Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To work as an autonomous Principal Physiotherapist in the specialist area to deliver a comprehensive and cost-effective assessment and treatment service, as part of a multi-disciplinary service.
• To perform to a highly specialised level within area of specialism, assessment, diagnosis, and management of conditions, using advanced clinical reasoning and decision-making abilities and skills beyond the scope of physiotherapy/occupational therapy practice.
• Ensuring that evidence-based principals, along with interpretation from National Policies and current best practice, are implemented and all interventions are evaluated.
• To independently determine the clinical diagnosis and future clinical management of presenting patients through the assimilation of clinical assessment.
• Take responsibility for referral on to secondary care consultants and other medical and non-medical services following the local referral pathways; liaise with other professional and non-professional staff, relatives, and carers.
• Be the Clinical lead and highly specialised source of expertise for the development of the specialist area across the Trust, including other health professionals, GP’s and within the CCG.
• To deliver and ensure prioritisation services to patients, other registered and non-registered healthcare professionals, GP’s, and Secondary Care Consultants.
• Be the key contributor to the provision and development of policies and service development pathways of specialist area within the primary and secondary care services.
• Lead and perform clinical audit activity, generate original ideas for audit and research, and evaluate the results of service audit and research, both as independent service and in MDT thereby contributing to the development and advancement of the service and evidence base for the management of related conditions as required.
• To assist in the prioritisation of referrals in the specialist area and to direct the patient into the appropriate level of service according to referral information regarding clinical presentation.  
• Develop close relations with Consultants and GPs in their localities, regarding the management of specialist conditions and ensuring that patients’ needs are met by the appropriate patient pathway.
• To be the lead in the education of registered physiotherapists, registered healthcare professionals and non-registered healthcare employees, physiotherapy students, members of the MDT in the physiotherapeutic and highly specialised management of the specialist areas’ conditions.

Management/Leadership

• To be responsible for the day-to-day operational management of the clinical specialist Service. Ensure the appropriate use of the pathway by all referrers.
• To liaise with secondary and Primary care specialities to develop the strategic and operational management of the service.
• To provide specialist training and supervision of less experienced Therapists, assistants and students.
• To act as clinical mentor to all Physiotherapists/Occupational Therapists with links to specialist area.
• To be able to manage stressful, upsetting or emotional situations in an empathic manner, supporting more junior staff in similar circumstances
• Take responsibility as a Clinical Educator for Physiotherapy undergraduate students and maintain good links with the universities, as required. To lead training programme for staff, MDT staff members as required
• Provide specialist training to non AHP’s, including Doctors/nurses
• To maintain and provide accurate and timely statistical information as required. Use audit to identify the developing needs of the service.
• To participate in the Trust appraisal scheme as an appraiser and an appraisee.
• To ensure that all equipment defects, accidents and complaints are reported to  the appropriate person/persons immediately to ensure that appropriate action may be taken in line with Trust Health and Safety Policies.
• To undertake HR investigations and chair HR related hearing panels, including appeals, where appropriate.

Responsibility for ensuring that:

• Staff are managed and standards of work are maintained and Trust policies for the management of staff performance are adhered to.
• Appraisals of staff directly managed are undertaken and that the appraisal process is maintained throughout the team
• Staff receive appropriate health and safety and other mandatory training as prescribed and that relevant records are maintained.
• Other records are maintained by the team ensuring compliance with the agreed record keeping systems of the Trust.
• Informed consent is obtained where appropriate and documented in accordance with Trust procedures.
• New and replacement equipment is not used until it has been commissioned in accordance with Trust policy.
• Appropriate risk and other assessments are completed and documented in a timely manner in accordance with Trust policy.
• Defective equipment is reported and made safe without delay in accordance with Trust procedures
• Equipment is maintained in accordance with Trust policy.
• Infection prevention and control procedures are followed by all staff within their area of responsibility
• All staff follow Trust clinical governance requirements
• Be responsible for and actively record own personal development.
• To keep abreast of all new developments which includes attending study days, conferences and visits to specialist units.
• To be actively involved in the appropriate clinical interest groups

Communication

• To attend regional and national conferences/study days and network with other Clinical Specialists and Principal/Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioners appropriate to the clinical field. Share and disseminate knowledge with colleagues within the Trust and in the community.
• To communicate effectively and advise other disciplines both internally and externally to ensure multidisciplinary approach to care.
• To be able to communicate highly complex information sensitively to such patients in order to gain their cooperation for treatment. In addition, where there may be barriers to understanding to motivate them towards self-management.
• To ensure timely and effective communication with the professional adviser on all professional matters.
• To maintain an accurate record keeping system in line with CSP standards and local Trust guidelines, supervising records of physiotherapists and students within the clinical area.
• To attend meetings and liaise with GP’s / Consultants / Occupational Health as required in order to ensure appropriate and timely management of patients through to discharge.
• To attend and be an active participant in pathway, departmental staff, and peer group meetings

Research/Audit

• To design and implement appropriate work-related research/evaluation projects and to be aware of current research relevant to speciality.
• In line with Trust commitment to Clinical Governance, to design, initiate and participate in clinical audit and the evaluation of clinical effectiveness

Effort and Environment

• Frequent travel may be necessary across the Trust area.
• Requirement to carry laptop computer and/or other equipment.
• Ability to switch tasks because of managing several strands of work because of interruptions and / or arising situations requiring urgent attention.
• Occasional periods of intense concentration may be required for complex clinical assessments, interventions and the teaching of such procedures and prolonged concentration when analysing information and managing own workload with many competing priorities.
• Ability to deal with complex clinical scenarios.
• Ability to demonstrate initiative.

For a full comprehensive list of main responsibilities and duties, please kindly refer to job description and personal specification attached.