Clinical Lead Therapist - Community Hospitals

Clinical Lead Therapist - Community Hospitals

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

As part of service development and the enhancement of community therapy resources to provide 7 day assessment, management and rehabilitation, Community Therapy Services are looking for a Clinical Lead to operationally manage the Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and therapy assistants providing rehabilitation within the community hospital wards. The post is permanent, requires 7 day working and can be based at either Chester-le-Street Community Hospital or Sedgefield Community Hospital site. The successful candidate will be either an Occupational Therapist or a Physiotherapist and will form part of a leadership team providing a flexible service to manage community crisis referrals, community hospital rehabilitation and a Discharge to Assess pathway from all community hospital sites. The successful candidate will work together with the current Clinical Lead providing professional leadership and development of rehabilitation services across 5 community hospitals. The role will be diverse and challenging, working within a number of clinical pathways.

Main duties of the job

As a member of the organisation the post holder will:

1. Own individual responsibilities and share team objectives
2. Lead or contribute to creating improvement, transformation and innovation of services
3. Contribute to creating a work environment that is marked by pride, enthusiasm and collaboration
4. Manage and/or contribute to financial performance and target delivery
5. Lead by action and inspire others acting as role model, demonstrating the leadership behaviours and values identified by CDDFT
6. Communicate positively and effectively
7. Actively give and receive feedback in a constructive manner
8. Be adaptable, work with integrity and be trustworthy
9. Show constancy, courage and resolve in the pursuit of the vision and aims of CDDFT
10. Actively contribute to improving the health and well being of the population that is served

Job responsibilities

To provide clinical leadership to physiotherapists and occupational therapists within community therapy services.

To undertake clinical role as an expert practitioner and active provider of specialist clinical care, maintaining clinical skills and demonstrating an effective role model for the physiotherapy, occupational therapy staff and other professionals within the multidisciplinary team.

To provide high quality care to an independent caseload referred with complex multi-pathologies. The postholder is an autonomous practitioner, using highly skilled and specialised diagnostic, assessment and treatment techniques within the speciality. The client may present with acute, palliative, complex and / or chronic presentation.

To assess, diagnose, implement and evaluate individual programmes of care for patients, treating them primarily within a rehabilitation ward environment, but also in a variety of community locations and establishments (including Rehabilitation Units, Clients homes, and Care Homes) in relation to Discharge to Assess pathways and community crisis interventions.

To ensure access targets are met and will actively contribute to identify and problem solve issues as they occur.

To coordinate and monitor the delivery of high quality care that meets identified patient need, supports the aims and objectives of the integrated multidisciplinary team, and remains within the boundaries of available resources. To complete Trusted Assessments to support patient flow and hospital discharges.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• BSc/MSc in Occupational Therapy/ Physiotherapy or equivalent
• Evidence of CPD, including attendance at recent post-graduate courses relevant to the clinical fields in the specialism
• Recognised relevant academic qualification
• An understanding of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, its culture, strategic direction, achievements and NHS standing

Experience

• Significant years experience to include band 6 level incorporating experience within a range of specialisms and community settings
• Experience of collaborative working within multidisciplinary and cross agency teams
• Evidence of high level communication skills within a wide variety of settings
• Experienced in clinical supervision and staff appraisal
• Evidence of working on strategic planning and development
• Broad experience at post graduate level

Statutory Registration

• HCPC registered
• Member of RCOT or CSP

Special Skills & Knowledge

• In depth and up to date knowledge and skills in the assessment, rehabilitation and management of patients within the specialty
• Specialist knowledge of professional practice and research
• Understand clinical governance and its implications for services, including experiences of quality issues and audit
• Ability to comprehend and work within the Trust's policies of data protections, equal opportunities and health and safety to meet the differing needs of patients.
• Evidence of ability to lead in service developments
• Ability to carry out moderate to intense physical effort throughout the working day and carry out concurrent activities.
• Ability to cope with working in a stressful environment and with emotional or aggressive patients and carers.
• Ability to work independently and organise, prioritise and delegate workload to meet service demands
• Evidence of self-directed learning and critical appraisal skills
• Basic IT skills (e.g. emails, electronic record keeping)
• Evidence of ability to be innovative and proactive
• Able to use own initiative appropriately to enhance service delivery
• Presentational skills
• Evidence of participation in research/audit
• Supervision of other staff, qualified B 5-7 / assistants
• Experienced clinical student educator. Attendance at recognised clinical educator course
• Evidence of change management
• Evidence of robust performance management

Special Requirements

• Ability to travel independently across Trust sites and the locality, and carry small items of equipment on a daily basis to fulfil the requirements of the post
• Ability to meet physical demands of the post
• Commitment, motivation and flexibility to work within a multi-specialism service

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

£46,148 to £52,809 a year per annum, pro rata