Senior Physiotherapist

Nightingale House Hospice; Wrexham; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading hospice organization in Wrexham is seeking an experienced physiotherapist to support rehabilitation services. The role includes providing specialist physiotherapy, managing clinical caseloads, and mentoring support staff. Ideal candidates will have a background in palliative care or oncology, hydotherapy experience, and excellent teamwork and organizational skills. This position offers great training opportunities and the chance to make a meaningful impact in the community.

Benefits

Generous holiday allowance

Employee Assistance Programme

Excellent training and development opportunities

Retail Discount Scheme

Qualifications

• 3 years post registration experience in various settings.
• Experience in palliative care or oncology.
• Hydrotherapy experience required.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist physiotherapy to complex needs patients.
• Conduct assessments and create care plans.
• Supervise and mentor technical instructors and volunteers.

Skills

Teamwork

Organizational skills

Ability to work under pressure

Knowledge of disease processes

Hydrotherapy skills

Education

Diploma/BSc Physiotherapy

State registered physiotherapist

Specialist qualification in cancer/palliative care

Job description

Are you ambitious? Lookingfor a new Challenge? Do you want to be supported in your career by a fantasticorganisation and clinical and patient services team?

Weare an ambitious organisation providing specialist palliative care services, completelyfree of charge, to patients and their families across a wide stretching areafrom Wrexham, Flintshire, East Denbighshire to Barmouth and the border towns ofOswestry and Whitchurch. It costs £5.6million per year to run the Hospice, with only 20% of our funding provided bythe government. We are reliant on thesupport of the community we serve to donate and fundraise to maintain our vitalservices. Over 400 volunteers give theirtime to the Hospice to help us run efficiently and effectively as part of thelocal community. This year NightingaleHouse Hospice is celebrating 30 years of providing compassionate care and striveto see this continue for future generations.

We are looking for an experiencedphysiotherapist to support the continued development of our rehabilitationservices across Nightingale House. The role offers an opportunity to buildexperience in hydrotherapy as well as utilising existing skills to meet the needs ofpatients with a range of conditions and symptoms. Nightingale House offers theopportunity to become part of a specialist multi-disciplinary team workingacross in-patient, and day unit and out-patient services. NHS pension is transferable.

Main duties of the job

Toprovide specialist physiotherapy/hydrotherapy to patients, including those withcomplex needs, referred to Nightingale House Hospice; working within themulti-disciplinary team as an autonomous practitioner, ensuring high standardsof patient care are maintained in accordance with all Nightingale House Hospiceaims, policies, procedures and guidelines.

Toprovide assessment and evaluation of individual patients needs and implementplans in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team.

Toact as a resource and support for hospice staff and other health professionalsby offering specialist knowledge and skills.

Todeputise for the Rehabilitation Team Leader in operational management of thedepartment.

Toassist in the development, co-ordination and delivery of a comprehensivephysiotherapy service in close co-operation with the Rehabilitation TeamLeader.

Tosupervise and mentor the Technical Instructor, Physiotherapy Assistant,Volunteers and Students.

Participate in department and hospice research andaudit.

Lead, with a core hospice team, the manual handlingtraining and updates for clinical staff at NHH.

About us

A positive andfriendly working environment.

The opportunity tomake a real difference.

Excellent training anddevelopment opportunities for those that want them.

Generous holidayallowance that increases with length of service.

Staff lunch Menu(Hospice based positions only).

Employee AssistanceProgramme.

Retail DiscountScheme.

Job responsibilities

KeyResponsibilities

Clinical

To receive referrals for physiotherapy andhydrotherapy services from within the hospice departments and for patients withspecialist palliative care needs from the community and to prioritise case loadappropriately.

To undertake specialist physiotherapyassessments of patients with complex care needs referred for physiotherapyservices and identify and document appropriate interventions and care plansbased on assessed need.

To be responsible for maintaining accurateand comprehensive patient treatment records in line with professional and localguidelines.

To ensure informed/written consent isobtained and documented for treatments as appropriate.

To maintain a clinical caseload forphysiotherapy, hydrotherapy and related specialist treatments.

To ensure holistic needs of patients areassessed to an appropriate level within the requirements of the role andresponsibilities

To act as a role model for clinical teams,demonstrating evidence based practice within daily clinical activity andpromoting discussion regarding the benefits and/or limitations of clinicalinterventions.

To participate in multi-disciplinary teammeetings as appropriate and necessary to maintain continuity of patient careacross all departments of the hospice.

To provide advice to members of themulti-disciplinary team on suitable interventions/care of patients in relationto complexity of patient needs.

To maintain and develop a broad knowledge oftreatment modalities.

To maintain knowledge and skills incommunication/breaking bad news appropriate to the role and responsibilitiesbeing aware of personal and organisational limitations of data protection andsafety of patient information

To maintain appropriate knowledge and skillsof the safe use of all specialist equipment used in the provision of patientcare and to disseminate that knowledge as required to other staff or patientsand families if necessary.

In the process of clinical care to assesspatient and family and their appropriateness to participate in clinical auditinitiatives and obtain necessary consent if required.

To act as a specialist resource and providespecialist advice on patient care to other health, social, educational andvoluntary services.

To provide moving and handling assessmentsfor patients with complex mobility/immobility needs and advise carersaccordingly, assisting in developing care plans appropriate to patients andcarers needs for safe moving and handling.

Access support and supervision fromRehabilitation Team Leader or other relevant health professional as required.

To maintain and record own ContinuingProfessional Development as required by the regulating body.

Management

Job description

Job responsibilities

KeyResponsibilities

Clinical

To receive referrals for physiotherapy andhydrotherapy services from within the hospice departments and for patients withspecialist palliative care needs from the community and to prioritise case loadappropriately.

To undertake specialist physiotherapyassessments of patients with complex care needs referred for physiotherapyservices and identify and document appropriate interventions and care plansbased on assessed need.

To be responsible for maintaining accurateand comprehensive patient treatment records in line with professional and localguidelines.

To ensure informed/written consent isobtained and documented for treatments as appropriate.

To maintain a clinical caseload forphysiotherapy, hydrotherapy and related specialist treatments.

To ensure holistic needs of patients areassessed to an appropriate level within the requirements of the role andresponsibilities

To act as a role model for clinical teams,demonstrating evidence based practice within daily clinical activity andpromoting discussion regarding the benefits and/or limitations of clinicalinterventions.

To participate in multi-disciplinary teammeetings as appropriate and necessary to maintain continuity of patient careacross all departments of the hospice.

To provide advice to members of themulti-disciplinary team on suitable interventions/care of patients in relationto complexity of patient needs.

To maintain and develop a broad knowledge oftreatment modalities.

To maintain knowledge and skills incommunication/breaking bad news appropriate to the role and responsibilitiesbeing aware of personal and organisational limitations of data protection andsafety of patient information

To maintain appropriate knowledge and skillsof the safe use of all specialist equipment used in the provision of patientcare and to disseminate that knowledge as required to other staff or patientsand families if necessary.

In the process of clinical care to assesspatient and family and their appropriateness to participate in clinical auditinitiatives and obtain necessary consent if required.

To act as a specialist resource and providespecialist advice on patient care to other health, social, educational andvoluntary services.

To provide moving and handling assessmentsfor patients with complex mobility/immobility needs and advise carersaccordingly, assisting in developing care plans appropriate to patients andcarers needs for safe moving and handling.

Access support and supervision fromRehabilitation Team Leader or other relevant health professional as required.

To maintain and record own ContinuingProfessional Development as required by the regulating body.

Management

To ensure the safe operation and managementof the hydrotherapy pool in line with the hydrotherapy policy.

To prioritise and allocate daily workloadwithin the department, working in conjunction with or deputising for the teamleader.

To delegate appropriate patients to technicalinstructor, assistant and volunteers and supervise their clinical work andmanagement of that patient.

To deputise for the team leader in managinglevels of sickness/absence within the department in accordance with hospicepolicy, reporting any areas of concern to senior managers/human resourcesdepartment.

To facilitate effective communication betweenthe physiotherapy team and other staff groups within the hospice and the widerspecialist palliative care team.

To ensure collaborative working with medical,nursing and therapy colleagues; patients, families and carers for optimalpatient care and promotion of the physiotherapy service.

To initiate and maintain contact with localand national clinical special interest groups relevant to clinical field.

To participate in the development and reviewof clinical guidelines, policies and procedures applicable to the provision ofphysiotherapy.

To collect appropriate data and statisticsrelating to patient care to comply with regional and national statisticalrequirements.

Clinical Governance

Risk ManagementTomanage clinical risk within the workplace, undertake risk assessments regardingpatient condition and environment to ensure safety of self and others.

Ensurethe equality, diversity and rights of patients are promoted and maintained inall areas of clinical governance and clinical care.

To work within Nightingale House and theChartered Society of Physiotherapyclinical and professional guidelines.

Service UserParticipationTo ensure service user views are fed back through theappropriate channels to team leaders or senior management team.

Audit &ResearchTo support the work of colleagues in undertaking audit and research in thedepartment.

To suggest suitable topics for departmentalaudit to team leader.

To support management team and clinical teamleaders to continually monitor standards of care, using appropriate qualityassurance tools.

To ensure clinical risk is managed to as lowa level as is reasonable practicable.

Educationand Development

Actively participate in developing anddelivering education and training to all disciplines and grades of staff,internally and externally, regarding the role of physiotherapy in specialistpalliative care.

Ensure own compliance and assist in ensuringother staff members comply with the requirements of mandatory training andcontinuing professional development.

To provide mentorship, supervision andsupport to physiotherapy students as necessary and at a level appropriate totheir needs.

Promote use of evidence based practise.

Audit andResearch Activity

To undertake surveys or audits as necessaryto own work

To participate in hospice clinical audit orresearch work.

To present findings of research and audit toa variety of professional groups as appropriate to maintain the profile of theservice within the wider health community.

GeneralRequirements

This post is subject to the Terms and Conditionsof employment of the Hospice as specified in the staff handbook

RegisteredHealth Professional

You must be registered with the Health professions Counciland adhere to their code of conduct. It is a requirement of thepost that you maintain up to date knowledge and skills and an awareness ofprofessional issues relative to your role and responsibilities. You are advisedto maintain a professional portfolio for the purpose of demonstrating yourongoing professional knowledge and skills development

CompetenceYou are responsible for limiting your actions to those that you feel competentto undertake. If you have any doubtsabout your competence during the course of your duties you should immediatelyspeak to your line manager / supervisor.

RiskManagement

It is a standard element of the roleand responsibility of all staff of the Hospice that they fulfil a proactiverole towards the management of risk in all of their actions. This entails therisk assessment of all situations, the taking of appropriate actions andreporting of all incidents, near misses and hazards. It is a requirement thatyou adhere to Nightingale House Hospice Policies, Procedures, Protocols andguidelines at all times.

Health and Safety Requirements of the Hospice

All employees of the Hospice have a statutory duty of carefor their own personal safety and that of others who may be affected by theiracts or omissions. Employees arerequired to co-operate with management to enable the Hospice to meet its ownlegal duties and to report any hazardous situations or defective equipment.

DataProtection and Confidentiality

The post holder must treat all information, whethercorporate, staff or patient information, in a discreet, secure and confidentialmanner in accordance with the provisions of the current data protectionlegislation and organisational policy. Any breach of such confidentialityis considered a serious disciplinary offence, which is liable to dismissal and/ or prosecution under statutory legislation and the hospices disciplinarypolicy. This duty of confidencecontinues after the post holder leaves the organisation.

RecordsManagement

As an employee of the hospice, the post holder islegally responsible for all records that they gather, create or use as part oftheir work within the organisation (includingpatient health, staff health or injury, financial, personal andadministrative), whether paper based or on computer. The post holder should consult the IG Lead ifthey have any doubt as to the correct management of records with which theywork.

Flexibility

This job description is an outline of the role andfunction. It is not intended to describe all specific tasks and therefore issubject to change following consultation with the post-holder.

Thepost is subject to an enhanced disclosure check with the Disclosure and BarringServices (DBS).

Person Specification

Experience

• 3 years post registration experience in a variety of settings.
• Supervisory skills
• Palliative care or oncology experience
• Experience in hydrotherapy.
• Experience of palliative care
• Ward Work

Qualifications

• Diploma/BSc Physiotherapy
• State registered physiotherapist
• Current registration with professional body
• Specialist qualification in cancer/palliative care

Skills Knowledge and Behaviour

• Ability to work in multi-professional team
• Physically fit
• Good organisational skills
• Ability to work under pressure
• Basic keyboard skills
• Knowledge of various types of disease processes and physiotherapy modalities.
• Organised
• Flexible in approach.
• Willingness to attend further training to improve knowledge and skills.
• Ability to evaluate and audit practise and influence change.
• Attendance at relevant study days and/or experience of patients with palliative care needs.
• Hydrotherapy/TENS/ Acupuncture training.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.