Senior Physiotherapist

NHS; Wrexham; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

A local hospice organization based in Wrexham is seeking an experienced physiotherapist to join their multi-disciplinary team. The role involves providing specialist physiotherapy and hydrotherapy services to patients with complex needs, contributing to the development of rehabilitation services. Ideal candidates will have a relevant degree, supervisory skills, and a background in palliative care. This position offers opportunities for personal and professional development in a supportive environment.

Benefits

Generous holiday allowance

Excellent training and development opportunities

Employee Assistance Programme

Retail Discount Scheme

Qualifications

• 3 years post-registration experience in a variety of settings.
• Supervisory skills are essential.
• Experience in palliative care or oncology is a must.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist physiotherapy/hydrotherapy to patients with complex needs.
• Act as a resource for hospice staff and other health professionals.
• Deputise for the Rehabilitation Team Leader when required.

Skills

Ability to work in a multi-professional team

Good organisational skills

Hydrotherapy training

Education

Diploma/BSc Physiotherapy

State registered physiotherapist

Specialist qualification in cancer/palliative care

Job description

Overview

Are you ambitious? Looking for a new challenge? Do you want to be supported in your career by a fantastic organisation and clinical and patient services team?

We are an ambitious organisation providing specialist palliative care services, completely free of charge, to patients and their families across a wide area from Wrexham, Flintshire, East Denbighshire to Barmouth and the border towns of Oswestry and Whitchurch. It costs £5.6 million per year to run the Hospice, with only 20% of our funding provided by the government. We are reliant on the support of the community we serve to donate and fundraise to maintain our vital services. Over 400 volunteers give their time to the Hospice to help us run efficiently and effectively as part of the local community. This year Nightingale House Hospice is celebrating 30 years of providing compassionate care and strives to see this continue for future generations.

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

Main duties of the job

• Provide specialist physiotherapy/hydrotherapy to patients, including those with complex needs, referred to Nightingale House Hospice; work within the multi-disciplinary team as an autonomous practitioner, ensuring high standards of patient care are maintained in accordance with all Nightingale House Hospice aims, policies, procedures and guidelines.
• Provide assessment and evaluation of individual patients’ needs and implement plans in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team.
• Act as a resource and support for hospice staff and other health professionals by offering specialist knowledge and skills.
• Deputise for the Rehabilitation Team Leader in operational management of the department.
• Assist in the development, co-ordination and delivery of a comprehensive physiotherapy service in close co-operation with the Rehabilitation Team Leader.
• Supervise and mentor the Technical Instructor, Physiotherapy Assistant, Volunteers and Students.
• Participate in department and hospice research and audit.
• Lead, with a core hospice team, the manual handling training and updates for clinical staff at NHH.

About us

• A positive and friendly working environment.
• The opportunity to make a real difference.
• Excellent training and development opportunities for those that want them.
• Generous holiday allowance that increases with length of service.
• Staff lunch menu (Hospice based positions only).
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Retail Discount Scheme.

Job responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

Clinical

• To receive referrals for physiotherapy and hydrotherapy services from within the hospice departments and for patients with specialist palliative care needs from the community and prioritise caseload appropriately.
• To undertake specialist physiotherapy assessments of patients with complex care needs referred for physiotherapy services and identify and document appropriate interventions and care plans based on assessed need.
• To be responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive patient treatment records in line with professional and local guidelines.
• To ensure informed/written consent is obtained and documented for treatments as appropriate.
• To maintain a clinical caseload for physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and related specialist treatments.
• To ensure holistic needs of patients are assessed to an appropriate level within the requirements of the role and responsibilities.
• To act as a role model for clinical teams, demonstrating evidence-based practice within daily clinical activity and promoting discussion regarding the benefits and/or limitations of clinical interventions.
• To participate in multi-disciplinary team meetings as appropriate and necessary to maintain continuity of patient care across all departments of the hospice.
• To provide advice to members of the multi-disciplinary team on suitable interventions/care of patients in relation to complexity of patient needs.
• To maintain and develop a broad knowledge of treatment modalities.
• To maintain knowledge and skills in communication/breaking bad news appropriate to the role and responsibilities, being aware of personal and organisational limitations of data protection and safety of patient information.
• To maintain appropriate knowledge and skills of the safe use of all specialist equipment used in the provision of patient care and to disseminate that knowledge as required to other staff or patients and families if necessary.
• In the process of clinical care to assess patient and family and their appropriateness to participate in clinical audit initiatives and obtain necessary consent if required.
• To act as a specialist resource and provide specialist advice on patient care to other health, social, educational and voluntary services.
• To provide moving and handling assessments for patients with complex mobility/immobility needs and advise carers accordingly, assisting in developing care plans appropriate to patients and carers needs for safe moving and handling.
• Access support and supervision from Rehabilitation Team Leader or other relevant health professional as required.
• To maintain and record own Continuing Professional Development as required by the regulating body.

ManagementTo ensure the safe operation and management of the hydrotherapy pool in line with the hydrotherapy policy; to prioritise and allocate daily workload within the department, working in conjunction with or deputising for the team leader; to delegate appropriate patients to technical instructor, assistant and volunteers and supervise their clinical work and management of that patient; to deputise for the team leader in managing levels of sickness/absence within the department in accordance with hospice policy, reporting any areas of concern to senior managers/human resources department; to facilitate effective communication between the physiotherapy team and other staff groups within the hospice and the wider specialist palliative care team; to ensure collaborative working with medical, nursing and therapy colleagues; patients, families and carers for optimal patient care and promotion of the physiotherapy service; to initiate and maintain contact with local and national clinical special interest groups relevant to the clinical field; to participate in the development and review of clinical guidelines, policies and procedures applicable to the provision of physiotherapy; to collect appropriate data and statistics relating to patient care to comply with regional and national statistical requirements.

Clinical Governance

Risk Management: to manage clinical risk within the workplace, undertake risk assessments regarding patient condition and environment to ensure safety of self and others; to work within Nightingale House and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy clinical and professional guidelines; to ensure the equality, diversity and rights of patients are promoted and maintained in all areas of clinical governance and care.

Service User Participation

To ensure service user views are fed back through appropriate channels to team leaders or senior management team.

Audit & Research

To support the work of colleagues in undertaking audit and research in the department; to suggest suitable topics for departmental audit to team leader; to support management and clinical team leaders to continually monitor standards of care using quality assurance tools; to ensure clinical risk is managed to as low a level as is reasonably practicable.

Education and Development

Actively participate in developing and delivering education and training to all disciplines and grades of staff regarding the role of physiotherapy in specialist palliative care; ensure own compliance and assist in ensuring others comply with mandatory training and continuing professional development; provide mentorship, supervision and support to physiotherapy students as necessary; promote the use of evidence-based practice.

Audit and Research Activity

To undertake surveys or audits as necessary to own work; to participate in hospice clinical audit or research work; to present findings to professional groups to maintain the profile of the service within the wider health community.

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 a multi-professional team
• Physically fit
• Good organisational skills
• Ability to work under pressure
• Basic keyboard skills
• Knowledge of various disease processes and physiotherapy modalities
• Organised
• Flexible in approach
• Willingness to attend further training to improve knowledge and skills
• Ability to evaluate and audit practice 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 CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.