Specialist Respiratory Physiotherapist in Oxford

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury. Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.

The Oxford Sleep & Ventilation Service are a tertiary centre of excellence, supporting over 20,000 patients on Continuous Positive Airways Pressure (CPAP) and around 1500 on long term ventilation and airway clearance needs. We are looking for a Specialist Respiratory Physiotherapist to join our fantastic multi-disciplinary team in delivering safe and effective care to patients in Oxfordshire and surrounding counties.

Main duties of the job:

• Performs specialist assessment of patients, including those with highly complex presentations and formulates appropriate treatment plans, which are carried out as an autonomous practitioner.
• To work in a variety of healthcare settings including outpatient, inpatient and domiciliary outreach.
• Assists in the supervision, teaching and appraisal of senior and junior physiotherapists, physiotherapy students and other MDT members.
• Assists the team leader (Lead Specialist Physiotherapist) in the operational management and overall development of the service, deputising as required.
• Participates in evidence based projects and assists in the implementation of changes within the service and the setting and monitoring of standards of practice.

Clinical Responsibilities:

• To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own professional activities.
• To undertake the specialist assessment of patients as an autonomous practitioner, including those with highly complex presentations.
• To use clinical reasoning skills, knowledge of evidence based practice and advanced expertise to determine appropriate interventions.
• To interpret and analyse clinical and non-clinical facts to form accurate diagnoses in a wide range of highly complex conditions.
• To formulate accurate prognoses and recommend best course of intervention, developing and implementing comprehensive treatment plans.
• To be responsible for own patient care plans and to be consulted frequently for specialist advice and guidance by junior team members and other health care professionals.
• To continually reassess patients in order to progress treatments effectively.
• To be highly competent in assessing a wide range of cardio-respiratory conditions based on specialist theoretical knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pathology.
• To be highly skilled in a diversity of assessment and treatment skills within the specialty of Sleep and Ventilation.
• To demonstrate highly competent information technology skills in order to analyse, interpret and respond to results or data relating to patient care.
• To provide domiciliary care working as a lone practitioner using expert skills in assessment, diagnosis and provision of expert treatment in a non-hospital setting.
• To assess a patient’s capacity to understand and to gain valid, informed consent for treatment.
• To communicate complex and sensitive information to patient, carers and other staff.
• To take an active role in health promotion using up-to-date knowledge of the range of support services available to patients.
• To liaise with and advise other physiotherapists, relevant medical staff, nursing staff, social workers and other members of the Oxford Sleep and Ventilation MDT with regard to patient care.
• To manage clinical risk within own caseload at all times.
• To ensure accurate and timely written communication to other healthcare professions.

Management Responsibilities:

• To assist the Lead Specialist Physiotherapist and Lead Respiratory Physiologist in ensuring that quality standards and effectiveness of patient care are continually improved.
• To assist in ensuring that the agreed quality standards of service are maintained.
• To maintain an accurate and evaluative record keeping system for own clinical caseload.
• To take responsibility for the induction of new staff to the service.
• To flexibly plan and organise own time and assist in the organisation of team to include patient care, training, supervision and meetings.

Education Responsibilities:

• To assist in the provision of specialised teaching to small and large groups.
• To be responsible for own personal and professional development.
• To supervise undergraduate and masters physiotherapy students as required.

Research and Audit Responsibilities:

• To participate in the departments ongoing audit and appropriate work-related research/evaluation projects.
• To keep abreast of evidenced based practice in Respiratory Medicine and Long Term Ventilation.

Person Specification:

• Degree in Physiotherapy (BSc Hons).
• HCPC Registration.
• Minimum 5 years NHS experience.
• Post-graduate / Further learning in relevant field.
• Minimum 2 years experience in respiratory medicine specialty.

COVID-19: The COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course our patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings.

Next Steps: Please make sure that you read the job description and person specification, and that your supporting statement reflects this as your application will be judged against these criteria.