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Job Overview
An exciting opportunity in our cohesive Neurosurgical and T+O Spinal service here at North Bristol Trust.
It is a 12 month Fix Term contract working 24.75 hours a week to cover Maternity Leave.
The role is Clinical Lead ESP Role in the Neurosurgery Spinal Service. As Lead, along with other ESP colleagues you will be responsible for managing incoming referrals for triage from Bristol and the larger spinal network & Coordinating onward referrals as indicated. You role will be to provide advanced/extend scope assessment and diagnosis (scans/xrays/bloods/NCS etc) leading to appropriate spinal surgical opinion with our surgeons or onward referral to other services as indicated, providing excellent patient care throughout. As part of the working week there is work within T+O Prehab services working closely with T+O spinal nurse specialist developing and designing an excellent patient journey to surgery for complex spinal patients. Weekly attendance to our complex Spine MDT where you will be competent in presenting cases to the team and actioning appropriate onward care and referrals. As a Lead its is also your role to communicate with the wider network and primary care settings as required.
Main duties of the job
To work in an extended role beyond the usual physiotherapy scope of practice. This involves the clinical management of patients with complex spinal problems referred for a hospital outpatient opinion.
As an autonomous physiotherapy practitioner to be responsible for the examination, assessment and further management of patients designated by a Consultant Spinal Surgeon within an outpatient setting.
Complex patient management includes listing for surgery, referring patient
for further tests/investigations (e.g. blood, x-rays, scans, etc), to other healthcare professionals.
To liaise and work closely with Consultant Spinal Surgeons and with other healthcare professionals, referring General Practitioners and Speciality and Divisional leads.
To participate and present complex spinal patients into the twice weekly Spinal MDT forums.
To communicate effectively with patients and carers, explaining complex information such as diagnosis, disease progression, prognosis and treatment/management options.
Working for our organisation
North Bristol NHS Trust is a centre of excellence for healthcare in the South-West in several fields and is also one of the largest hospital trusts in the UK. We have links to the University of Bristol, the University of Bath, and the University of the West of England. Our annual turnover is £870 million, and we have 12,000 staff delivering healthcare across Southmead Hospital Bristol, Cossham Hospital, Bristol Centre for Enablement and within the local community of Bristol and South Gloucestershire. We aim to deliver excellent clinical outcomes and a great experience for everyone who uses our services: exceptional healthcare, personally delivered. We treat some of the most difficult medical conditions, in an increasingly complex patient population.
Our vision is to realise the great potential of our organisation by empowering our skilled and caring staff to deliver high-quality, financially sustainable services in state of-the-art facilities. Clinical outcomes will be excellent and with a spirit of openness and candour we will ensure an outstanding experience for our patients.
Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities
Full job description is attached which lists all the main duties of the role and the working environment. You can also find person specification attached.
Person specification
Qualification
Essential criteria
- Diploma/Degree in physiotherapy HPC Registration Evidence of good relevant CPD Calrad training (Radiation and ionisation training) Intensive 1:1 training with designated Spinal Surgeon including observation, case discussion and feedback Training from ESP Peer Support Group and CSP Special Interest Group MSc or equivalent
Work Experience
Essential criteria
- Minimum 5 years postgraduate experience working as a Senior 1 Physiotherapist or above in musculoskeletal field. Senior II Physiotherapist experience including musculoskeletal outpatients. Junior Physiotherapist experience across all core areas of physiotherapy. Experience in examination, assessment and management of complex and varied musculoskeletal and spinal pathologies. Experience of communicating effectively with wide range of patients i.e. ages and pathologies who may have barriers to understanding e.g. deafness, learning difficulties. Experience of communicating With Consultant Spinal Surgeons, General Practitioners and other healthcare professionals. Experience of prioritising own caseload and working to time constraints in a stressful environment. Experience of working as part of MDT to manage spinal patients. Experience of research and audit process including evaluation of statistics
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Advanced knowledge of anatomy, physiology and underlying spinal pathology, orthopaedic/musculoskeletal/neurosurgery conditions. Advanced knowledge of treatment/management options for patients with complex conditions, including indications of onward referral of patients to other healthcare professionals. Advanced knowledge of peri-operative optimisation of complex spinal patients. Knowledge of Trust and CSP guidelines pertaining to Extended Scope Practitioner working. Advanced knowledge of comorbidities relevant to patient’s suitability for surgery and impact of these on outcome of surgery. Advanced knowledge of management of post-operative cases, including complications, x-ray findings, expected rate of progress and outcome and appropriate discharge from care.
Skills
Essential criteria
- Advanced specialist skills to examine, assess, diagnose and identify optimal treatment/management plan in line with Orthopaedic/Neurosurgery Departments clinical guidelines for patients with complex conditions and presentations. To reassess and alter treatment plans as necessary. To examine and assess postoperative cases, identifying potential complications, expected rate of progress and appropriate timing of discharge. To identify relevant comorbidities and their potential effect on patient being able to undergo surgery and to highlight these to relevant staff e.g. Anaesthetist, Respiratory or Cardiac Physician. To understand and be able to communicate highly complex information to other health professionals including consultants, patients and carers. To provide assessment and advice to optimise peri-operative care of spinal patients To determine necessity of tests/investigations e.g. bloods, x-rays, scans and to order these and interpret results for patient. To determine necessity of onward referral of patients to other healthcare professionals (e.g. Physiotherapists, Pain Clinicians, Orthotists, etc) for ongoing management. To undertake all aspects of role as an autonomous Physiotherapy Extended Scope Practitioner. To demonstrate an advanced level of clinical reasoning and evaluation. To be able to manage potentially stressful or emotional situations in an empathic manner. To communicate effectively with all other disciplines involved in patient’s care. To plan and manage own caseload within time constraints. To be able to carry out repetitive physical activities. To be aware of and be able to implement policies, standards and guidelines set by CSP and NBT. To be able to maintain accurate and up to date patient records in line with Trust and CSP guidelines. To be able to conduct audit projects
If you apply for this vacancy and have not received a communication from North Bristol NHS Trust within three weeks of the closing date, please assume that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful.
Please note that North Bristol NHS Trust does not reimburse travel expenses relating to interview attendance.
If you feel you meet the requirements of the Disability Act / Two Ticks scheme and require further support/advice, please contact us on tel 0117 414 1151.
North Bristol NHS Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
The successful applicant(s) will normally commence at the minimum of the scale unless they have previous NHS service at the same band. Progression through the scale is by annual increments.
At North Bristol Trust (NBT), we know diverse and inclusive environments lead to happier and healthier teams and improved patient care and outcomes. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are currently underrepresented in NBT’s workforce at Band 8a and above. These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people and LGBTQIA+ people.
Please note that stringent pre-employment checks are undertaken on all successful applicants prior to commencement in post.
