Detailed job description and main responsibilities

This role is eligible for visa sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route. Sponsorship can only be provided where applicants meet the specific requirements set by UKVI, including the relevant skill and salary thresholds, and any role-specific criteria. For example, applicants for the Senior HCA role must be able to evidence a minimum of 2 years’ experience in the same role to qualify for sponsorship.

If you are applying using a Graduate visa as your right to work, you must have a minimum of 18 months remaining on your visa at time of application.

Communication

•    To be able to communicate effectively and work collaboratively with relevant Multi-disciplinary Team (MDT) Professionals (e.g., Health Care Assistants, Occupational Therapy Assistants, Nursing staff, Orthotists) to assist achievement of patient centred goals and maximising the patient’s potential.
•    Communicate effectively with patients with a variety of communication difficulties e.g., blind, deaf, dysphasic, learning difficulties / dementia, and for people who do not have English as their first language, on a one-to-one level and to enable the patient to integrate in group activities.  This will involve the effective use of verbal, written, pictorial, tactile and visual communication tools.
•    Educate patients, carers and relevant MDT staff on a range of topics including covering Physiotherapy techniques, education on patient condition e.g., therapeutic positioning, exercises, mobility activities including using walking aids and indoor and outdoor mobility, and advice and education with regards to patient condition

·         Educate patients, carers, and relevant MDT staff on health promotion, advise on access to community exercise opportunities (gym referral schemes, classes, walking groups etc) for ongoing self-management.

·         Use advanced empathetic, tactful, and interpersonal skills to encourage and empower patients and carers to maximise patients’ Rehabilitation potential, giving opportunity for unloading / sharing of concerns and issues and providing informal counselling.

·         Ensure that individual practice and that of the local pathway team is user focused, and patient views are incorporated into treatment planning.

·         Assist in informative / observational visits, work-shadow sessions, and specific areas of induction process e.g., new members of staff and students.

·         Attend Handover & MDT meetings to represent current Physiotherapy management with regards to patient progress and potential and be able to make to decisions within agreed parameters.

·         Liaise with other team members on day-to-day issues and ward management e.g., staff shortages, increased patient caseload.

·         Keep accurate and comprehensive documentation of all patient contact.  Initiate documentation for assessment, transfer and discharge and be conversant with university and multi-professional documentation.

·         To be able to manage potentially stressful, sensitive, upsetting situations in an empathetic manner.

Service Delivery and Improvement

·         Comply with the organisational and departmental policies and procedures.

·         Actively involved in the evaluation of current practice, discussions, data collection, audit and relevant projects regarding service evaluation and development be able to contribute to suggestions for change.

·         Participates in the provision of weekend Physiotherapy services as appropriate.

·         Identifying new work and working in different ways

·         To be flexible to enable taking on new work or to work in a different way if required.

·         To highlight any concerns regarding the service to the team lead and to offer constructive suggestions where possible.

People Management and Development

·         Participate in the planning, administration and delivery of IST and other relevant courses offered to relevant staff from own and other departments and trusts e.g., Physiotherapy Assistant course.

·         Responsible for the supervision, training, and appraisal of less experienced staff e.g., physiotherapy assistant staff / Apprentice.

·         Responsible maintaining own competency to practice through continuing professional development activities including reflective practice, review of current research and relevant literature, maintenance of a personal portfolio and the attendance of specialist training courses as identified within a personal development plan.

·         To identify own learning needs and be open to feedback regarding own performance.

·         To participate and engage in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee by preparing for the appraisal, evaluating own practice, and identifying learning needs and strategies to improve.

·         To assist in the development of others such as helping induct new staff, supporting peers and assisting students in conjunction with their educator.

Patient Care Delivery

·         Involved in the Rehabilitation of patients using knowledge of the patient’s pathology, exercise-based therapy and other relevant therapy techniques.

·         Take responsibility for ongoing assessment, treatment, and evaluation of appropriate patients some of which may be more complex in nature.

·         Assist nursing staff and therapists as required regarding day-to-day care of patients, e.g., toileting needs, transfers, maintaining hygienic environment.

·         Correctly apply various therapeutic aids as appropriate e.g., Gym equipment, continuous passive movement machine (CPM), splints, braces, plaster shoes, walking aids, resistance bands, sliding boards, floor pedals and weights.

·         Support Physiotherapist by undertaking skilled Physiotherapy techniques e.g., exercise instruction, manual therapy techniques, gait re-education and functional transfers with individuals.

·         Accountable for all aspects of own work. This will include the management of clinical risk, clinical governance, knowledge of indications and precautions of chosen techniques in line with national and trust clinical guidelines and protocols where they exist, to own competency level.

·         Work collaboratively with relevant Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) Professionals (e.g., health care assistants, occupational therapy assistants, nursing staff, Orthotists) to assist achievement of patient centred goals and maximising the patient’s potential.

·         Facilitate patient progression through care pathways which may involve cross therapy working following appropriate training.

·         Educate patients, carers, and relevant MDT staff on a range of topics including covering Physiotherapy techniques, education on patient condition e.g., therapeutic positioning, exercises, mobility activities including using walking aids and indoor and outdoor mobility, and advice and education with regards to patient condition

·         Ability to manage potentially complex situations where patients, relatives or colleagues have voiced concerns, or where there is confrontation. To be able to manage situation sensitively and in accordance with trust policies, seeking senior support where required.

·         To report any abnormal or pertinent observational findings to the Physiotherapist with the appropriate degree of urgency.