Highly Specialised Paediatric Physiotherapist (Neonates & OP)

Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Children's Therapy Team at St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for the position of 'Highly Specialised Paediatric Physiotherapist based at St George's Hospital.

Due to upcoming Maternity Leave, the Children's Therapy Team is developing and this post will be integral in the or delivery of quality services to neonates and children admitted to hospital and attending specialist outpatient appointments.

The post-holder will be responsible for a varied clinical caseload and will be expected to have a high level of clinical skill and be able to work in the following specialty areas:

• Neonates
• General Paediatric wards
• Early years neurodevelopmental care in outpatients and community settings
• Paediatric MSK

Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will have skills and experience in assessment, management and complex discharge planning of this varied and complex caseload. They will work closely with the wider Children's Therapy Team including colleagues across four AHP professions in children's services, Consultants, Specialist Medical Teams, Nurse Specialists, Nursing Staff, other members of the MDT, as well as education colleagues in early years settings in Wandsworth. to provide a multi-disciplinary approach.

About us
St. George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides a high quality, comprehensive range of health services from leading edge tertiary and trauma care to community services. With national and regional referrals added to our local 3.5m catchment, we serve a population of around 5m. The Trust and its strategic partners delivers high quality research and education, both of which contribute to the healthcare provision of tomorrow.

St. George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a major acute hospital and major trauma centre that offers highly specialist care for complex injuries and illnesses, including trauma, neurology, cardiac care, renal transplantation, cancer care and stroke. The work of its emergency department was seen on Channel 4's '24 Hours in A&E' programme. The hospital also provides all the usual care you would expect from a local NHS district general hospital.

Community services support and enhance the hospital offer and Children's Therapies are offered in both the acute setting and from a range of community settings including the recently built Queen Mary's Hospital Roehampton. Children's Therapies sit in the Children's Directorate and services for Children and Young People were rated Outstanding in the most recent CQC inspection and staff reported feeling 'respected, supported and valued'.

Job responsibilities
This post is working as a Highly Specialist Paediatric Physiotherapist within the Neonatal and Developmental/Musculoskeletal (MSK) Outpatient (OP) Paediatric Physiotherapy Team which is based at St Georges Hospital and Queen Marys Hospital. The therapist will provide a high standard of physiotherapy assessment, treatment, advice and continuity to neonates, early years and school age children and young people (NEONATES AND CYP) and their families with wide ranging disabilities and needs. The post involves holding a neonatal and OP caseload and the post holder will be expected to work in acute wards, clinics, schools, nurseries and patients homes.

See attached job description for full details of the role

Essential Education and Qualifications

• Diploma/degree in physiotherapy
• HCPC Registration
• Evidence of CPD including attendance at recent post graduate courses relevant to clinical field

Desirable Education and Qualifications

• Recognised post graduate qualification eg relevant MSC or equivalent
• Post graduate courses in management
• Evidence of ability to work at a masters level or equivalent
• Leadership training
• Member of APCP
• Completion of HEE Neonatal Foundation training

Essential Experience

• NHS experience as a specialist paediatric physiotherapist
• Applicable post graduate experience in neonatal, paediatric community and paediatric MSK physiotherapy
• Experience of neuro-rehabilitation, respiratory, neuro developmental and orthopaedics
• Experience of working on a neonatal unit and neuro developmental outpatients
• Experience in managing children with tracheostomies
• Broad range of experience of paediatrics, respiratory, ICU, medical, surgery, neurology, musculoskeletal
• Proven track record in the management of children with long term progressive congenital conditions
• Experience of preparing complex reports
• MDT working
• Student supervision/clinical education
• Sound knowledge of the management of neonatal and paediatric patients who have respiratory conditions, both acute and long term
• Knowledge and experience of a wide range of approaches to the management of paediatric patients demonstrated by advanced clinical reasoning
• Experience of managing other physiotherapists

Desirable Experience

• Previous experience at highly specialist level in relevant clinical area
• Experience of operational team management
• Experience of lecturing internally or externally
• Experience of using research methodology and undertaking post graduate research projects
• Experience in the management of LTV and NIV in children
• Experience in assessing and treating patients with acute and chronic respiratory conditions such as CF
• Experience in assessing and treating neonatal/infant orthopaedic conditions
• Knowledge of clinical gait analysis and biomechanics
• Experience of seating and postural management equipment
• Experience of serial casting and orthotics
• Experience of the SEND system and working with EHCPs

Essential Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of a wide range of approaches to the management of complex patients in the neonatal unit (respiratory, surgical, orthopaedic and developmental)
• Fluent in written and oral English with the ability to communicate complex/contentious information in a clear and logical manner to a range of audiences: service users, carers, other professionals, stakeholders
• Remain updated with professional practice and new research
• Demonstrates understanding of the legal responsibilities of the profession
• Awareness and understanding of the skills required for service evaluation and development
• Ability to organise and prioritise own workload and that of others and to delegate appropriately
• Experience in leading staff training
• Ability to work with MDT and set team goals
• Understanding of Clinical Governance and the implications for physiotherapy services including experience of quality issues and audit
• Ability to comprehend and work within the Trust's policies of data protection, equal opportunities and Health and Safety to meet the differing needs of the patients
• Ability to keep legible and accurate notes in English
• Show evidence of being self motivated
• Demonstrate Leadership skills and be able to motivate others
• Ability to cope with working in a stressful and unpredictable environment

Desirable Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of LAPI, Prectl, NIDCAP, Brazelton Ax and Bobath approach
• Knowledge or current national policies, standards, initiatives within paediatrics and neonatal care
• Skills in service development
• Experience in lone working
• Experience of change management

Essential General Requirements

• Physically fit and able to comply with Trust Manual Handling guidelines
• Computer Literate
• Professional attitude and behaviour
• Ability to cope with working in a stressful and unpredictable environment, and to manage difficult and emotional circumstances
• Compliance with Trust's No smoking and dress code policy
• Able to carry out moderate to intense physical effort throughout the working day and carry out concurrent activities
• Good time management

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.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer contact
Clinical TL Child Physio Community and MSK O/P, Hannah McManus, hannah.mcmanus@stgeorges.nhs.uk, 02087251902

Reference number: 200-8324319-DE-UB