Respiratory Physiotherapist
Job Description
Job summary
18.75 hours per week.
An exciting opportunity through investment has arisen for a band 6 Physiotherapist to join our Respiratory Team here at Livewell Southwest. We are looking for an enthusiastic individual with a specialist interest in Respiratory care.
We are a specialist team made up of Physiotherapists, Nurses and Support workers delivering Pulmonary Rehabilitation and respiratory care to patients living in their own homes.
We have close links with primary and secondary care working closely with colleagues to deliver high quality care for our patients.
Key ongoing developments are the expansion of the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Service, and developing partnership working with virtual wards to help prevent hospital admissions for the Respiratory population we serve.
We have close links with primary and secondary care working closely with colleagues to deliver high quality care for our patients.
Key ongoing developments are the expansion of the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Service, and developing partnership working with primary and secondary care to prevent hospital admissions for the Respiratory population we serve.
This is an exciting time for the successful individual to support in the shaping and development of the service.
You will benefit from working in a small supportive team with the opportunity to develop leadership and service improvement skills.
This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route.
Main duties of the job
The Band 6 Physio within the Community Respiratory team will undertake a leading role in the planning, coordination, delivery and evaluation of high-quality assessment at Pulmonary rehabilitation, also implementing treatment and long-term management of patients with chronic respiratory conditions within their homes.
- To undertake comprehensive respiratory assessments of patients requiring airway clearance, breathlessness management or those with worsening symptoms of long term condition.
- To identify and implement appropriate use of treatment modalities to support patients and their families to manage exacerbations and avoidance of hospital admissions, supporting self management.
- To act as a resource of specialist expertise for patients and the wider MDT within Livewell Southwest, Primary and Secondary Care partners.
- To be involved in the planning, co-ordination and delivery of the Pulmonary Rehabilitation across the Livewell footprint including demonstration of exercise classes and provision of educational talks.
- Be familiar with OPEP devices / Salbutamol PGD / Ambulatory Oxygen provision via part B prescribing / Recognition of need for referral to Oxygen clinic / Auscultation / Interpretation of x-rays / Understanding of Spirometry interpretation and Prescription of exercises.
All staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.
Please note that we may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline.
About us
Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, and health hubs.
As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values,kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while empowering staff and those we serve.
We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead healthy, independent lives.
We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, training pathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the Care Certificate and Nurse Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorship programs ensure a smooth transition into our organisation.
Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental health, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.
Job responsibilities
Responsibility for people who use our services.
To ensure the service user is aware of the role and philosophy of Respiratory Physiotherapy and Pulmonary Rehabilitation , utilising all means necessary to enable individuals to understand the nature and purpose of proposed actions or intervention, including explaining any possible risks involved.
To keep up to date with mental capacity legislation, assessing mental capacity and imparting sufficient information to the service user in order to gain valid informed consent, which must be documented and gained at every intervention. For consent to be valid, HCPC stipulate it must be voluntary and informed, and the person giving consent must have the capacity to make the decision.
To act in a service users best interest at all times, factoring in their known views, beliefs, values, and instructions expressed, when undertaking care or an intervention where the service user lacks capacity to give expressed consent.
To consider if the lack of capacity may be temporary, and where possible, postponing intervention or decision making until they regain capacity to ensure involvement of the service user in their own care as far as is reasonably practicable and possible.
To actively participate in complex MDT functions and support individuals with decision making around the application of the Mental Capacity Act, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and adhering to the principles of Best Interest legislation.
To undertake the comprehensive assessment of patients, including those with a complex presentation, using investigative and analytical skills, and to formulate individualised management and treatment plans, using clinical reasoning, and a wide range of treatment skills and options to formulate a programme of care and to support junior staff in this work. (Treatment modalities include; manual physiotherapy techniques, patient education, exercise classes, chest physiotherapy and other alternative options).
To demonstrate a high level of understanding of conditions relevant to the diagnostic area and those patients presenting with multi pathology.
To demonstrate highly developed dexterity, co-ordination and palpatory senses for assessment and manual treatment of patients where necessary.
Where necessary, to carry out baseline medical observations e.g. temperature, respirations and blood pressure checks. To record and share this information with other health and social care professionals, to aid them with medical diagnoses and identification of most appropriate treatment pathway.
To regularly record, act on and escalate as appropriate, the findings of medical observations, e.g oxygen saturations, Heart Rate, Blood Pressure, Respiration rate, Temperature. To assess if the appropriate response may require immediate treatment to resolve provided by the individual, or escalation to other services e.g GP, 111, 999
To have a working knowledge of the Care Act 2014 including the well-being principle, prevention, and the eligibility criteria.
As part of your role there may be a requirement /opportunity to identify the need for major and minor housing adaptation, and to refer to the appropriate services for assessment.
To maintain competence in the use of Basic Patient Handling techniques and equipment including the prescription of basic mobility aids and adaptive aids for use in the community, including demonstration for patients and carers.
To understand and comply with the safeguarding process and understand how and when alerts are required. To contribute to safeguarding investigations with support of other colleagues.
To co-ordinate, plan, record, review, report and discuss goal setting and treatment programme progress in close liaison with all members of the multi-disciplinary team, peoples carers, and family in accordance with consent given, agreeing assessment outcomes where appropriate.
To respect the individual values, cultural and religious diversity of patients and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to those needs.
To provide education and advice to service users, carers and/or family members regarding the impact of cognitive, perceptual, and physical deficits on patient safety and independence in the home, leisure, and workplace. This can include imparting sensitive information and advice to service users and carers which could have life changing consequences.
To regularly undertake conversations regarding life limiting conditions, the role of palliative care services and treatments in the long term management of chronic conditions, and supporting patients and their carers/families with information and support when considering this.
To provide an opportunity for people and carers to express their feelings whilst encouraging acceptance and adjustment to their new circumstances. ...
