Head of Specialist Palliative Care Physiotherapist
Are you a compassionate and experienced physiotherapist looking to make a meaningful difference?
We are seeking a dynamic and skilled professional to lead our Specialist Palliative Care Physiotherapy Service. This is an exciting opportunity to focus on providing high-quality care to people with complex, progressive, life-limiting illness. Our physiotherapy service focuses on enablement, rehabilitation, and individualised interventions that promote choice, independence, and dignity. This can be within the Inpatient Unit, our clinic settings and patients own homes.
Main duties of the job
As a senior leader, you will inspire and support a small team, drive innovative service development, and play a vital role in interdisciplinary working across inpatient, outpatient, and community settings. You will bring advanced clinical skills, excellent communication, and a passion for high-quality, person-centred care.
We offer a supportive and inclusive environment, offering the opportunity to contribute to a service that truly helps people make the most of life and where staff wellbeing and opportunities for professional development are key elements of our core values and strategy.
About us
East Lancashire Hospice is a registered charity, founded in 1984. We support and care for patients with a life limiting illness, their families and others close to them. We provide this in a number of ways; at the hospice and in peoples own homes across our community of Blackburn, Darwen, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley.
With approximately 120 employees and over 250 volunteers, our people are our biggest asset whom we value tremendously. Our services to the local community would not be possible without our motivated and caring workforce who always strive to deliver excellence in all that they do. The hospice is a unique and special place, kindness and compassion are qualities that run throughout the hospice and our people truly believe in what we do.
Job responsibilities
JOB PURPOSE
Be accountable and responsible for the delivery of ahigh-quality specialist palliative care physiotherapy service for patients withcomplex, progressive life-limiting illness, focusing on enablement,rehabilitation, and interventions that respect individuals rights to choice,independence, and self-determination.
KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS
Lead,inspire and support the team as a skilled and experienced role model. Passionate, enthusiastic, and an excellent communicator.
Promotebest practice and foster a creative, personalised approach to therapy provisionfor those accessing the service.
Undertakecomprehensive physiotherapy assessments for patients within inpatient,outpatient, and community settings.
Plan,implement, and evaluate tailored therapeutic interventions, ensuring effectivedelegation, collaboration, and timely transition to community-based serviceswhere appropriate.
Drive excellence in interdisciplinary workingand collaboration with external partners to optimise patient outcomes andservice improvement.
Lead or participate in multi-professionalforums and caseload reviews to reflect and share best practice
Seek,refer to and utilise the combined knowledge and skills available within andbeyond the hospice including supportive, generalist and specialist palliativecare professionals and others to ensure the patient and family needs areaddressed
Collaboratewith the Hospice Leadership Team to support appropriate referrals, buildunderstanding of specialist physiotherapy provision, and drive innovativeservice development aligned with organisational strategy.
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Maintain own professional registration and adhere to relevantprofessional and organisational standards.
Act as an autonomous practitioner, managing a designated caseload andprioritising workload effectively.
Use advanced communication skills to explore andsensitively respond to patients and families understanding of illness andprognosis.
Establish therapeutic relationships that enableshared decision-making and support, including advocacy when needed.
Plan and coordinate time efficiently to meet objectives for specialistpalliative care provision.
Design, implement, and regularly review personalised treatment plans,applying evidence-based practice, advanced reasoning, and health promotion.
Foster respectful, effective working relationshipswith internal and external colleagues to optimise patient care.
Support colleagues as role-model and expert resource while acknowledgingpersonal limits.
Maintain accurate and timely records in accordance with professional,legislative, and governance standards.
Maintain appropriate and respectful professionalrelationships with colleagues and other staff
Comply with safe practice standards, includingconsent, safeguarding, and legal frameworks.
Ensure that personal actions and conduct apply withhospice policies and procedures
Ensure effectiveuse of hospice resources
Act as an ambassador for the EastLancashire Hospice promoting at all times our vision which is to help everyonewho comes into contact with the hospice to make the most of life. We do this bycommitting to our values: to care, listen, respect and work together to supportpeople to live well until they die and support those affected by death
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Take responsibility for own lifelong learning through reflectivepractice and ongoing professional development.
Undertake mandatorytraining appropriate to the role and support the education/development ofothers
Lead and/or contribute to theeducation and training of others as appropriate to the role.
Participate in thehospice appraisal system and access training opportunities to improve ownknowledge/skills
Identify and communicate learningneeds for inclusion in education and development planning.
MANAGING SERVICES
Contribute to the referralscreening and management process, establishing priorities and engaging withreferrers to improve the quality of information provided.
Deliver service objectives aligned with organisational strategy throughgovernance frameworks, including clinical audit and feedback collection.
Identify and share best practiceguidance, innovations, or development needs relevant to the service withcolleagues and managers.
Support high-quality student placements
Lead and participate in teammeetings to improve communication on operational matters.
Represent the service and/orHospice at internal and external meetings as appropriate to raise awareness andpromote service use.
Contributeto the development and delivery of wellbeing programmes specific to own area ofexpertise.
Ensure team engagement in cross-departmental events and strategicobjectives.
Manage feedback and concernsfollowing established policies and procedures.
Consistently follow lone workingprotocols and escalate issues appropriately.
Promote and participate in servicepromotional events and celebrations.
Ensure a safe environment byensuring the reporting of hazards and incidents, completion of relevant riskassessments, investigation of incidents and implementation of risk reductionmeasures
Ensure effective use of allresources within allocated budget
Ensure timely and accurate clinical activity data submission.
Support cover arrangements forabsent colleagues to help ensure continuity of services in conjunction with linemanager.
MANAGING PEOPLE
Structure departmental induction, probation reviews, and clarify rolesand responsibilities for staff and volunteers.
Lead/contributeto the recruitment, induction and retention of new staff and volunteers in keepingwith hospice policy and procedures ensuring they have appropriate informationand training to carry out their role.
Maintain clinical competence through effective supervision andperformance development reviews.
Foster morale and support within the team, promoting a culture ofappreciation and learning
Deliverthe annual PDR process for own team members, providing support and identifyingdevelopment needs
Supportteam members and facilitate staff development to secure high standards ofpractice and enhance service delivery.
Challengeand be open to challenge in order to secure the delivery of best practice
Utiliseeffective management/leadership skills in the application of HR processes,policies and procedures
STATUTORYDUTIES
Ensure the security of information accessed in the course of yourduties ensuring compliance with the Data Protection Act, Caldicott principles andinformation governance best practice guidance
Report any hazards or incidents in accordance with the HealthSafety and Risk Management Policy and procedures
Comply with the East Lancashire Hospice no smoking policy in allhospice premises and grounds
Be responsible for maintaining own vaccinations including HepatitisB immunity (as applicable)
Ensure that infection control measures are followed in relation toyour role
Work at all times to safeguard therights of individuals promoting their wellbeing and protecting those at riskfrom harm, acting on any concerns related to safeguarding children and adultsat risk in line with policy and local guidance
Work at all times to respectpeoples individuality, rights and diversity to ensure equality
WORKING HOURS
The post holder willwork their hours flexibly. These will be worked according to a rota of up to any 5 days of theworking week.
NOTES
This job description reflects howthe post currently meets the needs of the service. Since the hospice is constantly developing andchanging its services to ensure it meets the needs of the community it serves,the role and responsibilities of the post holder may change accordingly.
This job description will bereviewed annually at the annual PDR and may change as is deemed necessary.
Equality and Diversity
We support an inclusive and holistic working environment and aimto empower our people to bring their authentic self to work. We are committedto this and so encourage applications from all individuals with the requiredskills for the role inclusive of age,disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy andmaternity, race, colour, caste, nationality, ethnic or national origin,religion or belief, socio-economic background, trade union membership status,marriage, and civil partnerships. ELH is committed to equality ofopportunity for all staff and volunteers.
Person Specification
Knowledge
* Sound knowledge and application of therapeutic assessment, tools and interventions.
* Knowledge of local/national health and social care quality/development initiatives.
* Quality measures, Risk management, Safeguarding/Mental Capacity awareness.
* Reactions to loss / life changing events.
* Understanding of regulatory frameworks.
Skills
* Ability to assess and formulate effective treatment/management plans.
* Critical thinking/appraisal skills.
* Ability to deliver advanced communication and advocacy skills in all aspects of work.
* IT and computer skills using use of a range of applications.
* Able to work independently, recognising own limitations and seeking line management, medical and/or other support where necessary.
* Clear concise, report writing/presentation skills.
* Car driver with full UK license and access to a vehicle for work purposes.
* Good organisational and interpersonal skills with the ability to effectively manage time, plan, prioritise and coordinate workload.
Experience
* Wide-ranging post qualification experience relevant to the field including for eg neurology, respiratory, community, frailty, palliative care.
* Caseload management.
* Multi-disciplinary / multi-agency working.
* Supervision and mentorship.
* Palliative care and oncology experience including palliative care emergencies.
* Clinical audit/practice or service evaluation.
* People/operational/team management.
* Formal/Informal education provision.
* Development and/or implementation of new initiatives.
Qualifications
* Degree/Diploma in Physiotherapy.
* HCPC registration.
* Evidence of post registration education.
* Post registration qualifications relevant to field.
* Teaching/education qualification eg Clinical educator or equivalent experience.
* Membership of special interest group eg ACPOPC.
* Therapeutic interventions relevant to the role such as Yoga, Tai Chi.
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.
£47,933 to £53,924 a yearPay dependant on experience
#J-18808-Ljbffr