Musculoskeletal Out Patients

Job Title: Musculoskeletal Out Patients

Band: Band 6

Department: Physiotherapy

Location and mobility: Your normal place of work will be the Chase Farm Hospital site. However; you may be required to work at any other location of the Trusts interests, including travelling to appropriate meetings outside of the borough, as required.

Responsible to: MSK Out Patients Physiotherapy Manager

Accountable for: Physiotherapy MSK Out Patients

RBAC CODE / URL: Template E - Health Professional - R8003 Physiotherapist

CRB checks: CRB Enhanced

Note: CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) checks are required for any staff that have regular contact with patients in the course of their normal duties.

Job Summary

As part of the Physiotherapy Service providing care to a multi cultural and diverse population, the post holder will provide a high standard of physiotherapy care to Musculoskeletal Out patients. To work alongside and at times independently of senior staff at a designated Out Reach clinic.

To perform comprehensive physiotherapeutic assessment of patients with diverse presentations and complex physical and psychological conditions, to provide a clinical diagnosis and develop and deliver an individualised treatment programme.

To be responsible for own caseload, working without direct supervision. Supervision takes the form of regular formal training and clinical reasoning sessions, peer review, case review and case conferences. Access to advice and support from senior physiotherapists is available as required, in person or by phone. However clinical work is not routinely evaluated.

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

With support and guidance from more senior staff to undertake evidence-based audit and or research projects to further own and team’s clinical practice. Make recommendations to clinical lead/manager of service for changes to practice by the team. May contribute to the implementation of specific changes to practice or contribute to service protocols.

To be aware of and highlight to line manager any clinical governance issues pertaining to your role and practice and the service.

To contribute to the delivery of health promotion activities within the service and the wider Trust initiatives.

MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical

1. To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work and that work delegated to support staff and to take responsibility for efficiently managing own/ delegated caseload.
2. To undertake assessment, intervention and discharge of patients, using high levels of clinical reasoning and analytical skills to formulate an accurate clinical diagnosis. To utilise a broad knowledge of evidence based practice and treatment options to select and deliver a specialised physiotherapy programme to individual patients and plan their successful discharge.
3. To assess patients’ understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid consent and ensure compliance with the legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent to treatment.
4. To use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate successfully with patients and carers to facilitate physiotherapy treatment programmes.
5. To assist in prioritising referrals to Out Reach clinics.
6. To assist in the teaching, and contribute to the performance assessment and appraisal of newly qualified physiotherapists, T.I.s and physiotherapy assistant staff
7. To liaise effectively with appropriate members of staff and carers (where agreed) regarding the progress of individual patients to optimise their outcomes.
8. To maintain accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date documentation and statistics in line with legal requirements, CSP standards and Trust policy. Communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines in the form of reports and letters.
9. To assist in the development of physiotherapy services offered to patients by the use of evidence based practice, and having an awareness of current NHS development / priority plans.

Professional

1. To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through CPD activities, and maintain a portfolio which reflects personal development. To take an active part in all CPD activities including In Service Training.
2. To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with medical, nursing and therapy colleagues to ensure efficient and appropriate management of patients.
3. To participate in the staff appraisal scheme and Personal Development Plan (PDP) and be responsible for complying with your agreed personal development programmes to meet set knowledge and competencies.
4. To demonstrate a sound understanding of Clinical Governance and Risk Management and apply to work situation and clinical caseload.
5. To provide clinical education and training to physiotherapy students to graduate level. Provide support, guidance and training to junior physiotherapists and assistants, assessing and evaluating competence.

Organisational

1. Contribute to the supervision and co-ordination of junior staff, students and assistants on a daily basis.
2. Be responsible for the safe and competent use of gym and electrotherapy equipment by patients and by junior and student physiotherapists, through teaching, training and supervision of practice.
3. To be responsible for organising and planning own caseload to meet service and patient priorities. Readjusting plans as situations change/arise.
4. Ensure that your own practice and that of staff under your supervision meet the required professional standards of physiotherapy practice.
5. To undertake collection of data for use in service audit and for monitoring the service contracts and service agreements.
6. To be aware of Health and Safety aspects of your work and implement any policies, which may be required to improve the safety of your work area, including your prompt recording and reporting of accidents to senior staff and ensuring that equipment use is safe.
7. To comply with the organisational and departmental policies and procedures and to be involved in the reviewing and updating as appropriate.
8. To undertake any other duties that might be considered appropriate by the Out Patients Manager or the Manager of the Physiotherapy Service.

Effort

1. Carry out assessments and treatments of musculoskeletal conditions with moderate physical effort on a daily basis.
2. To comply with the Trust Manual Handling Policy and local therapeutic handling guidance at all times.
3. To deal sensitively with patients who have high levels of anxiety and aggression caused by pain, dementia or limited mobility.
4. To work on a daily basis with patients and carers where English is not the first language, managing the complexities of interacting with them through the use of interpreters and other third parties
5. Work unsupervised in environment –GP clinics, assessing and managing risk.