Pelvic Health Physiotherapist

Post Title: Pelvic Health Physiotherapist

Hours: Contract will be based on an SLA of 5 to 10 hours per week (scope to increase in future)

Sessional clinics (daytime/evening)

Responsible to: Physiotherapy Team Lead

Accountable to: Clinical Lead

Location: Centre for Clinical Physiotherapy, St Joseph’s Hospital, Harding Avenue, Malpas, Newport, NP20 6ZE

Salary: Based on experience

About the role

St Joseph’s Hospital has a wealth of experience providing private care to Wales and the South West. Our goal has been to set a new standard in private healthcare, and we achieve this by delivering a clinically outstanding service with a bespoke approach to meeting patient needs.

We provide an integrated inpatient and outpatient pelvic health physiotherapy service to those referred by our nine Gynaecologists and Urologists as well as our private GP service and to self-referrals. Our aim is that our patients have access to treatment with the specialist pelvic health physiotherapist on land, in our large hydrotherapy pool, or using our gym rehabilitation area including the Alter-G anti-gravity treadmill. The pelvic health service is supported by physiotherapy assistants delivering pool and land-based treatment programs, and the wider multidisciplinary team within the hospital.

Job Purpose

To provide a high-quality pelvic health physiotherapy service to women and men with pelvic floor dysfunction, stress or urge urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, lower bowel dysfunction, pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain, sexual dysfunction with or without pain and complex pelvic pain. Additionally, their maybe an element of post-surgical input required for patients post gynae or post prostrate surgery.

This is an exciting opportunity to be involved in the development of the Pelvic Health Service at St Joseph’s hospital. The post holder will act as an autonomous practitioner and manage a defined caseload independently. They will be expected to use problem solving and clinical reasoning skills in line with evidence-based and client-centered principles. The role includes land-based and hydrotherapy clinics for pelvic health patients, and will be flexible to include musculoskeletal and orthopaedic patients as required by the wider physiotherapy service as the pelvic health service develops.

Key Responsibilities

• To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of your own work, ensuring a high standard of clinical care for clients under your management
• To ensure that you meet the accepted professional national standards for physiotherapy outlined by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Quality Assurance Standards for Physiotherapy and Pelvic Floor Examination Expectations document, and the Health and Care Professions Council Standards of Proficiency for Physiotherapists.
• To undertake a comprehensive assessment of patients, including those with complex presentations and use clinical reasoning skills and manual assessment techniques to provide an accurate diagnosis of their condition.
• To be responsible for organisation and planning of own caseload to meet service and patient priorities.
• To formulate and develop individual treatment programmes underpinned by sound knowledge of evidence-based practice and a range of treatment options.
• To establish an accurate prognosis and recommend the best course of intervention and develop comprehensive treatment and discharge plans.
• To use clinical reasoning skills to evaluate the outcomes of treatments in order to continually reassess, develop and modify treatment programmes in order to ensure the effectiveness of the intervention and service delivery.
• To assess patients’ understanding of treatment proposals and gain valid informed consent.
• To understand the legal definition of capacity and work within this legal framework to ensure a fully informed consent process within all treatment and assessment, and understand how to work with those with a diminished or absent capacity to consent.
• To establish a therapeutic relationship with patients using a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools in order to progress and gain participation in rehabilitation treatment programmes, including patients with difficulties in understanding and communicating.
• To identify the need for onward referral to other disciplines and to initiate such referrals.
• To communicate effectively and appropriately with all members of staff within St Joseph’s Hospital regarding clinical and non-clinical matters.
• To provide specialist advice to members of the physiotherapy team or wider multidisciplinary team within the hospital regarding the management and care of clients with pelvic health issues.
• To adapt practice to meet individual patient circumstances, giving due regard to cultural, religious, linguistic and communication needs.
• To work within the Hospital and Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Guidelines, have a good working knowledge of national and local standards and monitor own and other qualities of practice in liaison with senior physiotherapists.
• To be responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive patient records in line with Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Standards and hospital standards, and to undertake regular auditing of patient notes.
• To contribute to the evaluation of services through the use of research, audit and the development and use of outcome measures.
• To be responsible for the safe use and competent use of all gymnasium equipment, patient appliances, electrotherapy equipment, ensuring that patients are sufficiently trained ad competent to use all equipment issued or prescribed.
• To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through Continuing Professional Development activities, such as taking part in regular mentoring from peers.
• To maintain and develop specialist knowledge of evidence-based practice in the area of pelvic health by attending educational courses and seminars, then to provide feedback to the team from these learning opportunities.
• To attend mandatory training and to apply relevant learning into practice as per St Joseph’s Hospital policies.
• To participate in audit and research to help develop improvements to service delivery and clinical practice, under the guidance of senior staff.
• To contribute to the support, guidance and training of other physiotherapists and assistants in the Centre for Clinical Physiotherapy as part of the in-service programme.
• To participate in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee and be responsible for complying with the agreed personal development plan to meet knowledge and competency requirements.
• Following appropriate induction, you will become part of the weekend orthopaedic Inpatient Rota which would be paid as additional hours at an enhanced rate.

Job role variation

The above lists of responsibilities are key primary requirements for the role. However, a degree of flexibility is required to meet the demands of the Physiotherapy Service. This may include seeing musculoskeletal and/or orthopaedic patients as a part of your caseload, or covering the ward assessing and treating a mixture of orthopaedic and gynaecological patient groups. These additional duties will only be assigned with suitable competency and with discussion with the post holder.

Person Specification

Essential

• Degree in Physiotherapy
• Registration with Health and Care Professions Council
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of physiotherapy in pelvic health
• Evidence of relevant on-going professional development
• At least five years of post-qualifying experience to have included women’s health
• At least two years of post-qualifying experience to have included musculoskeletal physiotherapy
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
• Experience of participation in clinical governance activities
• Ability to undertake all aspects of the physiotherapy process, including assessment and treatment of patients with complex multi-pathologies
• Ability to work, communicate and negotiate with a wide range of professionals as a member of a multidisciplinary team
• Ability to establish a therapeutic relationship with clients and their families/carers
• Ability to apply specialist knowledge and skills in advising others on the care and treatment of clients in relation to specific specialism
• Excellent interpersonal skills including observation, listening, empathy and negotiation skills
• Ability to support junior staff, students and other disciplines in area of expertise
• Ability to prioritise own workload taking into account both clinical and non-clinical elements
• Evidence of good communication skills, both written and verbal, in relation to clinical and other areas of work
• Ability to take a role in delegated tasks or projects e.g. audits
• Good computer skills e.g. to enter statistics, and produce reports etc.
• Ability to keep appropriate clinical and departmental records including statistics)
• Commitment to working within a non-discriminatory, client-centered framework
• Ability to work flexibly in a number of different settings if required
• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity to and respect for the needs and aspirations of clients and carers from all ethnic backgrounds
• Good organisational skills
• Flexible and adaptable approach to work
• Calm and warm manner and ability to deal with challenging situations
• Enthusiasm and willingness to learn and develop in a changing environment
• Evidence of ability to reflect on own practice
• Smart professional appearance
• Sensitive to the views and needs of patients and carers from all backgrounds
• Reliable, adaptable, dependable

Desirable

• Attended relevant post-graduate men’s health physiotherapy courses
• Post-qualifying experience to have included men’s health
• Post-qualifying experience of hydrotherapy
• Experience of working in the NHS

To apply please send your cover letter and CV to

The closing date for applications is the 11th February 2025.