Highly Specialist Physiotherapist - Respiratory

An excellent opportunity has arisen for a Highly Specialist Physiotherapist with proven clinical skills and a passion for caring for people who require holistic respiratory and rehabilitation support within the setting of Lane Fox Unit at Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital. The team consists of a rehabilitation band 7 as well as rotational staff and is supported by respiratory and rehabilitation clinical leads. This is a permanent role.

The post holder will be a key member of our multi-disciplinary team delivering high quality rehabilitation for those transferred to this regional weaning unit and respiratory centre.

Main duties of the job

We are seeking a dynamic, motivated and experienced respiratory physiotherapist to join our Respiratory Physiotherapy leadership team. To take a lead role in the advanced respiratory assessment and treatment of patients following prolonged mechanical ventilation whether due to neurological or non-neurological diagnosis in patients with highly complex and / or chronic presentations. To determine clinical diagnosis and establish comprehensive respiratory rehabilitation management plan that supports their weaning and ventilation needs. To co-ordinate and communicate these needs to the wider physiotherapy and MDT team on the Lane Fox Unit, St Thomas Hospital.

Key Relationships

Head of Physiotherapy, Consultant Physiotherapist. Clinical Lead Physiotherapists, Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist, Physiotherapy Team Leads, Physiotherapy staff, Physiotherapy Service Manager, Lane Fox rehabilitation Band 7 physiotherapist and LFU physiotherapy team. Lane Fox Multi-disciplinary team, Home Ventilation Team, The Lane Fox REMEO Respiratory Centre as well as the wider MDT involved in the care of this patient population working in this setting.

About us

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK's best known hospitals - Guy's, St Thomas', Evelina London Children's Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield - as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation.

We are among the UK's busiest, most successful foundation trusts. We provide specialist care for patients including heart and lung, cancer and renal services as well as a full range of local hospital and community services for people in Lambeth and Southwark.

We have around 22,700 staff, making us one of the largest NHS Trusts in the country and one of the biggest employers locally. We aim to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and continue to develop new and existing partnerships with local people, patients, neighbouring NHS organisations, local authorities and charitable bodies and GPs.

We strive to recruit and retain the best staff as the dedication and skills of our employees lie at the heart of our organisation and ensure that our services are of the highest quality, safe and focused on our patients.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Patient Care

• To provide highly specialist autonomous clinical management of patients admitted to the Lane Fox Unit.
• To demonstrate an advanced level of clinical decision making to undertake appropriate neuro and respiratory assessment, make a clinical diagnosis, develop, implement and evaluate specialised physiotherapeutic treatment programmes and ensure the MDT are informed of outcomes/management plans.
• As a member of the multi-disciplinary team to influence decision making regarding treatment planning and implications of physical dysfunction and rehabilitation needs of patients who are inpatients
• To provide advice on specialised physiotherapy care and treatment for this patient cohort based on theoretical knowledge and relevant practical experience, and to be consulted frequently for specialist advice and guidance by colleagues, junior team members and other health care professionals both within and outside the trust.
• To have specialist knowledge of physiotherapy care and treatment for patients who have received prolonged mechanical ventilation, who have neurological diagnosis or complex respiratory needs.
• To attend any ward rounds, meetings and seminars/case conferences as appropriate, and to liaise with and advise other disciplines, as appropriate, both in and outside the trust to achieve comprehensive, effective and confidential patient management through to discharge in the community or repatriation to the referring hospital.
• To demonstrate a sound understanding of clinical governance, clinical risk and to demonstrate the use of treatment plans with an evidence-based link.
• To be responsible for maintenance of accurate written records using POMR system and the use of the computerised patient data system, and supervision of team record keeping to include comprehensive progress and discharge reports
• To ensure that a high standard of clinical practice and patient care is maintained and to ensure that other physiotherapists in the team do likewise, through ongoing competency assessment and evaluation of treatment outcomes.
• To keep up to date with clinical developments, analysing current research and discussing and implementing changes in clinical practice accordingly.
• To be informed of and work to the standards in the specialty area, and ensure that junior members of the team are informed and work to these standards.
• To use specialist knowledge to refer to other health disciplines as appropriate.
• To demonstrate highly developed dexterity, co-ordination and palpatory sensory skills for assessment and manual treatment of patients
• To be highly competent in assessing patients who are in respiratory failure resulting from specific neurological diagnosis, chronic respiratory conditions, chest wall abnormalities and failure to wean from mechanical ventilation, often in situations where conflicting evidence is present.

See Full job description

Person Specification

Knowledge/ Qualifications

Essential

• Diploma / Degree in Physiotherapy
• Post Graduate Courses relevant to the clinical speciality
• Registration HCPC
• Continued Professional Development including evidence of reflective practice

Desirable

• Recognised post-graduate qualification e.g. MSc.
• Post graduate course(s) in management and / or leadership training
• Membership of relevant National special interest group

Skills

Essential

• Significant experience at Band 6 level in a broad range of settings including critical care, surgery, medicine and rehabilitation
• Experience in the physiotherapy management of patients with neurological disorders +/- respiratory sequelae
• Significant experience of working as an integral member of a physiotherapy and multidisciplinary team.
• Experience of teaching in a clinical setting including physiotherapists and the wider MDT
• Participation in respiratory out of hours working
• NHS experience as a physiotherapist

Desirable

• Previous experience at Band 7 within a respiratory setting
• Significant experience in physiotherapy management of acute medical patients in the ward and high dependency environment
• Significant experience in physiotherapy management of chronic respiratory disease
• Experience of research practice and methodology, QI and or service development
• Experience of managing other physiotherapists Physiotherapy assistants /technical instructors students

Experience

Essential

• Specialist knowledge of the principles relevant to physiotherapy within a neuro-respiratory setting including acute presentations, disease management and rehabilitation
• knowledge of a wide range of approaches to the holistic management of complex neurological conditions.
• Ability to work within a multidisciplinary setting, goal planning, developing care pathways and using outcome measures.
• Ability to organise, prioritise and delegate and evidence of an awareness of skill mix and service needs

Desirable

• Previous experience at Band 7 within a respiratory setting
• Significant experience in physiotherapy management of acute medical patients in the ward and high dependency environment and mgt of patients with respiratory failure
• Experience of research practice and methodology

Employer details

Employer name

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Address

St Thomas's Hospital

Westminster bridge Road

London

SE1 7EH

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

196-LIS7856