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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main Duties and Responsibilities

See job description and person specification

Clinical Responsibilities

• To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including the management of patients in your care

 

• To receive referrals and independently assess and treat own caseload of patients, ensuring evaluation and progression of treatment programmes to a high standard, and in line with National and Trust clinical guidelines, protocols and pathways where they exist

 

• To have clinical responsibility for a designated caseload of patients, including those with complex conditions, and prioritise that work efficiently taking into account clinical and service priorities.

 

• To manage clinical risk within own clinical caseload, to have up to date knowledge of indications, contraindications and precautions for any treatment skills and techniques selected and applied throughout an individual course of treatment.

 

• To formulate and deliver an individual physiotherapy treatment programme based on sound specialist knowledge of current practice, evidence based practice and treatment options, using clinical assessment and reasoning skills. 

 

• To have specialist knowledge of a range of treatment skills including exercise prescription, falls prevention, health promotion and patient education and respiratory skills

 

• To provide individual patient equipment as required, such as walking aids, splints and supports.  To issue such equipment with due regard to safety of the equipment, and in line with legal, national and local guidelines

 

• To deliver physiotherapy in different locations, according to the requirements of the rotation e.g. inpatient orthopaedic and general surgical wards. To work in some situations, as a lone practitioner with telephone support from a more senior physiotherapists if required

 

• To attend multidisciplinary team meetings, case conferences, ward rounds and undertake home visits as required by the rotation. Ensure that the physiotherapy management of a patient is integrated into the multidisciplinary management and treatment plans for patients, including planning for discharge

 

 

• To be responsible for the standard of physiotherapy carried out by physiotherapy assistants or technical instructors working with you

 

• To maintain comprehensive, accurate and timely patient notes and records in accordance with department policy, and to ensure safekeeping and confidentiality of those records

 

• This post requires a flexible approach to working, and requires the post holder to be an active member of weekend duty rotas, oncall rota, extended hours, and cover of statutory and public holidays

 

• Undertake other clinical duties as requested by the Physiotherapy Manager or Clinical Lead Physiotherapist within the clinical area

 

 

 

People Management and Performance

• To advise, guide and teach junior physiotherapists, assistants and students in the assessment and management of patients and other aspects of clinical care, including record keeping. To progress to the independent supervision, management and competency assessment of a student

• To deputise for the Senior Physiotherapist, Band 7 in her/his absence

 

Communication and Representation

• To communicate effectively with patients and carers to progress rehabilitation and treatment programmes

 

• To be able to persuade and motivate patients through effective communication

 

• To respond appropriately to the patient’s level of communication and understanding, facilitating the best possible communication outcomes. For example, patients may be deaf, blind, or unable to communicate in English

 

• To provide and receive information from patients, carers and other professionals regarding a patient’s condition and treatment progress.  This may include the sharing and receiving of complex and/or sensitive information

 

• To consult when necessary with appropriate senior specialist staff regarding patients with particular problems

 

• To develop and maintain close working relationships with physiotherapy colleagues and other members of the multidisciplinary team. To provide advice teaching and training to other members of the MDT as appropriate, both internal and external to the Trust

 

 

 

Information Systems and Data Management

 

• To keep comprehensive records of activity in accordance with local and national requirements, using departmental IT software systems as required

 

• To prioritise referrals received within the physiotherapy service, using specialist knowledge to underpin decisions. 

 

 

Human Resources Management

 

• Attend and contribute to physiotherapy staff meetings

 

• To participate in the Kings College Hospital Employee Performance Assessment programme and fulfil its requirements

 

• To have an active role in effective team working in the area where he/she is working, and in the physiotherapy department and the Trust as a whole

 

• Attend any regular supervision sessions with the line manager as required by the rotation

 

 

Physical Resources Management 

 

• To ensure that the treatment and working areas are kept safe and tidy, and to ensure competent equipment use. To report any faulty equipment to the Clinical Lead Physiotherapist in the area

 

Service Development

 

• To have an active role in clinical effectiveness and audit programmes in order to develop and improve services

 

 

Training, education and research              

• To undertake in-service and post graduate education in order to develop self professionally and improve patient care

 

• To keep abreast of new developments generally within physiotherapy, and within the area of surgical and orthopaedic conditions particularly. To incorporate into current practice and disseminate to other members of staff following discussion with the Clinical Lead Physiotherapist

 

• To contribute to the physiotherapy in-service training programme for staff and students, providing teaching sessions for juniors, assistants and students. 

 

• To participate in education programmes for visitors and members of other disciplines as appropriate

 

• To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through CPD activities, and maintain a portfolio that reflects personal development

 

• To undertake an evidence-based project throughout each rotation to further the clinical practice of self and the team, and to enhance patient care e.g. developing new treatment protocols, undertaking audits.  Projects will be presented to the rest of the team at the end of each rotation

 

• Be involved in audit, research and practice evaluation as the opportunity arises

 

 

General

• To attend physiotherapy meetings and other meetings as required, taking on responsibility to support the functioning of the department

 

• To take an active part in departmental meetings e.g. contribute to discussion, take on the role of Chair, contribute to the development of departmental policies and procedures

 

• To undertake Therapy Handling training and comply with the guidelines

 

• To undertake any other duties commensurate with grade as requested by the Physiotherapy Manager or Clinical Lead Physiotherapist

 

• The post holder has a general duty of care for their own health, safety and wellbeing and that of work colleagues, visitors and patients within the hospital, in addition to any specific risk management or clinical governance accountabilities associated with this post.
• To observe the rules, policies, procedures and standards of King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust together with all relevant statutory and professional obligations.
• We want to be an organisation where everyone shares a commitment to delivering the very best care and feels like their contribution is valuable and valued.
• At King’s we are a kind, respectful team:

Kind. We show compassion and understanding and bring a positive attitude to our work

Respectful. We promote equality, are inclusive and honest, speaking up when needed

Team. We support each other, communicate openly, and are reassuringly professional

• To observe and maintain strict confidentiality of personal information relating to patients and staff.
• To be responsible, with management support, for their own personal development and to actively contribute to the development of colleagues.
• This job description is intended as a guide to the general scope of duties and is not intended to be definitive or restrictive. It is expected that some of the duties will change over time and this description will be subject to review in consultation with the post holder.
• All employees must hold an 'nhs.net' email account which will be the Trust's formal route for email communication.