Job responsibilities Communication and relationship skills To communicate effectively with patients and carers and other health care professionals and non-professionals using a wide range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to share assessment findings, agree treatment plans, progress and modify management programmes, give advice, teaching etc. This will include patients, family members or carers with communication and comprehension difficulties and those who may be unable to accept diagnosis prognosis To liaise with health and social care professionals and other agencies regarding paediatric patient care, treatment progress and discharge planning To provide specialist advice to physiotherapy colleagues working within other clinical areas regarding paediatric conditions, treatments and management To be a source of clinical expertise and advice for more junior staff in the team and to assess the needs for, plan and contribute to the delivery of an in-service training programme for them Knowledge, training and experience To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own work including the management of paediatric patients in your care. To ensure a high standard of clinical care for your own patients and to support staff under your responsibility to do likewise To be a source of clinical expertise and advice for more junior staff in the team and to assess the needs for, plan and contribute to the delivery of an in-service training programme for them To maintain a high level of specialist knowledge in the management of paediatric conditions, maintaining own clinical professional development by keeping abreast of new developments and incorporating them as necessary into your work and the work of your team. To maintain a Continuing Professional Development portfolio which reflects development To contribute to the induction programme for new members of staff and staff joining the department on rotation To plan and provide specialty placements for physiotherapy students, training, supervising and assessing them at BSc and MSc level. This includes formal assessment of practice, which contributes to the degree classification To maintain, develop and evidence competence in the clinical education of physiotherapy students, maintaining regular contract with the universities. To contribute to the Clinical Educators Group to monitor and improve the quality of clinical placements. Analytical and judgement skills To interpret and analyses clinical and non-clinical facts to form an accurate diagnosis in a wide range of highly complex paediatric conditions To deliver a paediatric MSK and neurological service To determine clinical diagnosis and ensure the provision of advanced physiotherapy treatment indicated. Planning and organisational skills Under the direction and supervision of the Lead for Swale Childrens Therapy Team to be responsible for the physiotherapy treatment of children living within the Swale geographical area. Undertake the planning, coordination, delivery and evaluation of physiotherapy for children of all ages To manage, supervise and teach more junior staff, technical instructors, administrative staff and students, other agencies (non -medical and medical and Multidisciplinary team) Social Services, Education and Parents/Carers. Work alongside other senior staff to develop the physiotherapy paediatric community service (including musculoskeletal) and to liaise and work closely with professionals in the education service to assist in the smooth transition of care from pre-school services to school service To plan, organise and prioritise own workload, balancing other patient related and professional demands ensuring that these remain in accordance with those of the team as a whole and assisting / guiding more junior physiotherapists, technical instructors and physiotherapy assistants to do likewise To organise, manage and delegate work under protocol to Assistants and Technical Instructors ensuring a high standard of service. Physical skills To undertake specialised assessment of paediatric patients including those with diverse and complex presentations and life changing conditions: using clinical reasoning skills and assessment techniques to formulate an age appropriate and individualised treatment plan and programme Responsibility for patient / client care To deliver individualised physiotherapy treatment programmes using a broad range of physiotherapeutic skills in individual and group settings To continually reassess patient progress, adapt treatment plans accordingly, and develop discharge plans To refer patients appropriately to other health and social care services according to protocol providing timely and detailed information to ensure good continuity of care To assess patient, parent, carer and educational staffs, understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent to treatment To be responsible for equipment used in carrying out physiotherapy duties and to adhere to departmental policy, including competence to use equipment and to ensure the safe use of equipment by others through teaching training and supervision of practice. Responsibility for policy and service development implementation To work with other senior staff to ensure that Clinical Governance targets are met including the development of clinical standards and protocols, audit, research, clinical and non-clinical risk management To provide specialised spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and training to other members of the MDT and other agencies regarding the management of paediatric patients neurological, respiratory, orthopaedic and musculoskeletal conditions and to promote understanding of the aims of physiotherapy and to ensure a consistent approach to patient management and care To work closely with Swale Senior Team to introduce innovative methods of service delivery, which provide best practice, positive outcomes, improved access and the involvement of users in the planning, implementation and evaluation of services To undertake the measurement and evaluation of your own and the teams work and clinical practice through the use of Evidence Based Practice Projects, audit and outcome measures. To make recommendations for change to service delivery, protocols etc in conjunction with the Lead for Swale Childrens Therapy Team