Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen within our Community Paediatric Physiotherapy team for a part-time Band 6 Physiotherapist. We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Paediatric Physiotherapist who is eager to further develop their skills and career within the community setting.
In this role, you will manage a paediatric physiotherapy caseload based at the Children and Young People’s Centre, as well as in mainstream and special needs nurseries and schools. You will gain valuable experience working with a wide range of conditions, ensuring your caseload remains both varied and rewarding.
You will play an active role in our in-house Orthopaedic and Postural Management clinics, while also contributing to the wider multidisciplinary team. As part of your responsibilities, you will supervise technical instructors and students, and you will be expected to work as an independent, autonomous practitioner.
To be successful, you will hold a recognised physiotherapy qualification and be registered with both the HCPC and CSP. You should have broad-based postgraduate experience with demonstrable expertise in paediatric physiotherapy. Previous NHS experience is highly desirable, and a full driving licence would be advantageous.
This is a fantastic opportunity to join a supportive team, expand your professional experience, and make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and young people.
Main duties of the job
To manage a full caseload in an allocated area of work within community paediatrics, ensuring each child receives the highest standard of care possible within resource limitations.
To undertake the advanced assessment and treatment of children within the speciality who usually have complex and /or chronic conditions.
To determine the clinical diagnosis and physiotherapy treatment required and to maintain detailed records.
To liaise closely with parents, care staff and other professionals involved with this patient group.
Working for our organisation
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Clinical Practise and Communication
1. Ensure the highest possible standard of clinical care for the patients under care which will include:
a) To undertake the comprehensive assessment of patients, including those with a complex presentation, using investigative and analytical skills. To interpret clinical and non-clinical facts to form accurate diagnosis and prognosis in a wide range of highly complex conditions. These include children with neurological, orthopaedic and respiratory problems.
b) To formulate individualised management and treatment plans recommending the best course of intervention. To formulate a specialised programme of care using clinical reasoning and to utilise a wide range of treatment skills. This usually involves liaison with a wide range of professionals across the health, social services and education. Due to the complexity and nature of the patient’s conditions, care management is often long term and thus requires frequent re-assessment.
c) To develop comprehensive discharge plans, liaising with other team members
2. To demonstrate highly developed skills in the handling of children with complex needs for assessment and treatment.
3. To maintain current knowledge of specialised equipment for children with physical disabilities. To make recommendations and decisions regarding appropriate equipment to meet the needs of specific patients.
4. To maintain accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date documentation, in line with legal hospital requirements.
5. To communicate assessment and treatment plans to the appropriate disciplines in the form of reports and letters. This involves communication with professionals from the health, social services and education.
6. To provide physiotherapy assessment, advice and recommendations for children’s statutory special educational needs statement, with support of Senior I staff.
7. To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with multiple medical, nursing and therapy staff within both acute and community settings. This also extends to professional in social services, education and the voluntary sector.
8. To communicate effectively with patients and carers, including advice, instruction and teaching; to ensure a consistency in the approach to understanding of conditions and to maximise rehabilitation potential. Due to the long-term nature of the condition of patients seen, great emphasis has to be placed on the variety of types of treatment to maintain patient and carers motivation, to ensure the success of treatment programmes.
Education and Evidence Based Practise
1. To maintain clinical professional development (CPD) by keeping informed of any new trends, which includes attending internal or external courses and sharing knowledge within the team.
2. To be an active member of the in-service training programme by delivering presentations and training sessions. To provide supervision for technical instructors and assistants.
3. To have some input into the teaching and supervision of physiotherapy students.
4. To provide specialist advice to other members of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) (including hospital and community based consultants, specialist nursing teams and paediatric therapy services) regarding the physiotherapy management of patients with neurological, orthopaedic and respiratory conditions.
5. To undertake the measurement and evaluation of work and current practise through audit and outcome measures, as required within the paediatric team.
6. To participate in the staff personal development and appraisal scheme.
Operational Management
1. To demonstrate a sound understanding of Clinical Governance and apply to work situation.
2. To be aware of health and Safety and risk management aspects of clinical work. To follow any policies, which may be required to improve the safety of the work area, including the prompt recording and reporting of accidents or equipment defects to senior or designated staff.
3. To comply with the organisational and departmental policies and procedures and be involved in the reviewing and updating as appropriate.
4. To participate in working parties developing policy changes within the community that will impact on service users.
5. To be responsible for equipment used in carrying out physiotherapy duties and to adhere to departmental policy, including competence to use equipment and ensuring the safe use of equipment by others through teaching, training and supervision of practise.
6. To be actively involved in the collection of appropriate data and statistics for the use of the department.
Organisation
1. To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of work including the management of patients following national, local and occupational policies.
2. To accept clinical responsibility for a designated caseload of patients and to organise this effectively and efficiently with regard to clinical priorities. To balance this with other patient relayed and professional demands within the available working hours.
3. To deliver training to junior physiotherapy colleagues and other members of the MDT regarding physiotherapy management of children with complex needs including knowledge and practical skills.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. Degree or equivalent in Physiotherapy
2. Member of HCPC
3. Member of CSP
Desirable criteria
4. Evidence of relevant CPD
Experience
Essential criteria
5. Postgraduate experience in Physio including Paediatrics speciality
6. Experience of working in the NHS
7. Experience of supervising others
8. Experience of teaching groups
Desirable criteria
9. Service improvement
Knowledge
Essential criteria
10. Broad range of clinical conditions relevant to Paediatrics
11. Broad range of assessment and treatment knowledge relevant to Paediatrics
12. Knowledge of Clinical Governance and its impact on services
Skills
Essential criteria
13. Competent IT skills
14. Excellent communication skills
15. Able to present written information in a clear and logical manner
Desirable criteria
16. Presentation skills
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
If you have problems applying, contact
Address Luton & Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust
Lewsey Road
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU4 0DZ
Telephone 01582 497325