Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Roles and responsibilities
1.    Clinical:
•    To be professionally and legally responsible for all aspects of work, including the management of patients in your care.
•    To be able to carry and prioritise your own designated clinical caseload, working as an autonomous practitioner without direct supervision. 
•    Provide sound evidence based clinical advice as required to staff and patients
•    To determine the patients understanding of the physiotherapy intervention in order to gain valid, informed consent and to be able to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
•    To use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools when communicating with patients/carers to maximise the patient’s rehabilitation potential. This will include communication with people with complex communication difficulties such as dysphasia, deafness, dementia, mental health problems, those who have difficulty accepting their diagnosis and young children.  To communicate with people who speak English as a second language through the use of an interpreter.
•    To use good communication skills to agree physiotherapy goals with individual patients using previous experience to ensure goals are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and appropriately timed. To involve all members of the multidisciplinary team in this process when appropriate. 
•    To provide comprehensive written records of assessment and treatment according to departmental, professional and legal standards.
•    To undertake proficient and pertinent physiotherapy assessments in line with department and professional standards, to form diagnoses and/or establish impairments and limitations.
•    To use appropriate and effective assessment and treatment techniques including subjective and observational analysis, manual therapy techniques and therapeutic handling skills.

•    To undertake treatment of a wide variety of acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions using a variety of techniques including manual therapy, exercise therapy (including classes), electrotherapy, hydrotherapy, provision of aids and patient advice/education.
•    To demonstrate highly developed dexterity, coordination and palpatory sensory skills for the assessment and manual treatment of patients.
•    To take responsibility for certain patient conditions or clinical areas, as delegated by the Band 7, and to develop specialised assessment and treatment skills in these areas with minimal support from a senior. 
•    To use clinical reasoning, understanding of the medical diagnosis, previous experience and knowledge of treatment options to plan and implement individual physiotherapy programs for all patients including those with complex conditions.
•    To interpret and analyse relevant clinical and non-clinical facts to formulate accurate prognoses and develop appropriate discharge plans.
•    To make effective use of treatment options such as advice, gait re-education, exercise prescription, manual techniques, electrotherapy and provision of appropriate therapeutic aids and equipment.
•    To monitor and evaluate treatment to measure progress and to ensure effectiveness of the intervention and to identify quickly when treatment requires modifying.
•    To use clinical reasoning skills to modify treatment interventions and to recognise when advice/assistance from supervisor is required.
•    To attend and/or organise multi-disciplinary team meetings such as case conferences, ward rounds and discharge planning meetings to communicate information about individual patient progress and prognosis, including potential discharge dates. 
•    To be responsible for the safe and competent use of all physiotherapy equipment in line with department standards.
•    To be responsible for the safe and appropriate provision of physiotherapy aids and equipment to patients in line with department standards and to provide advice and education on their safe use. 
•    Promote and maintain a safe therapeutic environment for patients, their families and staff, according to national and local Infection Control guidelines, Health & Safety legislation, safeguarding legislation and procedures and Trust policies and objectives
•    Understand the Trust clinical governance framework, and participate in the promoting and safeguarding of high standards of care, through effective risk management & governance, and adherence to the Trust values

2. Leadership and management:
•    To demonstrate good time management and organisational skills during daily management of own workload and to be able to adapt flexibly to sudden changes in workload. 
•    To carry an identified bleep as required by each clinical area and be able to respond to frequent interruptions.
•    To ensure timely communication of assessment findings, treatment and outcomes to other involved disciplines through the provision of social services reports, discharge letters etc. 
•    To make appropriate and timely referrals to other physiotherapists and other members of the multidisciplinary team when required.
•    To keep accurate and up-to-date patient records and statistics at all times in line with departmental, professional and legal standards. 
•    To be responsible for the safe use of all therapeutic equipment and aids (including gym equipment, hydrotherapy, respiratory equipment and electrotherapy) by patients.
•    To delegate specific tasks to therapy assistants in line with departmental and professional guidelines. 
•    To deputise for the band 7 therapist during periods of absence, with the support of the therapy lead, to ensure effective day to day organisation of the team’s workload.
•    To understand and apply clinical governance principles to your own caseload and to be involved in departmental clinical governance sessions.
•    To contribute to service and policy developments
•    To be responsible for complying with all mandatory training requirements
•    To be responsible for maintenance of stock/equipment supplies
•    To develop and maintain effective communication and working relationships with other professional groups, and staff generally within the Division and the Trust
•    To assist in the delivery of induction / orientation of new staff 
•    To provide clinical support and guidance to staff and to act as a resource for clinical knowledge to staff
•    To participate in recruitment and selection and develop effective selection and interviewing skills
•    To undertake appraisals of staff, following training
•    To understand and manage local change with team members, including the embedding of new projects

3. Education & research:
•    To participate in and contribute to in-service training programmes
•    To be responsible for the teaching and assessment of graduate level therapeutic skills and knowledge to more junior staff, physiotherapy students and therapy assistants.
•    To provide clinical supervision to more junior staff, students and therapy assistants.
•    To be involved in data collection during any research and audits being undertaken in each area and to be able to monitor and implement change
•    To have the opportunity to lead, or be involved in audit and research projects. 

4. Professional development:
•    To comply with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the Health and Care Professions Council codes of professional conduct at all times.
•    To maintain professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council. 
•    To be responsible for personal continuous professional development by the use of self-education, reflective practice, active participation in the in-service training program including giving presentations and attendance at postgraduate courses as agreed in your personal development plan and to maintain an up to date CPD portfolio.
•    To ensure that all mandatory training is completed within the required timescales.
•    Have an awareness of current professional and clinical developments within your area of practice and promote this to others
•    To further develop understanding and use of evidence-based practice, physiotherapy techniques, therapeutic handling skills and detailed knowledge of particular conditions, pertinent to the specialist area
•    To understand and apply clinical governance principles to your own caseload and to be involved in departmental clinical governance sessions
•    To participate in the appraisal system as appraisee during each rotation and be responsible for fulfilling your agreed objectives and personal development plan.
•    To ensure adherence to Trust policy and guidelines at all times
•    To role model Trust values at all times

Please see the JD for the full description.