B2 Medical Physiotherapy Assistant | Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust

Assisting physiotherapists with a range of patients across the general medical wards

Taking a caseload of patients following prescribed exercises and mobility plans set up by the physiotherapist

Supporting the team with non clinical admin tasks, including management of equipment, cleaning and computer tasks such as stats and audits.

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust provides NHS hospital services for around 900,000 people across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and south Buckinghamshire.

As well as delivering excellent general hospital services to local people, we provide specialist heart attack, vascular, stroke, spinal, cystic fibrosis and plastic surgery services across a much wider area.

We have three main hospitals - Frimley Park in Frimley near Camberley, Heatherwood in Ascot and Wexham Park near Slough.

Our three core values, and the behaviours that support them, guide everything we do and set out what we expect of our staff in the way they treat patients, visitors, service users and each other, Committed to Excellence, Working Together and Facing the Future.

We are also proud to host the Defence Medical Group South East at Frimley Park with military surgical, medical and nursing personnel working alongside the hospital's NHS staff providing care to patients in all specialties

Clinical

· To be responsible under supervision for implementing the standards and policies relevant to the speciality.

· After assessment by the Physiotherapist and under their direction, to provide and maintain a high standard of clinical care.

· Within specific guidelines and following training to be responsible and accountable for a clinical caseload as directed by the physiotherapist working within codes of practice and professional guidelines. This includes patient documentation in physiotherapy notes

· To seek advice from Senior Staff when:

Progression of treatment is required

Deterioration in the patient's condition has occurred

Uncertainty on whether to treat patient or not.

· To demonstrate a sound understanding of clinical risk and reporting untoward incidents

· To demonstrate a physical ability to carry out physiotherapy interventions and therapeutic handling under supervision. There is a frequent requirement to exert moderate physical effort for several short periods during a day

· To be responsible for the safe use of equipment used in carrying out physiotherapy duties adhering to the department's medical devices policy - this includes competency and accuracy to use equipment by yourself and other healthcare professionals, carers and patients

· After training clinical role may include:

Teaching and supervising exercises (individual or group sessions)

Mobilising patients by providing correct walking aids and instructing them in their use

Checking the condition of walking aids and other equipment

Fitting appropriate equipment which has been initially fitted by a physiotherapist e.g. splints

Monitoring of equipment on the ward

This job will involve frequent exposure to unpleasant working conditions e.g. bodily fluids, including sputum, unpleasant smells and occasional exposure to hostility in the form of verbal and physical aggression

Management

· Under guidance to manage a caseload of patients including responding to urgent referrals and occasionally unpredictable work patterns liaising with Senior Physiotherapists.

· With assistance from Senior Physiotherapists to be able to prioritise clinical work and balance other patient related and professional activities in accordance with the departments requirements.

· With assistance to be able to manage potentially upsetting or emotional situations in an empathetic manner including but not limited to, elderly confused patients.

· To work within the Physiotherapy team to provide an efficient and effective service and to be involved in the implementation of department policies and the yearly performance plan.

· To maintain and provide accurate and timely statistical information as required in consultation with senior staff.

· To participate in the Trust Appraisal Scheme as an appraisee.

· To ensure that all equipment defects accidents and complaints are reported to your line manager and the Physiotherapy Manager /Principal Physiotherapist immediately to ensure that appropriate action may be taken.

· To be responsible for cleaning/checking the conditions of relevant equipment and ordering supplies as necessary.

· To undertake clerical duties e.g. statistics, photocopying, compiling of documentation packs etc.

Communication

· To liaise with other physiotherapists within the speciality with regard to patient care.

· With guidance to communicate effectively with other disciplines both internally and externally to ensure multidisciplinary approach to care.

· Under supervision to be able to communicate information to patients, carers and other staff.

· To ensure timely and effective communication with the Physiotherapy Manager and Senior Staff on all professional matters.

· To maintain an accurate record keeping system in line with Chartered Society of Physiotherapy standards and local guidelines.

· To attend and be an active participant in speciality and departmental staff meetings.

· To use interpreters when required to ensure effective communication occurs with patients who are hard of hearing or do not speak/understand enough English for the purposes of consent and co-operation for treatment.

· Pro-active in reading minutes of meetings that occur outside of your working hours/during leave and in keeping up to date with other information in the physio office.

Education

· To be responsible for and actively record your own personal development.

· To be pro active with regard to learning from Senior Staff within the department.

· To attend external courses where appropriate

Research/Audit/Quality

· In line with the Trust's commitment to Clinical Governance to participate in the departments clinical audit programme.

· To participate in the specialities annual quality plan which, as part of the performance plan, is monitored on a quarterly basis.

This job description is an indication of the type and range of tasks that are expected of the post holder, and other duties may be required, in line with the role and the banding. It will be reviewed and amended from time to time in consultation with the post holder to take account of changing organisational need.

Are you interested in a career in healthcare?

Do you have excellent communication and organisation skills and keen to make a difference to patients whilst working as part of a fun, hard working team?

Are you interested in developing your skills by following a supportive training programme?

We can offer a supportive learning environment where you can make a valuable difference to the team working across the medical and older person wards at Frimley Park Hospital.