Bank Physiotherapist

Job responsibilities

As a physiotherapist within the Specialist Health Community Learning Disability Teams, the post holder will:

Provide specialist physiotherapy for adults with a learning disability where access to generic physiotherapy treatment is not appropriate for them.

Use Physiotherapy skills to treat complex musculoskeletal physical problems which often occur in combination with other cognitive and/or sensory disabilities

Improve mobility for people with physical disabilities through the assessment and provision of specialist equipment e.g. wheelchairs, postural support systems and other assistive technologies

Work closely with other multi-disciplinary team members, carers and services to enable community inclusion and promote independence through reducing reliance on paid support

Be an active member of the multi-disciplinary and physiotherapy team and contribute appropriately to all service requirements and developments

Ensure safe practice and adherence to Safeguarding policies and procedures

Duties and Responsibilities

Communication and Working Relationship Skills

• Relay complex, sensitive information to people with learning disabilities and their carers with empathy and in a way that they can understand

• Assess clients understanding of treatment proposals and their capacity to give informed consent and working within the legal framework when the client lacks capacity

• Contribute to and lead (as agreed) team and Physiotherapy meetings and represent physiotherapy or IATT team at other relevant meetings when required

• Build and maintain effective working relationships with team colleagues and with relevant community partners.

• Keep electronic records according to Trust policy

• Provide professional advice and consultancy to the team manager, multidisciplinary team members, carers and other services.

• Use Total Communication practices to promote best possible communication with people with learning disabilities

Analytical and Judgemental Skills

• Assess effectively clients with complex needs, analyse and interpret the assessment to plan appropriate treatment from a range of options

• Show clinical reasoning in documentation

• To contribute to the evaluation of your work and current practices through the use of audit and outcome measures.

• Identify risk issues, which potentially could affect the patients/clients health or social care and report adverse signs to registered professionals
• To provide support for student physiotherapists and less experienced physiotherapy staff, social, health and education staff as delegated by the physiotherapist.

Planning and Organisational Skills

• Plan, prioritise and organise own workload as well as the workload of any staff supervised by the post holder, monitoring and adjusting activities and programmes as necessary.
• Participate in the planning, leading and organisation of service development projects
• Use effective time management skills to maximise productivity

Responsibility for Patient/Client Care, Treatment and Therapy

• Assess, develop, implement, monitor and evaluate specialist physiotherapy programmes as part of an overall care plan
• Apply specialist knowledge and skills to meet the needs of those with profound and complex needs
• Contribute/lead relevant service user planning and review meetings
• Plan and lead groups when this is deemed a suitable method of service delivery
• Ensure all treatment records are completed according to Trust policy
• Practice according to the standards set out by the Health Professions Council
• Respond and contribute effectively and flexibly to occasional team emergencies and other urgent requests as directed by the Team Manager/Lead Physiotherapist

Responsibility for Policy and Service Development Implementation

• Contribute/lead service improvement and development in community team, Physiotherapy service and wider LD Partnership, extending knowledge and skills of own practice.

• Ensure own continuing professional development is on-going and relevant to the post and is recorded according to professional and local protocols

• Keep up to date with essential training, supervision and annual appraisals in accordance with Trust policy

• Participate/coordinate research and audit activity as a means of contributing to the advancement of practice

• Contribute to the planning, organisation and maintenance and leadership of professional networks and interest groups to maintain and develop professional practice

• Keep up to date on relevant government and local policy and guidance in relation to best practice for learning disability

• Ensure all work is done in accordance with person-centred principles which promotes choice and empowerment

• To avoid any behaviour which discriminates against your fellow employees or patients on the grounds of sex, marital status, race, age, colour, nationality, ethnic, or national origins, religion or disability.

Responsibility for Finance, Equipment and Other Resources

• Be responsible for ordering and maintaining equipment and consumables, as an accredited prescriber

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