Job overview
We are looking for an enthusiastic, motivated and adaptable Band 7 Physiotherapist to join our front door and frailty (FDFT)team on a 1 year contract to cover maternity leave and provide excellent patient care in an environment where staff are supported to innovate and lead improvement.
You will be based at Worthing Hospital within the Emergency Floor and frailty wards focusing on acuity rapid assessments and facilitating discharges, providing excellent patient flow within our Trust. You will be well supported by the highly experienced team-leads with excellent opportunities to develop your own clinical and leadership skills, working within a strong peer group of other physiotherapists and occupational therapists alongside a strong and supportive multi-disciplinary team.
Worthing Hospital is an attractive seaside location on the South Coast, situated adjacent to the South Downs National Park, 20 minutes from the City of Brighton and Hove, with excellent transport links to London and across Southern England. You will be joining a strong and supportive Physiotherapy Department within the top performing University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust. We look forward to welcoming you on an informal visit or discussing any aspect of this exciting opportunity further.
Main duties of the job
1. To be responsible for the training and development of the staff working in the FDFT (Emergency Floor and Department of Medicine for the Elderly wards) therapy service including weekend provision.
2. To comprehend the acuity of patients within the front door and ward setting, understanding, and facilitating complex hospital discharges ensuring patient flow.
3. To lead in the front-door advanced assessment, clinical diagnosis and treatment of patients who may have complex and/or chronic presentation, under different specialities.
4. To lead in the Department of Medicine for the Elderly (DoME) ward advanced assessment, clinical diagnosis and treatment of patients who may have complex and/or chronic presentation.
5. To provide an effective high-quality service to all patients and assist with the supervision and teaching of all members of the team including students.
6. To provide skilled team leadership and service development within therapies and the wider MDT.
7. To implement policy and policy changes in own clinical area and to assist with the setting and monitoring of standards of practice.
8. To undertake evidence-based projects in conjunction with the Head of Physiotherapy and other members of the MDT, including recommendations for change in practice and to lead in appropriate departmental research in this clinical area.
9. To problem solve clinical and non-clinical complex situations.
10. To link day to day working with other physiotherapy specialties within the FDFT service.
Working for our organisation
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.
As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.
We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Communication
11. To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with medical, nursing and other professional colleagues to ensure the delivery of a co-ordinated, patient centred multidisciplinary service. This includes highly complex information in a lead role at discharge planning (e.g. family meetings, goal setting, team case conferences, and complaint meetings).
12. To work collaboratively with Occupational Therapy A&E Team Lead in order to deliver and effective and efficient front door therapy service.
13. To communicate effectively with external organisations such as community services, GP’s etc to help ensure effective transfer of patient care. To contribute to discussions with external agencies on systems in place to facilitate this.
14. To communicate effectively and consistently with patients and carers, individually and in groups, to maximise rehabilitation potential and to ensure understanding of often highly complex aspects of their condition and recovery (goal setting, family meetings, carer training tasks, individual activity programmes).
15. To be highly skilled in verbal and non-verbal communication skills, allowing patients to express their thoughts, feelings, concerns and expectations. This includes patients who are distressed, depressed or angry and who may have difficulty in understanding or communicating. (e.g. blind, deaf, frail, illiterate or those with other co-existing pathology such as mental health problems.)
16. Educate patients, carers and relevant MDT staff on a range of topics including physiotherapy techniques, therapeutic positioning, exercises, mobility activities and advice and education with regards to patient condition
17. Use empathetic, tactful and interpersonal skills to encourage and empower patients and carers to maximise patients’ rehabilitation potential; giving opportunity for unloading / sharing of concerns and issues
18. To communicate complex and sensitive information to patients, carers and other staff including imparting unwelcome news.
19. To be able to motivate others such as staff and patients through effective communication skills.
20. To use effective communication skills to reduce actual or potential conflict situations that may occur with patients, relatives, colleagues etc. To be able to manage situation sensitively, in accordance with trust policies and assist other members of the team in such scenarios. To seek advice and support from line manager and HR as appropriate
21. To identify and minimize interpersonal conflict, counsel staff, offer appropriate support (e.g. staff counselling service, Occ Health) and be responsible for the first stages of disciplinary and grievance procedures. To liaise with line managers and HR for advice.
22. To maintain contacts with appropriate local and national clinical interest groups and to share and disseminate knowledge with colleagues working with the Trust.
23. To attend and be an active participant in speciality, peer group and departmental staff meetings.
24. To ensure timely and effective communication with the Lead Physio and other senior staff on all professional matters.
25. To be able to motivate others through effective communication skills.
26. Respond promptly to telephone enquiries / messages/ e mail received.
27. To represent the Trust (locally, regionally and nationally, (through conferences, local link meetings and shared training sessions) regarding physiotherapy services provided to FDFT patients
28. Keep accurate and comprehensive documentation of all patient contact in line with legal, CSP standards and local guidelines including uni and multi-professional documentation.
Patient/ Client Care
29. To undertake the comprehensive assessment of patients including those with a highly complex presentation and with co-existing multi-pathology, utilising robust clinical reasoning
30. To interpret and analyse clinical and non-clinical facts to form accurate diagnoses and prognoses. To recommend the best course of intervention and to develop comprehensive goals and discharge plans (goal setting, family meetings, medical note documentation, outcome measures, assessment and discharge summaries).
31. To formulate individualised specific management and treatment plans employing advanced investigative and analytical skills.
32. To achieve and maintain a high standard of care by keeping up to date with clinical developments, analysing current research and discussing and implementing changes in clinical practice.
33. To adopt a problem solving approach, engaging patients and carers in their treatment plan, negotiating on agreed outcomes, gaining consent and educating users on self-management
34. To be responsive and adaptable to the perpetual changes in patients’ clinical states, in a frequently unpredictable clinical environment.
35. To assess the ability of the patient to give valid informed consent, while working within the legal framework with patients who occasionally may lack the capacity to consent to treatment.
36. To take responsibility for electing when to withdraw or withhold physiotherapy intervention from individuals when appropriate based on robust clinical decision making.
Service Delivery and Improvement
37. To undertake an active role in developing policy changes within front door and DoME physiotherapy, which will impact on all service users. This includes being involved in working parties, taking responsibility for evaluation, action plan development and completion of delegated tasks.
38. To ensure individual and team compliance with the organisational and departmental policies and procedures, be involved in the monitoring, evaluating and updating as appropriate.
39. To be responsible for implementing within your clinical practice, the relevant standards and policies, including those applicable to the Trust, and wider policies and guidelines, for example set by the CSP / NICE etc.
40. To support staff to use equipment safely. This involves ensuring all team members are aware of the trust and departmental medical devices policies, including competence to use equipment through teaching, training and supervision.
41. To develop and create implementation strategies as appropriate for the FDFT physiotherapy service in conjunction with local and national initiatives.
42. To undertake the measurement and evaluation of current practices using research, audit and outcome measures. To make recommendations for or devise strategies either individually or with manager through process mapping and audit practises and to implement change within current resources as appropriate.
43. To initiate and drive relevant service development projects with the ability to engage others as required To demonstrate the ability to critically appraise information, and make informed decisions regarding the effect, relevance and impact on the FDFT physiotherapy service (through patient satisfaction survey, outcome measures and journal critique) within our duty of care.
Person specification
Professional Registration
Essential criteria
44. State registration (HCPC)
Experience/Qualifications
Essential criteria
45. Diploma/degree in Physiotherapy Portfolio of continuous professional development
Skills non-clinical
Essential criteria
46. Experience of operational team management
47. Experience of managing out of hours service e.g. rostering
48. Experience of ability to manage resources/ change priorities to respond to service demands.
Desirable criteria
49. Course(s) in management
Skills Clinical
Essential criteria
50. Previous Band 6 experience in core in-patient area.
Desirable criteria
51. Experience at Team Lead level in front door physiotherapy services
Specific Rquirements
Essential criteria
52. Willingness to participate in the A&E/Emergency Floor weekend service.
53. Respiratory on-call competent (with appropriate competency training and assessment.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Essential criteria
54. Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
55. Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).