Detailed job description and main responsibilities

· Act as a specialist physiotherapist with the Cardiac, Heart failure and Pulmonary Rehabilitation programmes by offering specialist advice on the exercise and education components and contribute to evolving and embedding best practice into the clinical area

· Undertake advanced assessment and physiotherapy treatments of patients who present with other physical problems and to have the ability to adapt rehabilitation programmes as required.

· Take a lead role in the assessment and treatment of patients attending for Cardiac, Heart Failure and Pulmonary Rehabilitation groups.

· Plan, deliver and evaluate the Cardiac, Heart Failure and Pulmonary Rehabilitation programmes in partnership with multidisciplinary team colleagues.

· Complete specialist assessment of patients with a wide variety of complex cardiac and Respiratory conditions.

· Develop, implement, evaluate and modify individualised treatment programmes providing specialist advice.

· Ensure appropriate referral to other agencies as required.

· Maintain accurate and comprehensive up to date records.

· Participate within and deliver education and training of non-qualified healthcare / social services / education staff including medical staff.

· Support and advise within the wider MDT on the delivery of the service and assist in managing ongoing clinical risk of service users. 

·       Possess a working knowledge of the community oxygen assessment service and complete  ambulatory oxygen assessments when required within the pulmonary rehabilitation assessment process.

· Undertakes comprehensive assessments of patients, including those with complex presentations using investigative and analytical skills, formulates individual management and treatment plans using clinical reasoning and utilises a range of treatment skills and options to formulate programmes of care.

· Delivers the physiotherapy elements of a cardiac rehabilitation and is able to overlap with the roles of nurse and occupational therapy colleagues as required.

· Reviews and reflects on the patient’s understanding of their problem so that valid, informed consent can be obtained.

· Make adjustments to individual rehabilitation programmes following feedback from individual patients and findings at reassessment in order to maintain safe levels of exercise.

· Provides specialist advice to patients/carers to enable exercise and activity programmes to continue after discharge from the service.

· Deals sensitively with patients struggling to deal with acute changes or chronic progression of their condition that require lifestyle changes.

· Provides teaching and motivation to patients and carers to promote understanding of the aims of their treatment to ensure consistent patient care and maximise rehabilitation potential.

· Ensures effective communication and liaison with other health professionals and agencies takes place across all four phases of the Cardiac Rehabilitation process.

· Maintains accurate and comprehensive patients records in line with the trusts guidelines and departmental standards and communicates outcomes to appropriate disciplines in the form of reports and/or letters.

· Use shared decision making to support patients to set their own goals and be confident in their approach to self-management of their health condition.

· Apply evidence-based knowledge within the specialist clinical area acquired through experience, self-directed learning and appropriate access to academic study at post graduate level.

· Work collaboratively with other providers involved with the patients care.

· To manage and prioritise own clinical workload as appropriate, working efficiently to manage professional time and delegate according to the training and competency levels of other team members to ensure the effective delivery of the service.

· Ensure a high standard of patient care is provided and to assist the Team Leader/clinical lead to implement and review clinical standards relevant to the work undertaken.

· Be responsible for the issue and safe use of equipment used in your area of work and to adhere to the appropriate service policies.

· To be responsible for the supervision and education of student physiotherapists to graduate level in the role of clinical educator.

· To contribute to the supervision and education of students from other professional groups e.g. Nurses, Occupational Therapists and Local Authority staff as required.