Welcome from our Chief Executive

Our organisation is expanding and we're looking for people with the right values, skills and/or potential to join us. We need people with energy, expertise, enthusiasm to help us provide the very best possible specialist NHS mental health and learning disability care. This involves helping us achieve our strategy to improve the quality of life for the communities we serve through People, Prevention and Partnerships.

So what can we offer you in return?

We're an organisation which puts people first. We'll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. We'll help you learn, acquire new skills and gain further experience to support your career development. And we'll provide the opportunity for you to bring your fresh ideas to work about how we can do things differently and continue improving.

You will also be joining a health and care system committed to working together to do the best we can for the communities we serve. Above all, at Sussex Partnership you'll have the chance to make a difference to the lives of the patients, carers and families across our communities.

If you like the sound of that, then come and join our team.

Job overview

We are looking for a Physiotherapist to join our lively and supportive Community Learning Disability Service in beautiful East Sussex. This role would ideally suit a practitioner with experience across a range of areas, with a desire to deliver a high-quality service to people with disabilities. The post holder will be based in Hastings working with a caseload of adults with physical and learning disabilities.

Experience in learning disabilities is not essential but a broad range of skills in similar areas such as neurology, community rehabilitation and or paediatrics is required.Due to the specialist nature of the role and broad range of care pathways we offer, support and CPD will be provided to develop skills gaps.

By joining our team, you will benefit from:

• Strong supportive teams with dedicated supportive leaders
• Excellent CPD opportunities
• A service that works to develop clear evidence-based care pathways

To protect the health and safety of our staff/workers, patients, and those attending our sites, we encourage our workforce to get fully vaccinated against COVID

Main duties of the job

You will be supported by a band 7 physiotherapist working alongside you to manage a varied caseload across a range of care pathways including, postural care, mobility and falls, respiratory and rehabilitation. As well as direct interventions, most of our physiotherapy is delivered by increasing the skills and competencies of people's support systems and working on long term prevention strategies.

Your work will involve being a role model within the Worthing multi-disciplinary team and you will have support from and work collaboratively within the physiotherapy professional group which spans the whole of Sussex.

You will be collaborating across services to deliver results. As an integrated team we work closely with colleagues in Social care, Primary Care, Children's services and other specialist secondary services.

This is a great opportunity to use the skills you have developed across a broad range of care pathways working in the community.

Working for our organisation

Sussex Partnership provides mental health and learning disability care for all age groups across Sussex and for children and young people in Hampshire.

We encourage flexible working. We know that a positive work/ life balance brings about huge health-related benefits, which has a positive impact on the care we provide. Please speak to us about flexible working, for example, part time hours, flexible start/ finish times or anything else. If it works for you and works for the role, we'll do our best to make it happen.

We'd love you to join our Trust, rated 'good' overall and 'outstanding' for caring by the CQC. Our staff agree, in our recent staff survey 82% told us that they recognise that care for patients is our top priority.

Other key survey results:

• 70% highlighting flexible working as a key point for satisfaction at work
• 79% reporting feeling able to make suggestions to improve the work in their team
• 77% identifying opportunities to show initiative in their roles

Detailed job description and main responsibilities
REQUIREMENTS

In order to be a successful Physiotherapist in our team you will be:

• A qualified Physiotherapist, registered with the HCPC
• Experienced in a broad range of areas (e.g. neurology, community rehabilitation and or paediatrics)
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced and varied role

It would also be advantageous if you are:

• Experienced working in Learning Disability services

Person specification

Qualifications
Essential criteria

• Degree or graduate diploma in Physiotherapy
• Level 2 English qualification or equivalent
• Registered with the Health Care Professions Council

Knowledge
Essential criteria

• Knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act and issues of consent in learning Disabilities.
• Knowledge of current national good practice documents relating to People with Learning Disabilities.
• Knowledge of the health inequalities that people with Learning Disabilities face.
• Knowledge of good practice for 24 hour posture management
• Knowledge of current good practice in the prevention of falls
• Knowledge of good practice in manual handling
• Knowledge of adjuncts to Physiotherapy e.g. orthotics and medication
• Knowledge of some common conditions in Learning Disabilities
• Knowledge of benefits of Aquatic Therapy

Experience
Essential criteria

• Experience of working as part of an MDT
• Experience of working in a range of related areas e.g. neurological, paediatric, elderly, falls and mobility

Sussex Partnership NHS FT is committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our communities. Our workforce is currently under-represented from Black and Minority, Ethnic and disabled communities and we would welcome applications from these communities.

We regret that we are unable to advise candidates if they have not been shortlisted. If you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date please assume that you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

In the event of an excessive number of applicants the Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy earlier than indicated.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust takes its responsibilities for the safeguarding and protection of children and young people and vulnerable adults very seriously and expects this of all its employees and bank workers. The Trust works with adult and children's social care to ensure that the integrated service has systems in place to equip staff and bank workers with the knowledge and skills to recognize abuse, and take action to safeguard and protect vulnerable adults and children and young people. It is expected that all staff and bank workers familiarise themselves with the appropriate structures and policies and with the Sussex child protection and safeguarding procedures and the Sussex multi-agency policy and procedures for safeguarding vulnerable adults and undertake the relevant essential training and further training appropriate to their role.

Successful candidates are normally offered salaries at the bottom of the relevant salary range. However, where previous or equivalent NHS experience in a similar role can be demonstrated and evidenced, this may be taken into consideration when setting the starting salary.