Job overview

We are looking for a highly motivated, skilled and enthusiastic Physiotherapist with good problem- solving skills, to join our Outpatient respiratory and Long-term ventilation teams. 
The successful candidate will work alongside a team of experienced respiratory paediatric Physiotherapists and extensive MDT, managing children with long term respiratory conditions in a variety of settings. The job role is funded at 0.5 wte to provide a comprehensive Physiotherapy service provision to children accessing Southampton Children’s Hospital LTV service, based at University Hospital Southampton.

The remaining 0.5 wte is embedded in admission avoidance, and early supportive discharge of complex respiratory patients from the wards, supporting the respiratory element of the regional neuromuscular services, and supporting the wider cardio-respiratory services. 
You will work as part of a combined therapy services team delivering patient care across a 7-day service, including weekends and bank holidays, on a roster basis.  There will also be a requirement to participate in our Trust-wide, acute respiratory on-call rota (both children and adults).
This post is part of the wider Therapy services department. You will have many opportunities to develop new skills and knowledge through our in-service training. You will be part of a large department of over 290 wte Therapy staff including Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Therapy support staff.

Main duties of the job

Attached you will find the person specification document which provides more detail about the essential and desirable skills and experience needed for this role. We highly recommend you review this document and use it when completing your application as these criteria are used by hiring managers as guidance during shortlisting. 

For an overview of the main duties of the role please see the ‘Job Description and Main Responsibilities’ section below. To understand the day-to-day responsibilities in more detail please read the full job description document attached. 

Working for our organisation

As one of the largest acute teaching Trusts in England, we offer learning and development opportunities to help you achieve the career you aspire to. UHS is rated ‘Good’ by the CQC and in the latest national NHS Staff Survey, we were in the top 10 acute trusts for staff engagement and for staff recommending the hospital as a place to work or receive care. 

All non-clinical roles may involve a mixture of on site and remote working, Specific details and flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process. UHS employees are able to access a range of NHS discounts, are entitled to a minimum of 35 days paid holiday (pro rata), and we offer a generous pension scheme.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

About the team

Southampton Children’s Hospital is one of 10 largest children’s hospitals within the UK and located within University Hospital Southampton which is a large regional teaching hospital with links to the university and Welcome Trust research facility.  We have a vast range of Paediatric specialities including a level 3 PICU, and being a designated Major Trauma, neurosurgical, neuro-rehabilitation and cardiac centre.
The comprehensive MDT LTV regional service provides care for over 250 children and young people across the region with long term ventilation requirements. The team supports the regional DGH’s and teams in joint regional clinics, education, upskilling and creation of escalation plans and optimising individualised patient pathways. The successful person would become the clinical Physiotherapy lead involved within all elements of the patients’ pathways, including inpatient admission, Outpatient, and clinic attendance at UHS (or within the region), home and school visits. They would support the child, their family and carers with respiratory Physiotherapy management, relevant training and education and escalation planning as well as supporting the wider MDT in consideration of holistic elements of patient management and LTV considerations.  
As a designated centre of excellence within neuromuscular care the postholder will be part of the experienced MDT providing holistic care to children and young people accessing the service with respiratory therapy needs and considerations. This will include respiratory assessment, identification, initiation, review and escalation of cough adjuncts, NIV requirements and linking between the NM and respiratory speciality teams. 
The successful post holder will be embedded into our long-term respiratory Physiotherapy team led by clinical specialists, enabling an excellent opportunity for ongoing individual and service development.  Our long-term respiratory service includes a wide-ranging population including being one of four centres commissioned to provide specialist care for children diagnosed with Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) in England and being a comprehensive Cystic Fibrosis service. The postholder would also be responsible for outreach respiratory Physiotherapy service, for a specific patient cohort with complex needs, that aids discharge planning, or admission avoidance. 

The successful applicant will be expected to work within our team philosophy, which is “We strongly believe in team working in a happy working environment. Workloads are shared and communication/ support is strongly encouraged. We are mutually responsible for the service and its development and expect everyone to carry out a certain level of responsibility.”   
                                 
You must have broad respiratory experience, and a keen interest in working with children and young people, with long term respiratory conditions.

The post offers the opportunity to work within both acute and community settings and requires the therapist to assess, treat and manage, a varied caseload of children with acute and chronic long term respiratory needs. Supervision and teaching is an essential part of the role. There will be an expectation that the post holder will show an interest in service development, audit, and research. The ability to demonstrate strong interpersonal and communication skills is essential to work effectively within this multi-disciplinary team.

In addition, you will participate in a comprehensive in-service training programme and individual performance review scheme. The successful candidate will also be required to participate in the emergency on-call respiratory rota (both adults and paediatrics), as well as the Paediatric therapy respiratory weekend service. The post holder will need to be able to work flexibly to meet the needs of an evolving service.

As caseloads can often include patients that are chronically unwell, we are looking for someone who has experience working in challenging, and emotive situations, with active coping strategies and resilience.

Essential skills for role:
•    Proven experience in acute respiratory caseloads
•    Experience working in respiratory care in a senior therapy role.
•    Comprehensive experience and a desire to work within paediatrics.
•    Comprehensive experience with management of patients with LTV (TIV and NIV) requirements
•    Acute respiratory On-call/ out-of-hours experience
•    Due to community aspects of this role the post holder must be able to travel to enable off site working, attend regional clinics, undertake home and school visits and be able to transport relevant equipment.

Please read the Job description for this post very carefully, to ensure you understand the role fully, and please contact us if you have any questions.

Due the unique nature of this post we welcome informal enquiries, or visits – please contact Michelle Geary or Victoria Bright on 02381204560.

We look forward to hearing from you, and answering any questions you may have about this role, or our wider therapy service and UHS trust.

If this post is not for you and you are interested in other Therapy opportunities within our department, please email [email protected]

PLEASE NOTE:  AI-generated application forms may not be considered for shortlisting.

Person specification

Trust Values

Essential criteria

• Patients First
• Always Improving
• Working Together

Qualifications, knowledge and experience

Essential criteria

• Master’s degree in Physiotherapy or equivalent level of experience
• Current HCPC registration
• Significant relevant clinical experience or with the ability to demonstrate significant experience in physiotherapy practice
• Evidence of proven leadership and supervisory skills
• Previous experience within relevant clinical area
• Previous experience on-call, where relevant to clinical area
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Experience of audit, evaluation, or research Evidence of implementing change in a clinical environment

Desirable criteria

• Management qualification, or equivalent experience
• Attendance at post-graduation courses, or conferences, relevant to clinical area
• Able to demonstrate sound understanding of healthcare priorities and political agendas
• Experience working in an acute hospital setting
• Leadership qualification, or experience

Skills and competencies

Essential criteria

• Communication
• Time management
• Prioritisation
• Diplomacy
• Working autonomously
• Interpersonal skills
• Taking the initiative
• Collaborative approach
• Teamwork
• Influencing
• Report writing
• Presentation skills
• Working under pressure

Please be advised that this vacancy may close earlier than stated if large numbers of applications are received.

Due to the volume of applications we receive, we are unable to acknowledge receipt of your application. If you have not heard from us within four weeks of the closing date of this post, please presume that you have not been selected for interview.

Applicants from University Hospitals Southampton NHS Foundation Trust whose posts are considered to be ‘At Risk’ will be given prior consideration for this post

Our Trust runs the return to practice course each year for nurses who have been out of the profession and wish to return. To find out more please visit our website:

http://www.uhs.nhs.uk/WorkingHere/Typesofjob/Nurses/Returntonursing.aspx

http://www.discoversouthampton.co.uk/   Information on Southampton as a place to live and enjoy

https://www.uhs-vle.co.uk/   See what fantastic training and development we have on offer at UHS

http://www.youtube.com/user/SouthamptonHospitals learn about the Trust through visiting our YouTube channel 

Getting to Work

Application can be made for parking on site at UHS or through one of the park and ride schemes. This will be based on specific criteria to determine eligibility for site parking as this can be very limited.  UHS encourages staff to utilise other green methods of getting to work such as cycling or walking where possible. UHS is well connected through bus services to the city centre and other areas.

Please note that we will not accept any applications or queries via agencies, under any circumstances.

Our staff are positive about working at UHS and rate us above average compared to other NHS Trusts in the Staff Attitude Survey. We are rated strongly on a number of areas including teamwork, communication and engagement.

Equality remains at the centre of all Trust policy making, service delivery and employment practice with all employees being given equality of opportunity to develop, apply for promotion and have working arrangements that enable them to achieve a manageable work-life balance.

The Trust actively promotes a work environment free from harassment and discrimination and provides training for managers and staff to ensure this happens. The Trust also closely monitors recruitment activity, training and development and employment practices to ensure equality of practice with regard to race, colour, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status and age.

As a service provider the Trust ensures equality of access and delivery of our services through the provision of interpreter services, facilities for the disabled and sensitivity for patients ethnic and religious differences and needs.

Relocating to Southampton

If you are thinking of moving to the Hampshire area, please find below a link to our website which offers guidance on finding accommodation:

http://www.uhs.nhs.uk/relocating-to-southampton

The Trust is under a duty to protect the public funds it administers, and to this end may use the information you have provided on this form for the prevention and detection of fraud. It may also share this information with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds for these purposes.