Senior Physiotherapist

Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to join our service as a Rotational Band 6 Physiotherapist, delivering a high-quality, patient-centred Physiotherapy service across a range of acute and community clinical areas.

The post holder will rotate across services, which may include Emergency Care, Frailty, Cardiology, Community, Critical Care / Surgery, Elderly, Medicine, Respiratory, Stroke and Orthopaedics, gaining broad experience in the assessment and management of patients with a wide range of conditions.

As part of the rotational role, you will be expected to demonstrate effective clinical reasoning, work autonomously within your scope of practice and contribute to service delivery across the pathway. There is an expectation to support ongoing service development through reflective practice, audit, clinical supervision and quality improvement.

The post provides excellent opportunities to further develop clinical, teaching, leadership and supervision skills. You will work closely with members of the multidisciplinary team and contribute to the support and supervision of junior staff as appropriate during rotations.

This role includes elements of community working; therefore, the post holder will be required to hold a full UK driving licence and have access to a car for work purposes. The post holder will be required to participate in a 7-day service rota, including shifts between the hours of 08:00 and 20:00, with regular weekend and bank holiday commitments.

Main duties of the job

• To act as an experienced autonomous practitioner, providing specialised physiotherapy assessment and treatment programmed to patients within the speciality.
• To independently manage a caseload, using evidence based /patient centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.
• To deliver care in both acute and community settings.

About us
Based in the North East of England we provide a range of hospital and community health services from our leading facilities, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon urgent care centre and Bensham Hospital, all within Gateshead.

Established in 2005, we were one of the first foundation trusts in the country and since then have consistently achieved the highest levels of care for patients.

We now employ around 4,800 staff and currently provide 444 hospital beds across the Gateshead region.

Our values should be the 'golden thread' which runs through everything we do - they are the core of who we are. Our five values can easily be remembered by the simple acronymICORE; Innovation, Care, Openness, Respect, Engagement.

We have a number of staff networks including the BAME network, D-Ability network, LGBTQ+ Network and the Women's Network, to challenge us and help us to constantly improve. Our armed forces network is one of our emerging networks.

The health and wellbeing of our staff is one of our highest priorities, and we offer a range of support and initiatives as part of our 'Balance' programmebalancegateshead.com to cater for our diverse workforce, so that your individual needs can be supported, allowing you a happy and healthy working experience with us.

Job responsibilities

• To work primarily with the specialist physiotherapy team and across acute and community physiotherapy services as required. This may involve loan working
• Responsible to the band 7 physiotherapist in the team.
• To work as part of the multi-disciplinary team to deliver a holistic patient-centred approach to care.
• To regularly liaise with MDT members including those from heath, social services and voluntary agencies to ensure an integrated and comprehensive service is provided.
• To ensure that patients are identified for prompt discharge and handover to community services.
• To provide leadership for more junior staff, as agreed with senior staff.
• To support the band 7 physiotherapist in planning, coordinating, and delivering the service provided to patients and to assist in the development, planning and progression of service provision.
• To deputise for the band 7 physiotherapist in their absence as required.
• To supervise other registered and unregistered staff within the team
• To supervise physiotherapy students on clinical placements.
• To participate in CPD and develop skills and knowledge through participation in the in service training scheme.
• Maintaining Records as an autonomous practitioner.
• To be an active participant in the twilight and 7 day working rota (as required).

Qualifications
Essential

• Hold a degree or equivalent diploma in Physiotherapy
• Be registered with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

Experience
Essential

• Experience in the management of acutely unwell patients within the specilaity
• Have post registration NHS experience across a range of clinical specialties such as neurology, respiratory, critical care, acute medicine, surgery, orthopaedics and MSK outpatients.
• Experience of organising and prioritising a complex patient caseload in a busy acute hospital and community based settings.

Desirable

• Experienced clinical educator
• Membership/involvement in relevant special interest group/network

Skills and Knowledge
Essential

• Hold a full UK driving licence
• Access to a car for work purposes
• Expert manual therapeutic skills and handling techniques
• Maintain and develop current knowledge of evidence-based practice, developing specialist knowledge of conditions and patient types within the specialty.

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).