Surrey Wheelchair Service B7 Occupational/Physiotherapist Woking

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 a friendly team who work independently or with peer support, utilising 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, documentation, caseload management, use of outcome measures, and medical device management.
• Take responsibility for maintaining safe clinic environments and safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults.
• 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.

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.

Job responsibilities:

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.

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.
• Cover duties for Clinical Lead when necessary.
• Participate in the leadership of the clinical team and service.
• Conduct clinical supervision of junior team members as directed by the Clinical Lead.
• 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.
• Facilitate sensitive discussion of contentious outcomes with service users, carers, relatives, and other professional colleagues.
• Facilitate effective communication with service users who have communication difficulties.
• 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.
• Ensure that Personal Wheelchair Budgets (PWB) are offered to eligible service users.
• Ensure that Outcome measures are implemented in assessments.
• Take responsibility for maintaining safe clinic environments.
• Safeguard children, young people and vulnerable adults.
• Understand and demonstrate knowledge of statutory obligations under the Mental Capacity Act.

Physical:

• Carry out physical and postural assessments and interventions.
• Assist service users to transfer from surface to surface by the safest means.
• Lift, carry or adjust wheelchairs and other equipment.
• Attend moving and handling training and comply with Ross Care policies.
• Be exposed to unpleasant working conditions.
• 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 to service users and their carers.
• Support the development and delivery of internal and external training programmes.
• Comply with Ross Care arrangements for continued professional development.

Professional:

• Adhere to relevant professional standards of practice, conduct and ethics.
• Maintain and develop own clinical competence and knowledge.
• Take responsibility for personal and service development against organisational objectives.

Person Specification:

Experience:

• Essential: Post-registration experience working with patients with long-term and deteriorating medical conditions.
• Desirable: Demonstrate strategies for organising own workload and a flexible approach to working.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Essential: HCPC registration, Enhanced DBS Clearance, Full UK driving licence.
• Desirable: Member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy or the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.

Qualifications:

• Essential: BSc or diploma in Occupational therapy or Physiotherapy.

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 to check for any previous criminal convictions.