Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist in Functional Bowel DisordersNHS

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen within our Trust for an experienced and dynamic physiotherapist to join our highly specialist Pelvic Health Team in University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, with focus on providing care in Functional Bowel clinic at Glenfield Hospital.

Specialising in improving quality of life for patients with colorectal disorders. As a member of this multidisciplinary unit you will play a key role in helping to improve the quality of life for patients with benign colorectal disorders. You will provide individualised coordinated care for patients who attend the unit, educating them about their condition, developing a plan of care, teaching pelvic floor and anal sphincter exercises, bowel retraining, biofeedback techniques and nerve stimulation. In addition, this innovative role will involve you undertaking anorectal physiological investigations.

This post would also suit an experienced Pelvic Health physiotherapist who would like to develop skills in treating colorectal conditions and complex pelvic floor dysfunction.

Main duties of the job

The Functional Bowel Service provides a range of outpatient services for patients with faecal incontinence, slow transit constipation and rectal evacuatory disorders. The aim of this post is to occupy a central role in the specialist conservative management of these patients with benign colorectal disorders.

This role would be suitable for a suitably knowledgeable and experienced Specialist Physiotherapist.

As an addition to the existing team the post holder will be responsible for the provision of specialised assessment, treatment and management of patients referred to the Functional Bowel Service. The role will include managing a specific caseload of patients, and running clinics providing specific therapies including focussed biofeedback and percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation. The post holder will be expected to have had previous experience working with similar patients and to be motivated to extend his/her knowledge, practice and experience to encompass the more specialised treatments that are provided in this tertiary referral centre

Job description

The Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist for Functional Bowel Disorders will:

• Lead, evaluate and develop clinical practice within their speciality, ensuring compliance with national and local guidelines and frameworks.
• Be responsible for the clinical standards, evidence based practise and quality metrics within the speciality.
• Work as an autonomous practitioner to provide specialist therapy assessments, diagnose and develop individualised treatment programmes based on the individuals needs, using advanced clinical reasoning skills.
• Be responsible for a clinical caseload which will include complex cases within their area of speciality.
• Undertake an active role in developing physiotherapy within the speciality.
• Be responsible for the day to day management of the delivery of physiotherapy by the specialist team in an efficient and effective way within this complex and pressurised environment.
• Participate in the planning, development and evaluation of Physiotherapy within the specialist team holding responsibility for defined projects.
• Work alongside the Therapy Speciality Lead / Therapy Clinical Team Leader to develop links between the specialist therapy team and relevant CMGs (Clinical Management Groups) within UHL.
• Ensure the training and development of staff within the Therapy speciality team.
• Liaise with colleagues and work across site/cross specialty if appropriate in order to ensure the provision of a seamless equitable service.
• Deputise for the Therapy Clinical Team Leader as appropriate.
• Develop the evidence base for practice through audit, clinical effectiveness and research activity.
• Assist and support the Therapy Leadership Team, Therapy Speciality Leads and Therapy Clinical Team Leaders in the improvement and transformation of Therapy services.

Service Development, Governance and Evaluation

The Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist for Functional Bowel Disorders will:

• Assist in the integration of services within a speciality and within Physiotherapy
• Facilitate a culture of quality, continuous innovation, improvement and productivity within the specialty
• Comply and be aware of all aspects of the Clinical Governance agenda e.g. risk, audit, EBP, patient involvement
• Facilitate patient involvement within practice development and audit
• Work collaboratively with others to develop a coordinated cross site and cross profession approach to the management of patients within the Therapy Service

Provide specialist clinical advice to inform the service planning process

• Instigate, monitor and evaluate systems to ensure that the quality and efficiency of the service is maintained, identifying opportunities for development and implementing them where appropriate in conjunction with the Therapy Speciality Lead, Therapy Clinical Team Leader and advanced clinical practitioners where applicable
• Have a sound and current theoretical knowledge base and keep up to date with all current developments associated with their specialty and profession and be responsible for promoting the application of evidence based practice at every opportunity
• Develop, identify, implement and evaluate clinical outcomes, both therapy and patient reported, that measure efficiency and effectiveness
• Collect Patient, carer and family feedback and develop appropriate action plans in order to drive responsive changes in care
• Assume a key role in projects and initiatives internal and external where appropriate, in conjunction with colleagues e.g. professional body specialist section groups, Tissue Viability Links, Lead for Infection Prevention
• Be aware of medical, political and therapeutic developments impacting on Therapy and healthcare delivery, reviewing the implications within the specialist area and change or develop practice accordingly in consultation with the Therapy Clinical Team Leader
• Contribute to the development, implementation and monitoring of professional standards within the team and to lead on clinical audit
• Assist in reviewing and updating policies and procedures
• Collaborate with the Therapy Leadership Team in identifying opportunities for service development
• Compare own practice with peers in other Trusts and participate in national, regional and professional networks to develop best practice

Clinical Practice and Patient Care as a Clinical Specialist

The Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist for the Functional Bowel Disorder Service will:

• Be responsible for managing a complex clinical caseload from assessment, intervention /treatment to discharge/transfer of care, in order to facilitate a timely and safe discharge from hospital
• Provide appropriate education to patients and carers in order to encourage and support participation in the management and care of their child
• Have specialist knowledge and skills related to this clinical area in order to provide specialist teaching, clinical advice and recommendations to Therapy staff, the multi-disciplinary team and families in relation to patient care
• Use specialist techniques including therapeutic handling and rehabilitation techniques to maximise functional potential for each individual.
• Assist patient, family and other staff during Therapy by responding to medical emergencies and/or performing other activities including personal care
• Communicate complex, sensitive, distressing and contentious information effectively with individuals, carers and staff in the multi-disciplinary team and other agencies
• Delegate clinical duties to therapists and/or support staff ensuring that they have appropriate knowledge, understanding and competence and to provide training and supervision as required
• Negotiate, agree expectations and set appropriate, realistic and individualised Therapy goals in partnership with the patient, parents, carers and families and MDT colleagues
• Select and use appropriate assessment techniques in hospital
• Set up equipment for therapy and ensure it is used safely by parents, carers, staff and students
• Treat, monitor, and develop each individuals therapy programme using outcome measures and work towards a timely discharge in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary team
• Have day-to-day management, coordination and organisation of the Therapy referral systems and clinical caseload for the specialty team, and ensure patients receive high standards of intervention at all times in accordance with the Code of Professional Conduct for Physiotherapists as appropriate
• Provide specialist clinical support, advice and teaching for physiotherapy staff, the wider therapy team and other professionals
• Use advanced clinical reasoning and highly specialist skills to assess, plan and implement treatment regimes for individuals referred, and taking particular responsibility for those with the most complex needs
• Adapt and utilise appropriate techniques or precautions when treating/handling individuals
• Use clinical reasoning skills to prescribe, plan, treat lead and facilitate discharge where appropriate.
• Liaise with individuals, carers and other relevant health care professionals and community services to establish individual needs and ensure all appropriate recommendations are actioned
• Ensure collection of statistical information and maintain a professional level of record keeping and report writing in accordance with the UHL Documentation Policy, HCPC and professional guidelines.
• Teach therapy techniques to family and carers including safe use of equipment, handling and management of their family members condition, ensuring all relevant appropriate documentation is completed
• Participate in multidisciplinary case review meetings to discuss progress and to plan treatment and safe discharge
• Explain therapy, gain consent and work with individuals and carers to achieve goals
• Gather, analyse and evaluate information to identify problems in partnership with the individuals, carers and colleagues
• To have shared responsibility for monitoring the safety of patients and team members whilst working in the community if appropriate (e.g. home assessments) and be responsible for actioning emergency procedures if their safety is compromised
• Advise the Therapy Clinical Team Leader of any concerns regarding clinical practice
• With the agreement of the Therapy Leadership team as appropriate develop competencies in roles outside the normal scope of practice within an approved training and ratification process with ongoing review

About us

Our new strategy, developed with the support and feedback of colleagues, patients, and partners, is our compass for the next seven years (2023-2030).

We have four primary goals:

• high-quality care for all,
• being a great place to work,
• partnerships for impact, and
• research and education excellence

And we will embed health equality in all we do - taking active steps to reduce the avoidable differences in healthcare that some people face, working in partnership with communities.

Our strategy is underpinned by new values and we will work to ensure they are an everyday reality for all:

• we are compassionate,
• we are proud,
• we are inclusive, and
• we are one team

This is an exciting moment as we look to the future with clarity on what we already do well and where we need to focus our energies to make an even bigger difference for the people we serve.

About the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust:

http://www.leicestershospitals.nhs.uk/aboutus/work-for-us/current-vacancies/