Senior Physiotherapist - Trauma and Orthopaedics

Job summary
We have an exciting opportunity for a Band 6 Physiotherapist to join our Trauma and Orthopaedic Therapy Team at Ashford and St Peter's Hospital. This static post is in the Orthopaedic trauma team at St Peter's, Chertsey.

The team provide acute inpatient therapy intervention for trauma patients with fractures such as NOF, spinal and limb fractures, and some elective procedures such as joint arthroplasty and spinal surgery.

The successful applicant will have the ability to use their initiative and be an effective team worker. They will have strong clinical knowledge and problem solving skills in orthopaedics with the ability to apply these skills in a trauma setting.

There is an expectation to participate in the weekend service to ensure our service is provided to a high standard and meets best practice guidelines. The successful candidate will support and supervise physiotherapists, students and therapy assistants, and work closely with the multi-disciplinary team to provide high quality care & improved outcomes for patients.

Main duties of the job
The main duties of the role include the requirement to:

• Work as an autonomous practitioner and manage a specialist trauma and orthopaedic caseload
• Complete comprehensive patient assessments, formulate clinical problem lists and provide physiotherapy intervention as per orthopaedic pathways
• Contribute to MDT handovers or problem patient sessions
• Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team, putting patient care and experience first
• Support junior staff with caseload management, prioritisation and clinical reasoning
• Actively participate in service development and contribute to monitoring of standards of practice, and take personal responsibility in your professional development and professional registration requirements
• Show passion for providing a high level of care and safeguarding to patients known to our service
• Use initiative, communicate with empathy and be an effective team player
• Demonstrate leadership skills and deputise for the team lead whenever necessary
• Participate in the development of physiotherapists and support staff within orthopaedics through training, competencies and supervision
• To take part in the weekend orthopaedic service
• Form good working relationships with Orthopaedic consultants and ensure inpatient physiotherapy meets clinical expectation.

About us
Ashford and St. Peters Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the largest provider of acute hospital services to Surrey residents, serving a population of 410,00 people and employing approximately 4,800 staff.

Our vision is to provide an outstanding experience and best outcomes for patients and the team. We are committed to providing continuous professional development and flexibility to deliver our workforce plan.

We are part of a collaborative Group with the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust. As part of this partnership, colleagues may occasionally work across both organisations to support shared services, development opportunities and patient care.

St Peter's Hospital delivers complex medical and surgical care, maternity and emergency services. Day and orthopaedic surgery, ophthalmology and outpatient services are delivered at Ashford Hospital. Additional services are delivered at Woking Community Hospital.

Our Values provide us with the behaviours we respect and can commit to. By living our values through our everyday interactions, we can build a stronger, more resilient, and forward- thinking organisation, guiding us to achieve success and make a positive impact on how we deliver our services.

We can offer you the full range of NHS benefits and discounts.

Please note that adverts may close early, so early application is encouraged.

For more information about careers at ASPH please visit:

Job responsibilities
Please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of the role and the essential and desirable criteria for applicants.

Clinical or technical

• To undertake comprehensive assessments of patients including those with diverse or complex presentations/ multi-pathologies.
• To use investigative and analytical skills to assess complex patients and support other more junior therapists with their patients as required.
• To devise individualised physiotherapy management and / or treatment plans, using clinical reasoning skills.

Leadership or managerial

• To attend all relevant training in order to maintain competency and confidence.
• To be responsible for and actively record your own personal development. This may include active participation in journal clubs, clinical reasoning and problem patient sessions as participant and facilitator.
• To participate in the appraisal as appraisee and appraiser.
• To disseminate any training received to other staff and health care professionals
• To be responsible for the supervision of Band 5 Physiotherapists on rotation, Students and Assistants as required.

Service improvement

• To make recommendations when appropriate to changes in practice leading to improvement in the service.
• To be involved with implementing policy and service development changes.
• To demonstrate physical ability to carry out assessments and interventions, including moving and handling techniques. This involves frequent light to moderate physical effort.

Communications and Engagement

• To be able to communicate highly complex information sensitively to patients in order to gain their cooperation for treatment and valid consent.
• To communicate effectively with all disciplines involved in a patients care, both those from within the organisation and those outside to ensure efficient multidisciplinary working
• To use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with patient in order to progress treatment programmes. This may include patients who will have difficulties in understanding or communicating
• To be able to manage frequently highly stressful, upsetting or emotional situations in an empathetic manner.
• To maintain accurate records in line with professional body (CSP), Trust and service standards and policies. To ensure that records of directly managed staff also comply with these standards

General responsibilities

• To support the department and organisation by carrying out any other duties that reasonably fit within the broad scope of a job of this grade and type of work.
• To have responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of self and others at work. This includes being conversant with relevant trust safety policies and procedures. To report incidents and near misses at work; take part in the risk management process; attend all mandatory training courses in the agreed duration as defined by trust policy and carry out tasks and use equipment only when competent to do so.
• To ensure confidentiality at all times, only releasing confidential information obtained during the course of employment to those acting in an official capacity. To comply with the requirements of the Data Protection act.
• To support the department and organisation by carrying out any other duties as qualified and able.
• To comply with the trusts corporate and local policies and procedures on such subjects and clinical management and human resources.

Person Specification
Education & training
Essential

• Diploma/Degree leading to inclusion on HCPC Physiotherapy register

Knowledge
Essential

• Awareness of Orthopaedic Evidence based Guidelines
• Understanding of current Trauma and Ortho physiotherapy standards of practice

Skills
Essential

• Assessment and clinical reasoning skills in acute inpatient orthopaedics

Experience
Essential

• Relevant post registration experience across a variety of clinical areas at band 5 to include experience in the treatment of patients with orthopaedic conditions
• Recent and relevant experience on acute wards in orthopaedics
• Experience of managing and prioritising own caseload
• Experience of working with assistants and ability to delegate

Desirable

• Experience working as an Physiotherapist in acute NHS Trusts across a variety of clinical areas
• Experience of supporting other staff/ students

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).