Surrey Wheelchair Service B7 Occupational/PhysiotherapistNHS

Job summary

We have a fantastic opportunity to join our Surrey Wheelchair Services to manage a specialist caseload working with individuals who have long term complex health, mobility, postural and social needs.You will assess, prescribe and provide wheelchair and seating equipment to ensure the delivery of safe, effective and person-centred care.We operate as a whole service provision to provide cohesion and opportunities for provision on the day of assessment. We are friendly team who work Independently or with peer support, we utilise Video assessments and telephone triage to focus provision and resources. You will receive line management support from the Clinical Lead and provide supervision for junior staff. An ongoing commitment to learning and development, including PDR/PDP and CPD is key in this role.

The Clinical Team consists of OT, PT, Rehabilitation Engineer and clinical support. We work with a variety of MDT in the community. We are primarily clinic based at 2 sites Woking and Redhill and vans are provided for off site working. The post holder will be based at Woking with an expectation to assist with assessments at Redhill if required. This rewarding role provides a unique opportunity to work with service users of all ages. Experience in posture and seating (mobility/static) is required. Experience in children services, neuro, LD and rehabilitation is an advantage. Knowledge of wheelchairs is desirable but full product training will be provided.

Main duties of the job

Providing clinical leadership and expertise to the wheelchair services, working closely with service users, their families and carers and the multi-disciplinary teams supporting service users.

Supervise other members of the team up to Band 6 level.

Work as an autonomous practitioner, managing a caseload including complex service users.

Demonstrate clinical competence, effectiveness and best practice in all areas of clinical service delivery, including -

Triage.

Duty activities.

Clinical interventions, including assessment of mobility, posture and pressure care needs, prescription, review, and handover/set up of prescribed equipment, demonstrating evidence of service user involvement and collaboration in care planning.

Documentation, ensuring compliance with agreed record keeping systems and standards.

Caseload management.

Use of outcome measures.

Medical device management.

Take responsibility for maintaining safe clinic environments.

Safeguard children, young people and vulnerable adults with whom the service comes into contact.

Carry out physical/postural assessments and interventions which may involve kneeling, squatting, crouching, bending, twisting and maintaining static or awkward postures for short periods of time.

Lift, carry or adjust wheelchairs and other equipment, potentially several times a day on a daily basis.

Job description

To manage a highly specialist caseload within the Wheelchair Service working with children and adults who have complex health, mobility, postural and social needs. The post holder will be based at the Wheelchair Service centres but will travel, as necessary, to other locations. This may include schools, hospitals, care homes and/or service users homes. There may be a need for occasional travel to other Ross Care sites. The Wheelchair Service provided by Ross Care, on behalf of the NHS ICB, has a responsibility to ensure that all eligible service users receive the wheelchair equipment they require to meet their clinical mobility needs as assessed by the clinical team.

The post holder will support the delivery of a safe, caring, responsive, effective and well-led Wheelchair Service by -

Providing clinical input to the Wheelchair Service, working closely with service users, their families and carers and the multi-disciplinary teams supporting service users.

Working under the direction of the Clinical Lead to achieve contractual standards of performance and excellent customer service.

Provide supervision and leadership to junior staff members. Developing and maintaining links with other relevant services and organisations.

Developing and maintaining links with hard to reach sectors of the local community through close liaison with referrers, particularly local therapists.

Management and Communication -

Work positively with colleagues to maintain effective relationships within the team and with services such as the repair and maintenance services, actively promoting collaboration at all levels.

Report to and work collaboratively with the Clinical Lead, demonstrating an understanding of demand and capacity and efficient ways of working, to ensure provision of an effective clinical service that meets contractual obligations within the eligibility criteria and available budget.

Cover duties for Clinical Lead when necessary.

Under direction of the Clinical Lead to participate in the leadership of the clinical team and service.

Under the direction of the Clinical Lead, participate in the monitoring of performance and management of the local clinical service.

Conduct clinical supervision of junior team members as directed by the Clinical Lead to meet HCPC registration requirements and provide opportunities for reflecting on clinical practice and professional development.

Identify areas for service development, lead projects and participate in implementing developments.

Support development/review of policies and standard operating procedures.

Arrange, co-ordinate and attend clinics in community/school settings.

Communicate effectively with service user groups and with other stakeholders (e.g. service users and their families, health professionals in community or hospital settings, statutory, voluntary and charitable organisations) to facilitate joint working, where appropriate, attending and leading meetings as requested by the Clinical Lead.

Facilitate sensitive discussion of contentious outcomes with service users, carers, relatives, Wheelchair Service staff and other professional colleagues.

Facilitate effective communication with service users who have communication difficulties of any kind.

At all times, comply with controls assurance standards for wheelchairs.

Identify and report any areas of concern to service and senior managers.

Contribute to reviews and evaluations of existing and new equipment.

Clinical -

Work as a senior autonomous practitioner, managing a caseload of highly complex service users.

Demonstrate clinical competence, effectiveness and best practice in all areas of clinical service delivery -

Triage, Duty activities,

Clinical interventions including assessment of mobility, posture and pressure care needs, prescription, review, handover and set up of prescribed equipment, demonstrating evidence of service user involvement and collaboration in care planning.

Documentation, ensuring compliance with agreed record keeping systems and standards.

Caseload management. Use of outcome measures. Medical device management.

Ensure that Personal Wheelchair Budgets (PWB) are offered to eligible service users.

Ensure that Outcome measures are implemented in assessments, working with the service user to achieve their desired outcomes, including MDT collaborative working where appropriate.

Take responsibility for maintaining safe clinic environments.

Safeguard children, young people and vulnerable adults with whom the service comes into contact, through strict adherence to Ross Care safeguarding procedures and guidelines.

Understand and demonstrate knowledge of statutory obligations under the Mental Capacity Act in relation to capacity and consent. Following best practice guidelines.

Physical -

Carry out physical and postural assessments and interventions which may involve kneeling, squatting, crouching, bending, twisting and maintaining static or awkward postures for short periods of time.

Assist service users to transfer from surface to surface by the safest means, using any appropriate equipment.

Lift, carry or adjust wheelchairs and other equipment, potentially several times a day on a daily basis, e.g. into and out of storage areas, into and out of vehicles.

Attend moving and handling training and comply with Ross Care policies for moving and handling, at all times.

Be exposed to unpleasant working conditions, environments or weather conditions, e.g. sweat, bodily fluids, unhygienic surroundings, smoke filled rooms, cramped conditions.

May be exposed to verbal, or occasional physical aggression.

Spend extended periods at computer or laptop.

Drive on a regular basis, coping with busy and adverse driving conditions.

Educational -

Provide training, instruction and demonstrations and advice to service users and their carers, supporting the development of written and online resources.

Provide training, instruction, demonstrations and advice to other therapists, as appropriate, including opportunities for shadowing and supervised activities.

Support the development and delivery of internal and external training programmes.

Comply with Ross Care arrangements for continued professional development.

Attend appropriate health and safety and other mandatory training in accordance with Ross Care policies.

Support the provision of structured training opportunities, including apprenticeships and student placements.

Professional -

Adhere to relevant professional standards of practice, conduct and ethics.

Work as a senior practitioner and be accountable for own clinical practice and the supervision of others.

Maintain and develop own clinical competence and knowledge, including knowledge and management of mobility and postural support equipment, through clinical supervision, reflective practice, training and membership of special interest groups, recording this in line with HCPC requirements.

Take responsibility for personal and service development against organisational objectives.

About us

Ross Care provide clinically lead, high-quality wheelchair services on behalf of the NHS. Our friendly teams include OTs, Physiotherapists and Rehabilitation Engineers, providing services for all age ranges.

We operate across 40 regions in England and Wales, supporting over 400,000 wheelchair users each year and covering 45% of the population. We take great pride in the role we play in making a real difference in the lives of those who matter most - our patients and their families.

Culture and Values

Ross Care are a values-led organisation where people come first and whilst demand can often be high, our commitment to delivering high-quality care never wavers.

We foster an environment where every team member is included, supported and empowered to contribute ideas and shape how we deliver services.

Career Development and Support

We provide a mature career pathway designed to help you grow with us and clinical supervision and CPD opportunities are embedded at all levels. We offer opportunity, structure, encouragement and excellent line management support.

We offer a wide range of learning opportunities, including apprenticeships and training programmes. Many of our team members progress into new roles within the organisation, thanks to our strong grow your own culture.

Our Commitment to Sustainability:We take our environmental responsibilities seriously - tracking our carbon footprint, setting measurable targets, and continuously seeking new ways to reduce environmental impact.