Highly Specialist Paediatric Physiotherapist
Job overview
Are you interested in working with children and young people from birth to adulthood with a wide variety of conditions? If so this exciting opportunity could be for you! We are looking for a highly motivated, experienced and innovative physiotherapist to join our multidisciplinary paediatric therapy team.You will be part of a multidisciplinary paediatric team and work closely alongside the Occupational Therapy and Speech and language therapy teams.
You will be responsible for providing highly specialist services to 0-16 years old within the Musculoskeletal (MSK) and Rheumatology service within Harrow. The post-holder will provide support and line manage junior colleagues working in these areas in collaboration with other senior staff ensuring supervision, appraisal and development.
Main duties of the job
To provide highly specialist Physiotherapy assessment treatment and consultation services for children and young people within the Musculoskeletal service and Rheumatology service with Harrow
To manage own workload and work as an autonomous practitioner as part of the MDT providing specialist advice to other healthcare professionals, social care colleagues, more junior physiotherapists, student and educational staff including teaching and training.
To provide line management to Physiotherapists and Assistants ensuring supervision, appraisal and development
He/she will work alongside teaching, medical and nursing staff to ensure specialist therapy programmes are in place for children under their care.
He/she will be expected to work collaboratively children/young people (CYP), parents/carers and with colleagues in Health, Education and Social Services in planning and delivery of services.
He/she will be responsible for planning and delivering highly specialist training to other PT’s, professionals and parents/carers on all aspects of Physiotherapy relating to MSK, Rheumatology and acute ward services
He/she will provide clinical education and training to physiotherapy students.
Working for our organisation
You will be based at Alexandra Avenue Health and Social Care Centre and be part of a dynamic, friendly physiotherapy and multi-disciplinary paediatric team.
There is a strong commitment to continuing professional development and evidence based practice through the provision of regular in-service training, journal club and access to external courses. Support is also provided through regular supervision sessions, peer support meetings and the staff appraisal programme.
Harrow has one of the largest Paediatric Therapy Teams in North West London. You will work alongside colleagues in Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy, providing both acute and community services in the London Borough of Harrow.We are a well-established, dynamic team working collaboratively with colleagues in Health, Education and Social Services.
You will be joining and welcomed into a diverse therapy team who actively promote and advocate for equality and diversity.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities- To communicate highly complex patient related information effectively to ensure collaborative working with multidisciplinary team members across health, education and social services and the voluntary sector. To work in particular with teaching staff, and/or medical/ nursing staff to ensure the delivery of a well-coordinated care/individual education plans/programmes, facilitating the development of physical skills.
- To work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team to support early intervention.
- To share information with others, observing confidentiality and data protection guidelines and having due regard for local guidance on sharing information with colleagues in education, social services and voluntary sector.
- To communicate highly complex condition related information (both verbally and in the written form) from assessment, to CYP, Parents/carers, and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions. This includes child specific information as well as training packages to parents and other professionals around intervention and the management of the CYP.
- To have due regard for the cultural and linguistic differences of children/families concerned.
- To work closely with CYP, carers and families, involving them in decision making, regarding intervention approaches demonstrating empathy and ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where barriers to understanding exist (i.e. communication difficulties, EAL and learning difficulties). This may involve the use of interpreters
- To employ excellent communication skills such as persuasion, motivation and explanations to encourage/reassure clients and carers to undertake treatment programmes.
- To demonstrate established negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations
- To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible and report to senior staff.
- To form productive relationships with others in particular parents/carers who may be under stress and/or have challenging communication difficulties.
- To write clinical reports as per departmental standards reflecting highly specialist knowledge.
- To provide written advice for statutory assessment of special educational needs.
- To communicate information to the paediatric therapy team on health and safety as part of the duty of health and safety representative.
- To signpost families to services that the child and / or family needs in Harrow and support them in accessing information.
The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings
Person specification
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria- Specialist experience in the management of children and young people with MSK conditions
- Specialist experience in the management of children and young people with Rheumatological conditions
- Significant post graduate experience of working with/teaching parents and carers, other professionals
- Significant post graduate paediatric experience of managing own caseload of CYP including writing clinical notes and reports; clinical audit; working with interpreters and community groups
- Working knowledge of the roles of other professionals in Health Education and Social Care involved with CYP.
- Experience of working in the NHS
- Well established knowledge and broad range of assessment tools for specialist client group
- Experience of Serial casting and splinting
- Clinical supervision of PT’s and PTA’s
- Experience of Supervising students
- GMFM criteria/ assessment
- Gait analysis/ biomechanics
- Aquatic Therapy
- Line management
Training & Qualifications
Essential criteria- Recognised Physiotherapy Degree and Registered Member of Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP)
- UK Health Professions Council (HPC) Registered – Licence to Practice
- Evidence of CPD in portfolio including attendance of specialist short courses relevant to children with disabilities e.g. Bobath
- Advanced training up to Masters level or equivalent in paediatric Musculoskeletal/Rheumatology
Skills and attributes
Essential criteria- Good written and spoken English
- Excellent interpersonal skills and established negotiation and problem solving skills – including observation, listening and empathy skills
- Demonstrates good analytical and reflection skills and well developed concentration skills
- Good organisational skills and ability to work in an unpredictable environment and to prioritise own workload and others
- Demonstrates ability to be a team player
- Ability to communicate effectively with children and young people of all ages and abilities
CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond. We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.
Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken. It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation. We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference.We’re proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.
We are recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare. We aim to employ only the best people, and our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries.
We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles. For more information on these and other benefits of working for us, see our Benefits, Reward and Wellbeing page
Become part of our team. We care for you as much as you care for others.
CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.
Due to the high response levels we receive for some vacancies, we may expire any of them prior to the advertised closing date and advise you to submit your application as soon as possible.
Our Agenda for Change employment contracts are subject to a contractual 13 week probationary period.
If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.