Specialist Occupational Health Physiotherapist

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Occupational Health & Wellbeing Physiotherapy Team. We are looking for a member of staff who wants to challenge their Musculoskeletal (MSK) knowledge. We are a physiotherapy team who pride ourselves on our holistic approach and going the extra mile for the clients we see. We are focused on helping members of the organisation to manage their health and empower them to safely return or remain in work.

We welcome applications from existing Band 7 and band 6 physiotherapists who have suitable MSK experience. We believe that this opportunity will develop any member of staff who specialises, or who wishes to specialise in MSK to learn new skills, whilst also developing their existing clinical reasoning skills in this highly rewarding role.

As part of this opportunity you will be offered a period of formal training which will equip you to hit the ground running in your new role.

You will have completed all core rotations and have extensive experience within MSK/Occupational Health physiotherapy and be able to provide progressive evidence of CPD. You should possess a genuine passion and interest in this area of work as it involves assessment and treatment of employees who are experiencing problems as a result of work related issues.

Main duties of the job

Undertake an Occupational Health clinical specialist musculoskeletal Physiotherapy and Work Smart role and also assist in operationalising a reasonable adjustments centralised funded co-ordinated case management approach pilot for 12 months.

To be responsible for the operational management of the Occupational Health clinical specialty.

To provide specialist knowledge and advice to the Occupational Health team and other senior managers and clinicians in order to ensure appropriate representation of your service at operational and strategic levels.

To act as the clinical specialist for the Occupational Health service, advancing clinical practice in this area of work and taking a lead in developing best practice and embedding this into the service.

To deputise for the Head of Occupational Health & Wellbeing Service as required.

To balance the clinical specialist aspects of the post as appropriate and as agreed with the Head of Occupational Health & Wellbeing Services.

Clinical specialists working within the team are responsible to the designated therapies team lead.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical

• Be professional and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of your own work, including the management of patients in your care. Ensure a high standard of clinical care for the patients under your management, and across the team/service area.
• Represent the Trust externally (locally, regionally and nationally as appropriate) in the appropriate physiotherapy specialty
• Undertake the comprehensive assessment of patients, including those with highly complex presentations, using investigative and analytical skills. Formulate individualized management and treatment plans where appropriate.  Develop comprehensive and effective discharge plans, ensuring the timely completion of physiotherapy intervention, and onward referral as appropriate.
• Accept clinical responsibility for patients referred to the team, and ensure the team’s caseloads are organised effectively and efficiently with regard to clinical priorities and use of time.
• Be responsible for ensuring the effective selection and use of all treatment resources available.
• Be responsible for equipment used in carrying out physiotherapy duties, and adhere to departmental policy, including competence to use equipment and to ensure the safe use of equipment by others through, teaching, training and supervision of practice.
• Provide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to relatives, carers and other professionals, to promote understanding of the aims of physiotherapy, and to ensure a consistent approach to patient care.
• Provide specialist advice to colleagues working within other clinical areas.
• Provide specialist advice, teaching and training to other staff groups as appropriate
• Communicate complex clinical information effectively with patients and carers to obtain assessment and cooperation to maximize rehabilitation potential and to facilitate understanding of condition.
• Maintain accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date documentation, in line with legal and departmental requirements, and communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines.
• Assess capacity, gain informed consent and have the ability to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
• Undertake regular measurement and evaluation of your area of clinical work and current practices through the use of audit and other measures, individually and with colleagues. Ensure that clinical outcomes and patient feedback are included in your audit plans. Compile high quality reports (at masters level) as appropriate.  Make recommendations for change, and manage the implementation of any agreed changes.

Professional

• Maintain registration with the Health Professions Council, and adhere to professional standards of conduct at all times.
• Maintain own clinical professional development through demonstrating up to date knowledge of research, policy, trends, and new developments relating to the clinical and clinical management aspects of the role. Identify the changes and developments required and manage the implementation of these within the team.
• Actively contribute to own and others development by attendance at and delivery of presentations and training sessions at staff meetings, tutorials, training sessions in house and by organising and attending appropriate external courses and practicing reflective practice.
• Communicate effectively and work collaboratively with medical, nursing and other Occupational Health colleagues to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service.
• Participate in the NHS KSF appraisal scheme and Personal Development Plan (PDP) as both appraiser and appraisee, and take responsibility for ensuring that appraisals take place as required and in accordance with ELHT policy.
• Proactively participate in delivering Clinical Governance and Risk Management in line with Trust policies.

Organisational

• Be responsible for a designated area of work. Plan and organise efficiently and effectively with regard to prioritisation and time management.
• Agree priorities for own work area and that of relevant staff balancing other patient related and professional demands, and ensure that these remain in accordance with those of the section as a whole.
• Lead or participate in relevant working groups in line with departmental requirements
• Ensure that staff for whom you are responsible are supported and enabled to implement policy and service development changes.
• Work with the Head of Occupational Health & Wellbeing Services in developing the strategic and operational management of the relevant clinical area, and contribute to the business planning process through identification of relevant issues within your specialty area.
• Co-ordinate and produce reports as required, ensuring these are of a sufficient standard.
• Be actively involved in assuring the collection, collation and reporting of appropriate data and statistics for the department, including the production of Key Performance Indicators.
• Be aware of Health & Safety aspects of your work and implement any policies, which may be required to improve the safety of your work area, including your prompt recording and reporting of incidents and ensuring that equipment use is safe.
• Demonstrate familiarity with and understanding of all relevant organisational and departmental policies and procedures and be involved in their development and review as appropriate.
• Work flexibly to support equity of the Occupational Health & Wellbeing Services provision across the wider service.
• Provide cover for colleagues as required in line with the needs of the wider Occupational Health and Wellbeing Service.
• Undertake any other duties considered appropriate by the Head of Occupational Health and Wellbeing Service.

Applications are now invited from suitably qualified physiotherapists who wish to expand and consolidate their clinical and theoretical skill base in Occupational Health Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy to support Fast Physio and the Trusts Health and Wellbeing strategy.

Please ensure you check the email account from which you apply regularly as we may use this to contact you regarding your application. Only those applicants who demonstrate clearly how they meet our person specification will be shortlisted for interview. We reserve the right to close any vacancies from further applications when we have received a minimum number of applications from which to make a shortlist. Please ensure you apply without delay if you wish to be considered for this role.