Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Purpose:

•    To provide physiotherapy input to a multidisciplinary community based stroke rehabilitation team.

•    To facilitate clients’ early discharge from hospital, or to avoid hospital admission for clients who have experienced deterioration at home, through multi-disciplinary rehabilitation.

•    Using highly developed skills of dexterity, coordination and palpation, to undertake advanced assessment and treatment of clients with complex neuro-rehabilitation needs, who may have complex or multiple pathology, to determine the physiotherapy treatment indicated, and to maintain records, as an autonomous practitioner.

•    To develop and support programmes of rehabilitation which will be carried out by a team of rehabilitation support workers.

•    To participate and advise in the development of the BSRT service, so that they continue to meet the needs of the client group and respond to Government initiatives.

•    To provide weekend working in the future to support ESD pathway as requested

JOB FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBITIES 

Professional

1.    To maintain and record continuing professional development, taking part in formal peer review and using a professional portfolio.

2.    To attend professional body/clinical interest group meetings as appropriate.

3.    To read relevant journals and research papers and participate in appropriate work related research/evaluation projects.

4.    To attend training courses, participate on experiential learning as identified in personal development plan and impart information to colleagues.

5.    To follow all safe working practises in compliance with professional guidelines and Trust policies on health and Safety, including Manual handling.
Managerial

1.    To be responsible for prioritising and managing own caseload, including ensuring cover for times of planned absence as negotiated with the BSRT team leader.

2.    To monitor and evaluate the physiotherapy intervention to ensure efficiency and high quality standards.

3.    To organise and manage appropriate delegation of patient care/ work to the Rehabilitation support workers.

4.    To attend all appropriate team meetings.

5.    To assist in ordering and maintaining stock of equipment.

6.    To ensure all equipment defects, accidents and complaints are reported to the Team Leader or Service Manager and that appropriate action is taken by those concerned.

7.    To be responsible, with other staff, to see that local procedures required under the Health and Safety at Work Act, COSHH Regulations, Fire Safety, the Consumer Protection Act, the Data Protection Act and Access to Health Records Act are complied with.

8.    To participate in the Trust’s staff appraisal scheme.

9.    To line manage Rehabilitation Support Workers and ensure they are able to achieve their learning objectives.

Clinical

1.    To work as a member of the overall Bromley Stroke Rehabilitation Team.

2.    To take clinical responsibility for the physiotherapy input to the rehabilitative programmes provided to clients.

3.    To respect clients’ dignity, privacy cultures and wishes during treatment with a commitment to equal access to physiotherapy.

4.    To undertake specialist assessments of clients with a wide range of physical disabilities, and complex neurological conditions, who may have complex needs and/or multiple pathology and to determine the physiotherapy treatment indicated.

5.    To plan, develop and implement individually tailored programmes of treatment, which are client centred.

6.    To work collaboratively with clients, carers, members of the multidisciplinary team and external agencies to ensure a co-ordinated approach to service delivery, appreciating the role of all partners.

7.    To communicate with all appropriate people and organisations to provide and receive all relevant information pertaining to each client, ensuring holistic and informed care.

8.    To communicate and negotiate with individual clients and all those involved in the client’s care, to gain consent to and understanding of treatment programmes to ensure that physiotherapy treatment is effective. This will frequently be with clients who have complex emotional, physical and psychological conditions e.g. aphasia, cognitive and memory problems due to traumatic brain injury, deafness, dysarthria etc. and will need expert use of verbal and non-verbal communication tools

9.    To maintain a highly skilled clinical expertise and interest in older people with complex, multi pathology and, using national standards and guidance, contribute to the development of new ways of working with this client group.

10.    To supervise team rehabilitation support workers in carrying out goal focused therapy programmes.

11.    To advise clients on specific exercise and rehabilitation programmes and recommendations for independent or carer assisted implementation of these between therapy sessions.

12.    To ensure a high standard of clinical practice is maintained, keep up-to-date with clinical developments and only undertake treatment modalities in which trained and competent.

13.    To keep accurate written records of assessment and treatment in accordance with standards set.

14.    To participate in and, where appropriate, lead on discharge planning.

15.    To maintain good working links and liaise with GP's and all relevant others involved with each patient’s care, ensuring consultation, feedback and discharge communication.

16.    To attend case conferences and other meetings, as appropriate.

17.    To maintain and develop close links with colleagues in the Acute sector, Local Authority Services, Voluntary Organisations and other members of Primary Health Care Services.

Education / Training

1.    To provide training for the carers of clients and participate in training with other members of the team.

2.    To plan, organise and deliver training for staff from other disciplines and organisations, including the Voluntary sector.

3.    To carry out risk assessments and advise on safe and appropriate moving and handling techniques as necessary.

4.    To organise, deliver and receive training through In-service training programmes

5.    To attend training courses, participate in experiential learning as identified in IDP and impart information to colleagues.

6.    To participate in the development and delivery of physiotherapy therapy training programmes to Rehabilitation Support Workers and ensure competence is maintained, in collaboration with senior members of the multi-disciplinary team.

7.    To have input into the clinical placements of therapy students on placement with the Team.