Job Title: Senior Physiotherapist – Practice Tutor in MSK Outpatients and Inpatient Orthopaedics
Reference No: 06.008 (2024)
Department / Directorate: Physiotherapy Department, COO Directorate
Reports to: Physiotherapist Manager-in-Charge III or Deputy
Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) is one of Ireland’s largest acute teaching hospitals, adult, psychiatric and age-related healthcare on one site. The Hospital has 450 adult beds with over 3,500 people on staff and more than 60 different nationalities represented. The Hospital is a provider of local, regional and national specialties. It is a designated trauma unit incorporating the National Pelvic and Acetabular Unit, a regional Urology Centre and the second largest provider of renal dialysis services in the country.
One of the two main academic teaching hospitals of Trinity College Dublin - TUH specialise in the training and professional development of staff in areas such as Medicine, Nursing, Health and Social Care Professionals. TUH is part of the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group which serves a population of over 1.2 million across seven counties.
The Hospital is an exciting and dynamic place to work, in the midst of implementing a new hospital, the team have already delivered on the opening of a new Renal Dialysis unit, Reeves Day Surgery Centre, a step down facility in the community, a new ICU and the development of a supraregional Endometriosis Service. It is an exciting time to join the TUH team and one of Ireland’s main teaching hospitals with so many plans to enhance patient care. The Hospital believes in investing in their team and offers excellent education and research opportunities.
TUH Vision and Values
The vision of the Hospital is “People Caring for People to Live Better Lives” through excellent health outcomes supported by evidenced based practice, positive patient and staff experience in an empowering and caring environment. A culture of innovation and quality improvement in everything we do.
Our TUH CARE values – for patients, their families, our community and staff are:
1. C ollaborate – together and with our academic and care partners
2. A chieve – our goals, positive outcomes and wellbeing
3. R espect – for patients, each other and our environment
4. E quity – for patients and staff
At TUH we view our staff as our most valuable asset and every member of the Team is valued equally. We recognise that a skilled, satisfied and motivated workforce is a prerequisite to high quality care.
Purpose of the role:
To develop the capacity and quality of Physiotherapy undergraduate practice education programme and support both students and practice educators. Provision of educational and clinical supervisory support to physiotherapy students undergoing clinical placement and support and education of practice educator.
Overview of role:
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Clinical Responsibilities
5. Undertake an appropriate assessment, draw up individual treatment plans and provide effective treatment to all referred patients to the speciality
6. Set and maintain a high standard of clinical practice
7. Ensure that privacy and dignity of the patient is respected at all times
8. Liaise with patients, carers and other health professionals to ensure a holistic approach to patient care
9. Maintain good communications with Consultants, General Practitioners and community care team members for early discharge and adequate follow - up
10. Keep abreast with current changes in clinical practice by attending seminars, conferences and post-graduate courses
11. Maintain an accurate record-keeping system to comply with legal requirements, to support clinical studies and to provide information for data collection
12. Participate in weekend, bank holiday and on-call rota
13. Attend clinics, team meetings and / or ward rounds when necessary
Education and Training
14. Play an active role in the departmental in-service training and teaching programme for other health professionals
15. Organise and facilitate the running of national and international courses
16. Supervise, teach and advise junior staff, students and ancillary staff working in the speciality
17. Liaise with teaching staff and participate in the clinical training and assessment of physiotherapy students
18. Facilitate and jointly supervise undergraduate research projects
19. Actively participate in multi-disciplinary and multi-centred trials
Administration
20. Responsible for the organisation and provision of the physiotherapy service for patients admitted in the area of speciality to which he/she is assigned
21. Promote, encourage and oversee the development of speciality and the career development of staff members of the team
22. Keep records appropriate to his / her office as may be required
23. Participate in clinical audit activities to monitor clinical standards
24. Comply with departmental policies on data collection, administrative procedures and health and safety guidelines
25. Do regular appraisals with staff
26. Advise manager on planning and development of speciality area in liaison with senior staff of other disciplines
27. Ensure safe working environment for patients and staff and report immediately any accident either staff or patient
28. Assist with induction of junior staff to the department
29. Read and act upon all issued staff policies
30. Perform such other duties as may be assigned to her/him by the Physiotherapy Manager
Qualifications & Experience required
Must have:
31. Hold a Physiotherapy qualification recognised by the Physiotherapists Registration Board at CORU. Please see list of acceptable Physiotherapy qualifications
And
32. Be registered on the Physiotherapists Register maintained by the Physiotherapists Registration Board at CORU
And
33. Demonstrate evidence of recent formal continuing professional development relevant to the required area of specialism, in the form of post-graduate qualifications or relevant courses
And
34. Candidates must have a minimum of 3 years full time (or an aggregate of 3 years full time) post qualification clinical experience for offer of senior contract. Candidates with 2.5 years clinical experience are eligible to apply with a view to forming a panel.
Within that, must be:
35. a minimum of 8 months full time (or equivalent) experience in out-patient musculoskeletal* physiotherapy.
(*Musculoskeletal physiotherapy experience can be acquired in out-patient orthopaedics, rheumatology, hand therapy, occupational health, emergency department, primary care or general musculoskeletal physiotherapy. Experience in an out patients setting in primary care, secondary care and private practice settings are reckonable.)
and
36. experience in supervision and education of junior staff +/- students
37. Have the clinical, managerial and administrate capacity to fulfil the functions of the role
38. Have the requisite knowledge and ability (including a high standard of suitability and professional ability) for the proper discharge of the duties of the office
39. On appointment, practitioners must maintain annual registration on Physiotherapists Register maintained by the Physiotherapists Registration Board at CORU
40. Practitioners must confirm annual registration with CORU to the HSE by way of the annual Patient Safety Assurance Certificate (PSAC)
41. Must have a valid EU work permit/visa
DESIRABLE CRITERIA
42. Experience in in-patient orthopaedics
43. Experience as a Practice Educator
44. Experience as a Practice Tutor
45. A completed clinical post-graduate Masters qualification in musculoskeletal physiotherapy
46. Experience in the following clinical areas: rheumatology, limb reconstruction, hand therapy, occupational health, emergency department, orthotics, primary care.
47. Recent experience in an acute hospital setting
48. Fully on-call competent
Reward & Recognition
49. Remuneration is in accordance with the Department of Health Consolidated Salary Scales, grade code 3158.
50. The appointment is full time, permanent and pensionable. A panel will be created from which future full time/part time permanent and temporary opportunities will be offered.
51. The annual leave entitlement is 29 working days per year. The leave year runs from 1st April to the 31st of March each year.
52. Normal working hours are 35 worked over 5 days. Your contracted hours of work are liable to change between the hours of 8 am to 8 pm over 7 days to meet the requirements for extended day services in accordance with the terms of the Framework Agreement.