Job Description - Senior Community Physiotherapist - Paediatrics

PHYSIOTHERAPY DEPARTMENT

Job description - Senior Community Physiotherapist - Paediatrics

1. JOB IDENTIFICATION

Job Title: Senior Paediatric Physiotherapist

Grade:

Accountable to: Physiotherapy Manager

Responsible to: Physiotherapy Manager

Job Holder reference:

Number of Job Holders: 1

2. ORGANISATIONAL CHART ATTACHED

3. JOB PURPOSE

The Paediatric Physiotherapy service provides a high standard of physiotherapy assessment, treatment and advice to patients, carers and families throughout the Isle of Lewis and Harris. Undertaking the lead role in the assessment, diagnosis and formulation of physiotherapy treatment plans. The caseload encompasses all aspects of community Paediatrics and is a mixture of both ages and conditions.

Working as the only Paediatric specialist physiotherapist, be the Physiotherapy lead within the multi-disciplinary team, providing specialist advice to other health professionals, such as child psychologists, health visitors, GP's and other social care professionals, education services and others as necessary.

To act as a source of specialist advice for Physiotherapy staff and others, where appropriate.

To work closely with children, and their extended families.

To work closely with staff in Education, Head Teachers, Class Teachers and school Auxiliaries', who will be working with the paediatric clients in schools.

Work closely with Voluntary Agencies, Wheelchair Services, Orthotic Services, education, medical staff and others to ensure the Physiotherapy treatment is fully integrated into the patient care programmes. 4. PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

To be responsible for own practice and accountable for all aspects of high quality Paediatric Physiotherapy treatment and care delivered to the patient, as an autonomous practitioner and sole specialist.

Manage the physiotherapeutic treatment of children with a range of conditions, including children with severe physical and cognitive the impairment or disabilities.

To undertake specialist physiotherapy assessment and treatment as an autonomous practitioner.

To act independently to assess, diagnose, and develop individual care/treatment plans for a range of paediatric clients, some of which will be for patients with complex clinical and social needs

To act independently to assess and re-assess plan, implement, evaluate, treat and progress patient care to maximise the child's potential, providing specialised advice, which contributes to an accurate diagnosis.

To plan, organise and manage group activities, some of which are rnultidisciplinary.

To liaise with a wide range of individuals, developing links with other community staff to enhance patient care and provide continuity of service.

To educate staff within the Physiotherapy service, including support and education for the Physiotherapy Paediatric Technical Instructor, and other members of the multidisciplinary team, to promote understanding of the role of physiotherapy, and therapeutic techniques for specific children.

To educate, support and empower parents/carers to provide effective patient management.

Be able to analyse clinical and social information from a range of sources and integrate into physiotherapy assessment and development of care/treatment plans.

To participate in all indirect activities associated with the holistic care of the children/clients within the Physiotherapy caseload (e.g. wheelchair/orthotic/podiatry clinics).

Be the main source of clinical expertise and advice for junior and less senior physiotherapists in the team, regarding Paediatric issues.

To provide specialist advice on patient care to other health, social, educational and voluntary sector services as part of a multidisciplinary team. This may involve challenging or requesting changes to treatment programmes/care plans set by other paediatric professionals. Analyse and understand the impact on clients and physiotherapy treatment of various treatment plans/diagnosis from other disciplines. This includes interpreting medical and educational and psychological assessments of the patient.

Be responsible for maintaining a high standard of clinical practice both for self and other Physiotherapy staff, regarding paediatric clients.

Be highly skilled in communicating with children and adults, who may have a range of physical and psychological barriers to understanding.

Be able to motivate and persuade children of all ages with a range of complex conditions/disabilities to work with treatment programmes and work towards treatment goals.

Be able to communicate and motivate relatives, carers and members of the multidisciplinary team to work towards rehabilitation goals.

To assess paediatric for specialist equipment and recommend its purchase by having an expert knowledge of the options available.

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

To use audit results, current research and government guidelines to recommend changes to service delivery and to clinical practice, demonstrating evidence based link to the development and improvement of clinical practice.

Lead on aspects of change in working and clinical practices of the physiotherapy team. Ensure that where this impacts on the work of other health professionals or services they are informed and assisted with managing the changes to work organisation/service delivery.

Be responsible for initiating and participating in multi-disciplinary case meetings/team meetings to discuss individual patients or groups of patients.

To work to standard set by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and other national and local standards.

Be responsible for maintaining accurate and up to date patient notes to reflect care provided and meet professional standards, including complex reports involving sensitive and emotive information e.g. Child Protection issues/severity of disability.

Service development/Management

To participate in Western Isles Health Board/MDT working parties to develop clinical and policy changes with regard to paediatric clients. This may involve being the lead physiotherapy contributor to local treatment protocols or improvements to cross- organisational communication regarding patients. To be responsible for monitoring and developing high service standards and patient care.

Propose changes to service delivery within the paediatric team and implement subject to agreement when necessary, acting in partnership with the Physiotherapy Department.

To develop, implement and maintain appropriate clinical guidelines ensuring clinical effectiveness, where possible to maximise patient care.

To advise the Physiotherapy Manager on specialised paediatric physiotherapy treatments and all aspects of Physiotherapy care.

To monitor activity/workload and prioritise resources to meet demands.

To plan organise and prioritise own patient caseload and to teach and lead delegated physiotherapy treatments, ensuring regular supervision when required.

Write reports in accordance with service procedures/guidelines and ensure timely delivery to other members of the wider care team, including reports containing sensitive and emotive information, e.g. child protection issues/severity of disability

Participate in Departmental appraisal and development review process.

Undertake own CPD, participate in peer reviews and maintain up to date knowledge of speciality through research and work of clinical interest groups.

General

Be responsible for Physiotherapy equipment, ensuring it is safe to use, and ensuring the safe use of equipment by patients during treatment.

Assess and provide appropriate paediatric equipment, i.e. standing frames, walkers, specialised seating, wheelchairs, orthotics, sleep systems etc.

Ensure good communication with patients and carers, demonstrating ability to deliver difficult diagnosis with tact and sympathy. Providing ongoing support to families during times of emotional distress. Managing distressed or aggressive patients or carers in complex and sensitive situations.

Provides and receives information regarding assessment, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment to encourage compliance.

Patients will have a wide range of medical and cognitive problems and require the physiotherapist to utilise developed interpersonal skills to facilitate rehabilitation in both an individual and group setting.

To attend and contribute verbally and write reports for children’s' Integrated Education Plans (TEP1 and Co-ordinated Support Plans (CSP) To attend and contribute verbally and write reports for Child Protection proceedings as necessary, often dealing with highly sensitive information.

Deal with verbal complaints.

To network with appropriate physiotherapy colleagues and others to ensure delivery of clinically effective care.

Use of Microsoft word processing for reports/documents/letters. E-mail for communication and internet for information. PhysioTools program for providing exercise intervention information to patients.

5. SUPPORTING INFORMATION

Physical effort

To comply with Physiotherapy Manual Handling policy at all times.

To carry out physiotherapy assessment and treatment, requiring significant physical effort on a daily basis, including crouching, bending and stretching, involving highly developed dexterity, co-ordination and palpatory senses.

Assess and treat clients in difficult/cramped conditions at time, such as in their homes, schools or in cluttered ward areas, when they are not able to come into the Physiotherapy gym.

Occasional exposure to unpleasant working conditions, e.g. bodily fluids, sputum, vomit, urine, blood, wounds, MRSA.

Frequent transportation of bulky equipment both in hospital and community settings (often in poor weather conditions).

Frequent moving and handling of clients, both in the community and in hospital, involving the use of hoists and other manual handling equipment.

Pushing wheelchairs/specialised seats

Use of keyboard skills.

Mental effort

Long periods of concentration daily, while assessing and treating patients, often as a lone practitioner and therefore having to respond to interruptions from other staff and the public.

Frequently dealing with patients with complex needs, which require specialised clinical reasoning and communication skills to assess and treat.

Teaching clinical and manual skills to carers, parents and other staff, daily. A wide diversity of conditions/specialities, which have to be seen and responded to requiring a depth of knowledge, which has to be updated continuously.

Availability to all staff and public in remote areas, frequently being approached for physiotherapy advice/opinion, both in work and own time, leading to daily unpredictable working patterns.

Emotional effort

Frequently providing unwelcome news to staff, patients or carers, e.g. regarding limited outcome of rehabilitation or possible changes in lifestyle.

Dealing on a daily basis with patients and carers in considerable distress.

Dealing on a daily basis with difficult social situations, where relatives/carers are not coping with patients at home.

Dealing occasionally with patients and carers who can become angry, upset or aggressive.

Dealing with verbal complaints.

Frequently deal with patients who are terminally ill.

To negotiate with parents and children to ensure optimum management and care of patients.

Lone working often dealing with highly complex emotional/social situations in the community with no immediate support.

Working conditions

At all times work as a sole Paediatric physiotherapy practitioner.

Daily drive to remote/rural locations often enduring inclement weather, for approximately 2-3 hours per day.

On occasion be exposed to body fluids, vomit, blood, urine, MRSA, and sputum, which may or may not be infected.

6. STANDARD ELEMENTS

Comply with NHS Western Isles Communications Strategy and Media Policy

Confidentiality  Comply with Western Isles NHS Board's policy on confidentiality  Respect the confidentiality and privacy of patients and staff at all times

Health and Safety  To comply with all aspects of the Western Isles NHS Board's health and safety policies and to participate in mandatory training as required  Maintain at all time a safe working environment and report any issues of concern as appropriate

NHS Western Isles attaches the greatest importance to the health and safety of its employees. It is the Board's policy to do all that is reasonable to prevent personal injury and hazard to health by protecting staff and others including the public from foreseeable hazards compatible with the provision of proper services to patients. The Board expects its entire staff to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work. More detailed information is given in Departmental safety policies where appropriate.

Ensure own actions support equality, diversity and rights

This involves: a) Acting in ways consistent with the Board's policies and procedures b) Treating those you come into contact with equitably and with respect c) Recognising the need for aids and adaptations

JOB DESCRIPTION AGREEMENT

1,...... confirm that the Job Description(s)/Person Specifications(s) attached have been discussed with me and are an accurate and up to date account of the duties and responsibilities and skills/qualifications required to undertake the post.

Job Holders signature:...... Date:...... NHS WESTERN ISLES - PERSON SPECIFICATION

Job Title: Senior Paediatric Physiotherapist Department: Physiotherapy Location: Western Isles Hospital

FACTOR ESSENTIAL DESIRABLE

QUALIFICATIONS Diploma/Degree in Physiotherapy Knowledge of gait analysis and biomechanics Postgraduate courses relevant to paediatric speciality:  Paediatric Bobath  Child Development  Specialist courses/study on conditions that affect child development, neuro- muscular, congential, orthopaedics

EXPERIENCE Significant post-registration Work in a community setting, experience delivering paediatric care Significant experience at Senior level, Casting and orthotics working in a paediatric rotation plus other relevant rotations e.g. neuro developmental, neuro rehabilitation, paediatric medicine, respiratory care, orthopaedics Rotational junior experience across a range of rotations Seating and postural management Sound understanding of Child Protection procedures Sound understanding of the process of statementing for special educational needs MANAGEMENT AND Experience of delegating work to Experience in teaching junior ORGANISATION physiotherapy assistants and junior and undergraduate staff physiotherapists Experience of supervision of junior staff and physiotherapy assistants Ability to priorities, delegate and organise Experience of and ability to work as part of a broad multi-disciplinary team/cross organisational working

PROFESSIONAL Demonstrate a sound understanding Member of the APCP of clinical governance and risk (Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists) Able to demonstrate ability to audit own and others practice, have postgraduate research skills Be state registered (with Health Professions Council) Demonstrate ability to provide professional/clinical leadership

PERSONAL Ability to work as part of a team ATTRIBUTES Ability to demonstrate empathy, sensitivity and tact Ability to communicate effectively with children of all ages and abilities Knowledge of working in a remote and rural area

OTHER Good IT skills Current driving licence Car owner