of care, as necessary with regard to patient 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 to the physiotherapy managers and senior staff on all professional matters.
• To maintain an accurate record keeping system in line with CSP 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 transfer of care/discharge.
• To attend and be an active participant in specialty, peer group and departmental staff meetings.

Education

• To be responsible for the training of students on clinical placement and band 5,4,3 or 2 staff within the clinical area.
• To be responsible for and actively record your own personal development.
• To keep abreast of all new developments which includes attending relevant study days and visits to specialist units in consultation with the physiotherapy team.
• Organise and implement physiotherapy and multi-professional training sessions when required in the relevant department.
• To disseminate knowledge to physiotherapy staff through in-service training and be available for training other healthcare professionals as required.
• To participate in the IST and post registration education programme. To be proactive with regard to learning from senior staff within the physiotherapy service.

Person Specification

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal.
• Understand the legal responsibilities of the p
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  C8192-CD-23-0529