Specialist Palliative Care Physiotherapist

Job summary The HIOW Community Specialist Palliative Care Team is an established fully integrated multi-disciplinary team, embedded in Specialist Services and Community Services.
It has clearly defined aims of service, referral pathways and discharge processes.The Specialist Palliative Care Service provides evidence-based support to adults with a life shortening diagnosis, for both non-malignant and malignant diseases, registered with a Portsmouth City General Practitioner.
It is available at any point during a person's life shortening illness, not just at the end of their life, where their symptoms, physical or psychological, have not responded to routine therapeutic interventions.Following a palliative diagnosis, we aim to empower the patient, working with them and their care givers, to "Live well until they are dying", using a flexible holistic approach.
Contacts and support utilise various mediums such as face to face visiting, remote on-line consultation and telephone support.The service acts as an expert resource in Specialist Palliative Care for other generic services needing advice and guidance for care management and future care planning, through education and support.
Main duties of the job Manage a clinical caseload of complex patients with advanced life limiting diseases as part of the multi-disciplinary Specialist Palliative Care (SPC) team for Solent NHS Trust, working with patients in their homes.Conduct advanced physiotherapeutic assessment of adults with deteriorating conditions presenting with diverse, complex health and social care needs.
Provide a diagnosis and develop and deliver an individualised treatment plan, as part of a specialist multi-professional team, ensuring the service provided is evidence based, high quality, clinically effective and cost effective.All aspects of clinical duties are carried out autonomously.
The post holder is supported by the Physiotherapy Team Lead.
Robust peer support/review is available from the team through multi-disciplinary team meetings and regular clinical supervision.
The post holder is required to deputise for the Physiotherapy Team lead, as well as represent AHPs at Trust and external forums.Actively participate in the delivery of educational programmes on topics relating to specialist palliative care to healthcare professionals in different settings.
In addition, supervise, educate and assess the performance of physiotherapy students on clinical placement.Undertake evidence-based audit and service improvement projects to ensure SPC service provision is of the highest standard.
This may lead to the implementation of specific changes to practice as a team or as part of the wider Specialist Palliative Care service.
About us Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a newly established organisation, bringing together expertise from across mental health, learning disabilities, community, and physical health services.
We are dedicated to delivering compassionate, high-quality, and accessible care to the diverse communities of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.With over 13,000 dedicated staff working across more than 300 sites, we place patients and staff at the centre of everything we do.
Our goal is to create an integrated healthcare system that improves accessibility and ensures more consistent care for patients.
By working together, we aim to improve patient outcomes, drive innovation, and meet the unique needs of the populations we serve.Our Trust unites services from Southern Health, Solent NHS Trust, Isle of Wight NHS Trusts community and mental health teams, as well as Hampshire CAMHS, originally part of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
This transformation enables us to deliver more seamless care across the region, ensuring that patients receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time.Join us as we embark on this exciting journey to shape the future of healthcare across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
We are deeply committed to our CARE values of compassion, accountability, respect, and excellence, and offer outstanding opportunities for career development, training, and collaborative working.
Job description Job responsibilities Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached.We are happy to talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.
Person Specification Qualifications Essential Current Health Care Professions Council registration as a PhysiotherapistPhysiotherapy degree qualification or equivalentEvidence of Continuing Education Desirable Post graduate training or equivalent experience with deteriorating, life-limiting conditionsMember Chartered Society PhysiotherapyMembership of an appropriate clinical Special Interest Group ( ACPOPC) Experience Essential Post-registration experience Experience of working at a band 6 level or equivalent Broad knowledge and experience, including respiratory, neurology and musculoskeletal clinical areas.
Desirable Post graduate training or equivalent experience with deteriorating, life-limiting conditionsMember Chartered Society Physiotherapy Membership of an appropriate clinical Special Interest Group ( ACPOPC) Additional Criteria Essential Ability to work autonomously and recognise when to seek advice.
Ability to organise own workload, prioritise and delegate.
Good communication skills with a willingness to attend Advanced Communication Skills Training Knowledge of person-centred assessment that encompasses the planning, delivering and evaluating programmes of therapy for the health and well-being of patients with complex needs.
Understand the legal responsibilities of the profession and work flexibly within professional boundaries.
Knowledge of national policy that influences high quality end of life care for palliative patients.
Experience of inter-agency working and discharge/transfer of care processes.
Demonstrates an understanding of your role within that process.
Ability to keep accurate and concise patient notes.
Ability to present information, written & orally, in a clear and logical manner.
Literate in English, numerate and have computer skills.
Self-motivated, self-starter, able to organise a large and varied work programme.
Being flexible to adapt to the changing needs of the service and an ability to work as part of a close-knit team.
Self-awareness with the ability to identify personal coping strategies Desirable Ability to cover the Physiotherapy caseload in the absence of senior colleagues.
Knowledge of the pathology of disease and illness processes in malignant and non-malignant progressive conditions Demonstrate the ability to support patients' self-care, self-management and enable independence.
Knowledge of non-pharmacological methods of managing complex symptoms g. breathlessness, pain, fatigue Ability to handle sensitive information and cope with working in a stressful environment with emotional, anxious, or aggressive patients and carers.
Demonstrate and understand the Clinical Governance Framework and its implications for services.
Experience of quality issues and audit Identify and manage risk for the Organisation, Service and individual, staff and patient.
Able to contribute to service improvement initiatives.
Presentation Skills