Senior Physiotherapist - Paeds Cystic Fibrosis & Respiratory

Job overview

The post is WTE working to provide physiotherapy to babies and children with Cystic Fibrosis, Bronchiectasis and other respiratory conditions. This patient group attends Kings from the South East England, as outpatients and inpatients, and there may be home/ nursery/school visits/ to the local children. The post holder will additionally need to occasionally cover CF outreach clinics held in other large DGHs in the South East of England.

Main duties of the job

To provide a high quality, effective & efficient physiotherapy service for Paediatric CF and other respiratory conditions

To use highly specialist physiotherapy knowledge and skills to manage own complex caseload as an autonomous practitioner.

To participate in the tertiary multi-disciplinary paediatric CF, Bronchiectasis and respiratory clinics. To be an active participant in the MDT discussions at meetings, including CF MDT, microbiology meetings, all service development meetings and any safeguarding meetings.

To provide thorough respiratory physiotherapy assessment and prescribe individual physiotherapy treatment plans, including but not limited to, airway clearance techniques, mucolytic and antibiotic/nebuliser provision/advice/ set-up, exercise advice and testing.

To be responsible for supervising and teaching to junior members of staff and students including inducting new members of staff,

To instigate audit and research for this client group.

To deputise for the Paediatric CF Clinical Lead when necessary

To take part in the on call/weekend rota.

To represent the department & profession at trust-based CF, Bronchiectasis and respiratory specific working groups and provide highly specialist knowledge to those groups.

To represent the Trust at regional events or meetings e.g. Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Cystic Fibrosis and develop best practice at King’s through liaison with other regional specialists/colleagues and other relevant forums.

Working for our organisation

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King’s to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King’s is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone’s contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust’s carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To be responsible for the efficient, effective and safe management of all patients referred to the service.

To receive referrals, undertake full assessment and independently plan individual, specialised, evidence-based, treatment programs for patients appropriately depending on the physiotherapist’s diagnosis, using clinical reasoning and a variety of highly specialist skills such as use of respiratory and ventilatory adjuncts, advanced airway clearance techniques and acute rehabilitation

To carry a clinical caseload of babies and children with CF and respiratory conditions in a variety of environments including, out-patient clinics and in patient wards including the medical, surgical & liver wards, NICU, PICU &HDU. This may occasionally include some work at outreach clinics in other hospitals, or at the child’s home, nursery or school . Out patient clinics include CF clinics bi weekly, Bronchiectasis clinics monthly and NIV monthly.

To work closely with the Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) and larger CF team of AHPs and Doctors in the CF and respiratory service.

To be involved in the process of instigating airway clearance, provision, teaching and management of any specialist respiratory equipment. The physiotherapists at Kings provide and manage the nebuliser service. The role therefore will include, drug response testing, and issuing nebuliser devices with due regard to safety of the equipment, and in line with legal, national and local guidelines.

To prioritise work efficiently taking into account clinical and service priorities using highly specialist knowledge to underpin decisions.

To provide specialist recommendations or second opinion of clinical management and expert advice to the MDT and to shared-care clinic staff at other hospitals, including peers and consultants, and external organisations.

To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own work, and of the team, including management of clinical risk, knowledge of indications and precautions of chosen techniques in line with national and trust clinical guidelines, protocols and pathways where they exist.

To use recognized outcome measures to evaluate the effect of the physiotherapy interventions and ensure the treatment programmes are progressing appropriately.

To develop new working practices and local guidelines and keep abreast of new techniques in relation to the management of the patients in this specialty particularly in line with any national guidance e.g. ACPCF Standards of Care, APCP National Standards of Care etc.

To lead on production of clinical guidelines and local policies ensuring they are evidence-based, implemented and audited.

To provide guidance and advice to other professions and bodies involved in the provision of cystic fibrosis and respiratory services, and to the patients and their families.

This post requires a flexible approach to working, and requires the post holder to be an active member of the weekend duty rotas, and cover of statutory and public holidays

Person specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential criteria

• BSc Physiotherapy (or equivalent)
• HCPC registration

Desirable criteria

• Member of CSP
• Membership of appropriate special interest group, ACPCF

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria

• Specialist knowledge, understanding and experience in a broad range of paediatric respiratory conditions and problems (both acute and chronic)
• Specialist knowledge and experience of CF in paediatric patients
• Supervisory experience – staff and students

Desirable criteria

• Undertaken evidence-based project work
• To have an understanding of NHS structure and current issues

Skills and Competencies

Essential criteria

• Good assessment skills and varied respiratory techniques
• Ability to organise, prioritise and delegate as appropriate and to manage time effectively

Desirable criteria

• Exceptional team building and team working skills
• Strong presentation skills

IMPORTANT

• Check your email account regularly as this is how we will communicate with you
• If you delete the job from any of your accounts, you may be prevented from accessing further communications
• To enquire about your application or inform us of any changes in your circumstances, please contact the named person on this advert
• Please provide email addresses for referees where possible
• Please review the documentation on our recruitment microsite, particularly the Trust’s criminal records checking policy
• All staff have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and for ensuring they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.
• Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. On occasion, we might close a vacancy early due to a high number of applications being received. You are advised to submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

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