Rotational Physiotherapist

Band 6 Rotational Physiotherapist- Acute inpatient
West Middlesex University Hospital site
Do you want to work in a dynamic, experienced and sociable therapy team? At Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation trust we are looking to share learning and expertise amongst the therapy team based at the West Middlesex Hospital Site to keep our service moving in the fast paced area of acute medicine.
If you are an experienced Band 6 wanting to consolidate your practical and leadership skills or an experienced Band 5 looking to step up to a Band 6 role, this is the perfect opportunity.
With weekly in service training, regular supervision and the desire to provide the best care possible for our patients, we are looking for a motivated and engaged individual who is wanting to be a part of the therapy team at West Middlesex Hospital.
We currently offer rotations in our Emergency Department & Frailty, Older adults, Respiratory Medicine, Enhanced care/ICU, Orthopaedics and Stroke therapy teams. Successful candidates will also join the on-call respiratory physiotherapy rota. The therapy department has recently completed a successful consultation to organise working patterns of staff to cover a current 7 day service provision within their contracted hours. The proposals aim to strengthen the current 7 day provision and provide a safe, efficient and sustainable service.
We look forward to welcoming you to the therapies department at Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust., The post holder will be on a 6 monthly rotation across different in-patient therapy team. They will provide senior support to rotational band 5 physiotherapist and therapy assistants as well as working closely with the occupational therapist of the team.
They will have a range of clinical experience, provide sound clinical expertise to their team and more junior staff and coordinate and deliver high quality care. They will be a role model for expert clinical care, and lead on specific projects / service developments and management functions as delegated by the Band 7 therapist or Clinical Lead Therapist. They will role model the identified Trust values at all times.
The post holder will work as an autonomous practitioner in providing physiotherapy assessment, treatment and management to their own designated caseload of patients and to maintain up to date physiotherapy records. They will evidence based principles and current best practise to assess, plan, implement and evaluate physiotherapy interventions.
The post holder will provide supervision, teaching and support to more junior staff, therapy assistants and students on placement., + To be professionally and legally responsible for all aspects of your work, including the management of patients in your care.
+ To be able to carry and prioritise your own designated clinical caseload, working as an autonomous practitioner without direct supervision.
+ To undertake proficient physiotherapy assessments in line with department and professional standards, utilising all relevant and available clinical information in order to form diagnoses, and/or establish impairments and limitations.
+ To use appropriate and effective assessment and treatment techniques including comprehensive subjective and objective assessments and appropriate therapeutic handling skills.
+ To use good communication skills to agree physiotherapy goals with individual patients using previous experience to ensure goals are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and appropriately timed. To involve all members of the multidisciplinary team in this process as appropriate.
+ To use clinical reasoning, understanding of the medical diagnosis, previous experience and knowledge of treatment options to plan and implement individual physiotherapy programs for all patients including those with complex conditions.
+ To make effective use of treatment options such as advice, gait re-education, exercise prescription and provision of appropriate therapeutic aids/equipment.
+ To monitor and evaluate treatment to measure progress and to ensure effectiveness of the intervention and to identify quickly when treatment requires modifying.
+ To use clinical reasoning skills to modify treatment interventions and to recognise when advice/assistance from supervisor is required.
+ To interpret and analyse relevant clinical and non-clinical facts to formulate accurate prognoses and develop appropriate discharge plans.
+ To be able to identify and managed risk in complex acutely ill patients and support junior staff in this clinical reasoning.
+ To be able to identify and manage risk in complex manual handling scenarios i.e. management of bariatric patients and support junior staff in this clinical reasoning.
+ To be able to identify risk regarding patient discharge in collaboration with the Occupational therapists.
+ To provide comprehensive written records of assessment and treatment according to departmental, professional and legal standards.
+ To determine the patients understanding of the physiotherapy intervention in order to gain valid, informed consent and to be able to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
+ To use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools when communicating with patients/carers to maximise the patient's rehabilitation potential. This will include communication with people with complex communication difficulties such as those with artificial airways, dysphasia, deafness, and dementia; mental health problems, those who have difficulty accepting their diagnosis and young children. Also communicating with people who speak English as a second language with the use of an interpreter.
+ To work closely with the multi-disciplinary team including, attending and/or organising multi-disciplinary team meetings such as case conferences, ward rounds and discharge planning meetings to communicate information about individual patient progress and prognosis.
+ To be responsible for the safe and competent use of all physiotherapy equipment in line with department standards.
+ To be responsible for the safe and appropriate provision of physiotherapy aids and equipment to patients in line with department standards.
+ To manage clinical risk within own caseload.
+ To be an active member of the respiratory evening and on-call rota and work without supervision and support while on-call and during weekends.
Professional
+ To comply with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy codes of professional conduct at all times.
+ To be responsible for personal continuing professional development by the use of self-directed learning, reflective practice, active participation in the in-service training program including giving presentations and attendance at post graduate courses as agreed in your personal development plan and to maintain an up to date CPD portfolio.
+ To further develop understanding and use of evidence based practice, physiotherapy techniques, therapeutic handling skills and detailed knowledge of particular conditions.
+ To be involved with implementing evidence based practice into the day to day clinical service of the team
+ To be responsible for the appraisals of band 5 staff during their rotations and Therapy Assistants and be responsible for fulfilling your agreed objectives and personal development plan.
+ To be responsible for the teaching and assessment of graduate level therapeutic skills and knowledge to physiotherapy students.
+ To be involved in data collection during any research and audits being undertaken in each area and to be able to monitor and implement change
+ To have the opportunity to lead, or be involved in, a research project, using research grants, in conjunction with the Therapy Research Champions.
+ To understand and apply clinical governance principles to your own caseload and to be involved in departmental clinical governance sessions.
Organisational
+ To demonstrate good time management and organisational skills during daily management of own workload and to be able to adapt flexibly to sudden changes in workload.
+ To be involved in identifying pressures in clinical case load and support band 7 to re distribute staff to meet these needs. In absence of Band 7 to be responsible for overseeing the caseload for the team.
+ To ensure timely communication of assessment findings, treatment and outcomes to other involved disciplines through the provision of social services reports, discharge letters etc.
+ To make appropriate and timely referrals to other physiotherapists and other members of the multidisciplinary team when required.
+ To keep accurate and up-to-date patient records and statistics at all times in line with departmental, professional and legal standards.
+ To be responsible for the induction, teaching and supervision of junior staff, students and assistants and contribute to their performance assessment by providing feedback to their seniors. To be responsible for complying with all mandatory training requirements.
+ To be responsible for the safe use of all therapeutic equipment and aids (including gym equipment, respiratory equipment and electrotherapy) by patients.
+ To delegate specific tasks to therapy assistants in line with departmental and professional guidelines.
+ To support Band 7 and when delegated to lead to service and policy developments.
+ To carry an identified bleep.
Effort
+ To carry out assessment and treatment using manual and therapeutic handling techniques which require moderate to high physical effort and concentration, frequently during each working day.
+ To comply with the trust manual handling policy at all times.
+ To work alone at times, depending on on-call rota's.
+ To deal sensitively with patients who have a high level of anxiety or aggression due to, for example, pain, fear, or dementia.
+ To be able to convey sympathetically unwelcome news regarding functional progress or diagnosis to patients and carers.
+ This job involves regular exposure to unpleasant working conditions e.g. body fluids including urine, faeces and sputum and occasional exposure to verbal and physical aggression.
This job involves regular weekend working and on-call commitments. The provision of 7 day services and extended hours working is currently being reviewed across the Department.
General
Covid-19 vaccination is a condition of employment for this role, unless an exemption applies. The successful applicant may have contact with vulnerable service users and we will therefore seek proof of being fully vaccinated during the recruitment process.

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of England's top-performing and safest trusts. We operate two main acute hospital sites-Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital-along with award-winning clinics across North West London.
Our nearly 7,500 staff care for a diverse population of 1.5 million, providing full clinical services, including maternity, A&E, and children's services, plus specialist HIV and sexual health clinics. The Care Quality Commission rates us 'Good' in safety, effectiveness, care, and responsiveness, and 'Outstanding' in leadership and resource use.
We continually invest in our facilities, including a £30m expansion of critical care at Chelsea and Westminster and an £80m Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre at West Middlesex.
We welcome applications for flexible working arrangements, accommodating requests where possible to support our staff and patient needs.
The Trust is committed to equality and welcomes applications from all, regardless of background. Adjustments can be made for disabled candidates. Early application is advised as vacancies may close once sufficient applications are received. If you haven't heard from us within three weeks of the closing date, your application was likely unsuccessful. Employment is subject to a six-month probationary period.

+ Please check your emails regularly as this is how we will communicate with you throughout the recruitment process.
+ If you have not heard from us within 3 weeks after the closing date, we regret that this usually means your application was not successful.
+ In submitting an application, you authorise the Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process, should you be appointed to the post.
+ During the recruitment process your identity documentation (ie passport, driving licence, visa etc) will be scanned using a device which recognises UV, infrared and machine-readable zone security features of the documents provided.
+ Employment at the Trust is offered subject to successful completion of a six month probationary period.