Highly Specialist Physiotherapist in Amputee Rehabilitation (Band 7)

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 1 CLINICAL 1.1 To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of your own work, including the management of patients in your care. 1.2 To undertake a comprehensive, and holistic, assessment of amputee patients including those with complex rehabilitation needs due to associated pathologies e.g. neurological, vascular and cognitive. multi-pathologies. The patient group includes all adults to the frail and elderly, both established and primary amputees. The complexity of the caseload varies consisting predominantly of lower limb amputees, with some multi-limb loss and upper limb loss patients. 1.3 To use manual and other assessment techniques and clinical reasoning skills to provide an accurate diagnosis of patients' conditions and identify their problems. 1.4 To assess patients' understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent to treatment. 1.5 To use clinical assessment and reasoning skills combined with a specialist knowledge and clinical experience of patho-physiology, evidence-based practice and treatment strategies to provide an effective treatment plan and goals in collaboration with the patient. 1.6 To evaluate patients' progress, re-assess and alter treatment programs as required. 1.7 To formulate accurate prognoses and liaise with the multi-disciplinary team regarding discharge planning, where necessary, to ensure safe, timely and effective discharge from hospital, or following an outpatient episode of care. 1.8 To be responsible for the safe and competent use of gym, manual handling and respiratory equipment, as well as the use of other aids and appliances by patients in your working area, ensuring that any rotational and specialist rotational Physiotherapists and assistant staff attain competency prior to use. 1.9 To use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication skills to communicate effectively with patients during assessment and treatment. To communicate appropriately at all times with all individuals in a respectful manner. 1.10 To use active listening and optimum communication skills to discuss patients concerns, worries and prognoses with them and their families, for example patients who have progressive, degenerative or terminal illnesses and those with newly acquired disabilities. 1.11 To assess wound status and decide what treatment is appropriate and whether rehabilitation can continue, escalating appropriately and seeking support from Tissue Viability Nurses and Bowley Close Rehabilitation Unit as indicated. 1.12 To provide advice to medical and nursing staff and other members of the multi-disciplinary team regarding patients' respiratory conditions, when working on the acute wards. 1.13 To supervise and delegate to assistant staff and rotational and specialist rotational Physiotherapists. 1.14 To work within Trust, departmental and CSP guidelines, ensuring a good working knowledge of national and local standards. 1.15 To provide individual patient equipment that supports the use of prosthetics, as required, such as walking aids, splints or supports. 1.16 To tailor rehabilitation to individuals needs and goals for example completing home visits or community-based activities when indicated such as leisure, focus on return to work or using public transport. 2 MANAGEMENT 2.1 To maintain an accurate and evaluative record keeping system in accordance with the Trust and departmental policies, and which can be used for audit and legal purposes. 2.2 To be responsible for organising, prioritising and planning your own caseload to meet service needs and patient priorities, adjusting plans as situations arise. 2.3 To identify and manage clinical risk within your own patient caseload and clinical area. 2.4 To comply with all Trust policies and procedures, and the Health & Safety at Work Act, and the Data Protection Act. To report on complaints, accidents and clinical incidents to the immediate senior as soon as possible. 2.5 To be familiar with and comply with local fire procedures. 2.6 To be familiar with all Trust and Therapy emergency and precautionary procedures, on site, and to respond as necessary eg. hydrotherapy, emergency resuscitation, infection control etc. 2.7 To ensure that all equipment defects are reported to the Therapy Management team immediately, and that appropriate action is then taken. 2.8 To advise and demonstrate to carers, nursing and other staff on the safe manual handling, positioning and moving of patients. 2.9 To provide training on the use of equipment and management of conditions for carers, nursing and other staff when necessary. 2.10 To be responsible for the supervision and co-ordination of students, junior staff and assistants on a day-to-day basis. 2.11 To make appropriate referrals to other health professionals following assessment / identification of need. 2.12 To participate in the managerial matters of the unit and department as required, and to attend staff meetings. 2.13 To participate in the induction programme for all new staff where appropriate. 2.14 To undertake additional duties as may be deemed necessary, as requested by the Inpatient Physiotherapy Leads & Outpatient Physiotherapy Leads. 2.15 To contribute to recruitment processes for appropriate staff, advert writing, interview preparation, shortlisting and conducting interviews. 3 EDUCATION AND TRAINING 3.1 To participate in the individual performance review (appraisal) and annual appraisal schemes and be responsible for complying with your agreed personal development plan to meet set goals. 3.2 To be responsible for maintaining your competence to practice and State Registration to HCPC through C.P.D. activities and maintaining a portfolio which reflects personal development. 1.3 To supervise rotational and specialist physiotherapists physiotherapists and assistants, being actively involved in their supervision and appraisal, reporting performance issues to the Outpatient Physiotherapy Lead. 3.4 To participate in and contribute to the in-service education programmes to rotational physiotherapists, the outpatient physiotherapy department and inpatient teams. 3.5 To participate in mandatory and statutory training, having an awareness of and complying with Trust and departmental procedures. 3.6 To attend Trust in-house training sessions / programmes and external courses as appropriate. 3.7 To contribute to the education of Therapy Assistants/practitioners when necessary. 3.8 To be responsible for the clinical education of student physiotherapists, teaching them to graduate level on physiotherapeutic skills and knowledge within the core clinical areas, reporting performance issues to a relevant person. 4 COMMUNICATION 4.1 To participate in staff meetings, ward rounds, seminars/case conferences, multi-disciplinary team meetings and other meetings of the specific unit and Therapy department as required, providing a clinical opinion about specific patients. 4.2 To maintain close links with the Outpatient Physiotherapy Lead, as well as maintaining close working relationships with other disciplines within the hospital to ensure optimal patient care and management. 4.3 To ensure close links of communication / liaison with the Outpatient Physiotherapy Lead, senior staff, schools of physiotherapy and all other disciplines involved in patient care, both in the hospital and in the community, and to promote good working relationships. 4.4 To provide comprehensive discharge summaries and patient reports when requested by Doctors and outside bodies. 4.5 To participate in IT training and be able to use therapy computer software. 4.6 To encourage health promotion within the Hospital and Community by example and advice to individual patients. 4.7 To deal with any verbal and telephone complaints from patients, relatives or carers, ensuring necessary documentation. To report on any such complaints to the Physiotherapy Leads as soon as possible. 5 RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND AUDIT 5.1 To supervise rotational and specialist rotational staff to undertake a relevant evidence-based project within your rotation, where possible developing improvements to clinical practice. 5.2 To be involved, with the clinical team, in clinical / organisational audits, ensuring quality standards of service are maintained. 5.3 To be aware of current research and best evidence relevant to the clinical speciality, and incorporate it into your treatment. 5.4 To lead appropriate work-related research / evaluation projects based on evidence, to assist with the development of the service within the clinical team. 5.5 To work with members of the team to identify needs and develop the service and policies. 5.6 To work closely with other B7 Physiotherapists within the South-East London amputee pathway linking training, development and service improvement with the support of Outpatient Physiotherapy Leads.