Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner.

To perform physiotherapeutic assessment of patients with diverse presentations, to develop and deliver a treatment programme.

To supervise less experienced staff within the team.

To liaise with staff of other disciplines to ensure effective communication and reporting takes place at all times.

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.

Participate in staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee and /or appraiser and be responsible for complying with agreed personal and professional development programmes to meet knowledge, skills and competency requirements.

To undertake clinical and professional updating through means identified during appraisal process.

To develop an individual learning plan, maintain Continuous Professional Development records/portfolio which reflect personal development and provide evidence of how learning is applied to practice.

Maintain and further develop specialist knowledge of evidence-based practice through continuous professional development, ensuring competency to practice.

Be an active member of the in-service training programmes by attendance at, leading and participation in, in-service training programmes, tutorials, individual training sessions, external courses (where applicable), peer review and personal study. To help maintain own and others competency to practice.

Undertake regular measurement, data collection and evaluation of current practices through the use of evidence-based practice projects, audit and outcome measures.

To be responsible for supervising, teaching and assessing student physiotherapist to graduate level.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

To undertake a comprehensive Physiotherapy assessment of the individual patient gaining relevant information by clinical examination, and physiotherapy assessment techniques.

Apply clinical reasoning skills to set therapeutic/rehabilitation objectives.

To formulate and deliver an individual physiotherapy treatment programme based on specialist knowledge of evidence-based practice and treatment options using clinical skills.

To evaluate patient progress, reassess and alter treatment programmes as required.

Providing specialist advice on best course of interventions, developing specialised treatment plans.

To make informed clinical decisions on appropriate and timely discharge planning or referral to other services.

Measurable Result Areas

To provide support, teaching, specialist and highly specialist advice to other staff within the Physiotherapy team on a planned and spontaneous basis. e.g. less experienced physiotherapists; technical instructors / assistants or physiotherapy, medical or work experience students on observational visits.

To work within Trust policy, HCPC and Chartered Society of Physiotherapy guidelines and to have a good working knowledge of national and local standards. Monitor own and others quality of practice as appropriate.

To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work.

To assess and manage clinical risk within the limits of own scope of practice.

To set a high personal standard of work and professional attitude and encourage others to do likewise.

To maintain assessment, treatment and discharge records/reports and follow guidelines, protocols and procedures in accordance with professional (Chartered Society of Physiotherapy), legal and departmental standards.

To identify opportunities to improve the physiotherapy service in order to provide the best patient care within resources available and make recommendations for change.

To be responsible for organising and planning own caseload to meet service and patient priorities. Re-adjusting plans as situations change/arise.

To be responsible for supporting and developing physiotherapy students to graduate level.

Communications and Working Relationships

To gain informed consent to treatment in accordance with trust policy. This will frequently involve communication with patients/carers who have complex physical conditions and will require expert use of verbal and non-verbal communication tools.