Highly Specialist Physiotherapist - Outpatients

• Undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner.
• Be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including the management of patients and support Band 5/6 physiotherapists and Therapy assistants to do similarly.
• Manage clinical risk within own patient caseload
• Continue to develop an area of advanced practise within oncology physiotherapy. This necessitates the acquisition and application of specific physiotherapy and oncology skills. These advanced skills will impact on the advanced assessment and treatment of this patient group and will enable a comprehensive approach to holistic care. This may include acupuncture as part of your treatment approach.
• Take a major role in the advanced assessment and treatments of patients with cancer and undertake comprehensive assessment of patients. Patients present with diverse or complex presentations/multiple pathologies. These may include symptoms directly related to the disease process, symptoms related to treatment, or symptoms arising from pre-existing pathologies.
• Use advanced clinical reasoning skills and manual assessment techniques to provide an accurate physiotherapeutic diagnosis of their condition and place this within the context of their cancer and its treatment.
• Use advanced listening skills to understand the physical, emotional and psychological needs of patients and carers and incorporate these into treatment planning. This includes the ability to interpret and respond to patients unsaid needs, to respond to an opening that the patient may provide and to refer patients to the appropriate health care professional to address this need.

Essential

• Diploma/degree level qualification in physiotherapy
• Membership of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy or have alternative indemnity arrangements
• HCPC Registered Physiotherapist
• Evidence of on-going personal/professional development through maintenance of CPD portfolio

Essential

• Significant NHS experience
• Demonstrable knowledge in core physiotherapy skills including musculoskeletal, respiratory, neurology, orthopaedics, surgical, medical and rehabilitation
• Evidence of skill in provision of a physiotherapy service to patients with haemato-oncology diagnoses
• Evidence of skill in provision of a physiotherapy service to patients with haemato-oncology diagnoses
• Ability to teach skills/knowledge to others in both formal and informal environments

Essential

• Confident to take the lead and articulate ideas and concerns
• Advanced communication skills with particular ability to work with complex/sensitive situations with patients, carers, physiotherapy colleagues and the wider MDT
• Ability to show tact and to manage boundaries
• Ability to be innovative and respond to change
• Ability to maintain judgement under pressure
• Ability to make decisions organise and prioritise
• Ability to keep accurate patient notes
• Evidence of a good understanding of NHS issues
• Evidence of a good understanding of clinical governance
• Ability to supervise physiotherapy colleagues and facilitate their development
• Excellent time management skills
• Ability to work in a stressful environment and recognise the additional stresses of patients/carers dealing with a cancer diagnosis
• Computer literate (e.g. Microsoft words and Outlook

Desirable

• Membership of a clinical interest group in physiotherapy

Essential

• Flexibility to meet the service needs
• Able to work on both sites and to be flexible to meet the needs of the role

Desirable

• Ability to participate in the provision of an on call physiotherapy service