Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Be the Clinical Lead Therapist for the Therapies Complex Discharge Team
• Manage a clinical caseload across multiple wards, specialising in complex cases and facilitating discharge.
• Work flexibly to provide cover to other clinical areas according to the needs of patients and demands of the service.
• To participate in seven day working patterns including bank holidays
• To participate in a respiratory on call service covering evenings (until 10pm) and weekends (PT)
• Provide clinical expertise and leadership to a team of Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Therapy Support staff within the clinical area
• Lead on the annual appraisal of allocated staff and assist in the continual learning of all staff so that personal development plans progress and succession planning is promoted reflecting the needs of the therapy services.
• Be responsible for the identification and management of clinical performance issues within therapy staff in the clinical area.
• Develop working guidelines, protocols and practices that enhance the patient experience in the clinical area in line with national and Trust policies in liaison with the Therapy leads.
• Under the direction of the Head of Therapies, lead on the implementation of action plans from both national and local strategies, benchmarking standards and clinical audits.
• Represent the therapy services at specialty and trust wide forums and provide feedback to therapy teams, leading on actions arising from them as appropriate.
• Deputise for other therapy leads as required.

Additional duties may include:

• Lead the therapy team within the directorate on a day-to-day basis, co-ordinating cover for absence, addressing minor operational issues and leading on the informal elements of human resource management.
• Work closely with the Head and Deputy Head of Therapies on the operational management of the budget, facilities and resources to provide a safe, high quality and cost-effective service.
• Lead on the recruitment of staff within the team with support and guidance from the Deputy Head of Therapies. 
• Participate in the operational planning and implementation of policy and service development within the directorate, leading on delegated projects under the guidance of the Deputy Head of Therapies.
• Ensure that all staff have access to and are made aware of the content of Trust policies, protocols and other documents taking appropriate action where compliance is breached.
• Be responsible for ensuring that all pre-registration and work experience students allocated to the team are adequately mentored and assessed and that the placement achieves and maintains the standard required.
• Provide a regular verbal report to the Deputy Head of Therapies regarding the management and performance of the team, escalating significant risks or incidents to the appropriate lead in a timely and effective manner.
• Provide regular opportunities for staff within the team to receive information and support and have a forum for discussion, debate and planning.

Provision of clinical services

• Demonstrate and apply a high level of understanding of illness, injury and disability and the complex interaction between health, functional ability, psychological and social issues, as appropriate to Physiotherapy/Occupational Therapy within clinical area.
• Identify, select, implement and evaluate the most appropriate intervention options which balance the complex interaction of risk, safety, patient choice, independence, areas of conflict and eligibility for services, and provide such expert advice and support to junior colleagues.
• Communicate effectively with patients, carers, members of the clinical team, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy colleagues and other agencies as a representative of the Therapy services or multi-disciplinary team at various meetings and forums as appropriate.
• Maintain accurate and up to date records of clinical interventions, consistent with legal and organisational requirements.
• Apply and further develop specialist and complex knowledge and skills in order to ensure fitness to practice as a Physiotherapist within the clinical area, in line with competencies detailed in the Knowledge & Skills Framework Outline for this post.

Improving patient and visitor experiences

• Be a point of contact for patients and relatives.
• Lead on the development and sharing of patient and carer information.
• Implement methods of gathering and using patient feedback to improve and develop services.
• Respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of patients and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs.
• Reflect on ethical issues which impact on Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy service provision and provide guidance to other staff as required.
• Develop working guidelines, protocols and practices that enhance the patient experience in the clinical area in line with national and Trust policies in liaison with therapy leads.

Using audit, evaluation and research

• Promote and lead on evidence-based practice and associated audit processes.
• Work with peers to ensure that all agreed action plans from both national and local strategies, benchmarking standards and clinical audits are achieved.
• Broaden research and development skills through participation in audit and research projects, initiating and taking the lead where appropriate.
• Foster a culture which allows innovation and practice development

Management and Teamwork

• Promote safe and effective communication channels within therapy and multi-professional teams both at NGH and with external agencies.
• Facilitate all therapy team staff in accessing clinical support and supervision.
• Keep Therapy leads informed of all the relevant issues affecting patient care e.g. risk, staffing levels, and skills and equipment needs, providing as required, information and reports.
• Participate in skill mix reviews based on patient dependency, case mix and activity data.
• Represent therapy services as required, deputising for the Head of Therapies and Deputy Head of Therapies as appropriate.
• In the absence of Therapy colleagues through planned or unplanned leave, work flexibly to meet the prioritised needs of the Therapy services, both within the clinical area and across all service areas, assisting senior Therapy colleagues in co-ordinating cover when required.
• Promote an awareness of the role of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy within the trust negotiating priorities where appropriate.
• Apply local and national guidelines and legislation relating to Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy provision within the clinical area and provide guidance to junior Therapy staff as appropriate.
• Provide assurance to the Head of Therapies that all staff within the team achieve and maintain Trust and professional mandatory training and development required.
• Ensure that approved competencies are fully implemented taking appropriate action as necessary.
• Submit Therapy department claim forms and sign staff claim forms in a timely manner.
• Co-ordinate rotas, service cover, return to work interviews and informal performance management for the team under the direction of the Deputy Head of Therapies
• Lead on the recruitment and selection of therapy staff as appropriate.
• Under the direction of the Head of Therapies, lead on the investigation of complaints and/or adverse incidents, ensuring lessons are learnt and action plans are agreed and implemented as relevant to clinical area.
• Ensure all therapy team staff have a formal annual review of their progress, which enables the development of their personal professional development plan, in line with the Knowledge and Skills Framework
• Monitor the use of resources within the team and work closely with the Head and Deputy Head of Therapies to achieve performance targets

Trust wide Responsibilities

• Act as a resource for members of the multi-disciplinary teams across the trust through involvement in multi professional teaching and training in the area of expertise.
• Act as a role model in customer service towards visitors to the hospital.
• Regularly attend and participate in and professional meetings, facilitating leadership of these meetings when required.