NUFFIELD ORTHOPAEDIC CENTRE
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
OXFORD GAIT LABORATORY
Physiotherapist or HCPC Professional Band 7
Fixed Term Contract: 24 months
End date: 31/3/2028.
Part-time: 18.75 hours/week
The Oxford Gait Laboratory runs a national clinical gait analysis service objectively assessing the walking ability of patients with a view to recommending surgical, therapeutic and orthotic management. The post-holder will be involved in 3D gait analysis (kinematics, kinetics, EMG, foot pressure) and the management of children with Cerebral Palsy, as well as children and adults with other neurological and orthopaedic conditions.
The successful candidate will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team including Orthopaedic Surgeons, Physiotherapists, Clinical Scientists and Clinical Technologists. They should have experience of Paediatrics and/or Neuro-Rehabilitation with an interest in teaching and research. Experience in Gait Analysis is desirable. They must have excellent time management skills, be flexible, be a strong team player, and also able to work autonomously. In return the post can offer professional development opportunities, in terms of training in Gait Analysis, as well as involvement with research, audit and clinical governance. The successful candidate may also be required to participate in the orthopaedic weekend on-call service (about one weekend every 4 months).
- Undertake clinical assessment and three-dimensional gait analysis of patients in the Gait Laboratory using advanced motion analysis technology. Interpret complex gait data in order to make therapeutic, orthotic and surgical treatment recommendations within the multi-disciplinary team.
- Demonstrate highly specialised knowledge, skills and clinical reasoning when managing children and adults with Cerebral Palsy and other neurological or orthopaedic conditions presenting with complex problems.
- Act as a source of expertise on the management of children and adults with cerebral palsy and related conditions and provide an advisory service to patients, Physiotherapists, and other health care professionals.
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.
These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel .
In 2023 NHS England launched its first sexual safety charter, and our Trust proudly signed it. We pledge zero tolerance for inappropriate sexual behaviour and commit to the ten core principles
Oxford University Hospital s promotes a safe, respectful hiring environment.
If you want to make a difference with us, come and join our team. Together, we will uphold the highest standards of care and professionalism.
Clinical
- To be professionally responsible and accountable for all aspects of your own work including management of patients in your care. To ensure a high standard of clinical care for the patients under your management and support more junior staff to do likewise.
- Undertake expert clinical examination of patients referred for gait analysis and exercise clinical judgement on the underlying pathology and selection of appropriate testing procedures.
- Undertake preparation and guidance of patients through gait data collection procedures including 3D kinematics and kinetics, EMG and video recording. Ensure validity, accuracy and consistency of data in conjunction with Bioengineer/Technologist.
- Prepare preliminary gait analysis reports for review by the multi-disciplinary team for the meeting. Interpret clinical and gait data with multi-disciplinary team and make treatment recommendations with regard to the principles of best practice in the management of movement disorders, this will include discussion of patient diagnosis, prognosis, progress, appropriate referrals for further interventions and involvement in planning long-term management strategies.
- To accept clinical responsibility, as an autonomous practitioner, for a designated caseload of patients and to organise this effectively and efficiently with regards to clinical priorities and use of time.
- Liaise with Physiotherapists and other health professionals involved in the management of patients.
- To participate in the orthopaedic weekend on-call service as a lone practitioner within the hospital site.
- Assess the patients’ and parents’ understanding of treatment proposals, gain their valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent to treatment.
- To communicate effectively with patients, parents and their carers, to maximise treatment potential and to ensure their understanding of their condition. This will include patients who may have difficulties in understanding or communicating; for example patients who have learning difficulties, behavioural problems, those experiencing difficulties accepting their diagnosis, and those who may not speak English or it is their second language.
- To provide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to patients, relatives, carers and other professionals to promote understanding of the aims of physiotherapy and to ensure a consistent approach to patient care.
- To act as a source of expertise to provide highly specialised advice on cerebral palsy and related conditions to other physiotherapists and multidisciplinary colleagues within the Trust, and nationally.
- To maintain accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date treatment records for patients, in line with professional and departmental requirements. Communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines in the form of reports or letters when appropriate.
- To be responsible for the safe and competent use of all clinical equipment and patient aids / appliances.
- To demonstrate highly developed dexterity, co-ordination and palpatory senses for assessment and manual treatment of patients
Education and Research
- Maintain and develop current knowledge of evidenced based practice, developing specialist knowledge in the field of gait analysis and the management of cerebral palsy and related conditions.
- To undertake audit/research into specific areas of clinical practice and service delivery using a range of research methodologies as part of audit and gait laboratory research initiatives. Present research at appropriate conferences/meetings. To contribute to the maintenance of the database to facilitate audit/research.
- To provide guidance and supervision to rotational physiotherapists and training staff as required.
- Be an active member of the in-service training programme by attendance at and delivery of presentations at staff meetings, internal and external courses.
- Attend annual statutory training days and be responsible for applying the learnt principles to everyday practice e.g. departmental fire evacuations, safe manual handling techniques; thereby providing a safe working environment for patients and colleagues.
Professional
- To be responsible for maintaining competency to practice through Continuing Professional Development activities and maintain a portfolio which reflects personal development. Keep abreast of developments in the profession and specialist area.
- To set high personal and professional standards of work within the CSP/Trusts clinical guidelines, National Service Frameworks (NSF) and NICE guidance and monitor own quality of practice as appropriate.
- To participate in the staff knowledge and skills framework to determine a personal development plan.
- To work autonomously on a daily basis, balancing patient related, research, audit, teaching and other professional demands.
Organisational
- Organise and participate in the weekly multi-disciplinary Interpretation meeting of the Gait Laboratory.
- To attend departmental meetings and contribute to the progress and development of the service.
- To comply with departmental and organisational policies and procedures and to be involved in proposing changes, reviewing and updating as appropriate.
- To co-ordinate patient activity between gait laboratory and paediatric physiotherapy department to promote efficient and effective management for children and adults with cerebral palsy and related conditions.
- To undertake any other duties required for the effective operation of the Gait Analysis Service.
Risk Management
The management of risk is the responsibility of everyone and will be achieved within a progressive, honest and open environment.
Staff will be provided with the necessary education, training and support to enable them to meet this responsibility.
Staff should be familiar with the
Major Incident Policy
Fire Policy
Information governance
and should make themselves familiar with the ‘local response’ plan and their role within that response.
Responsibilities for Health and Safety
The post holder is responsible for ensuring that all duties and responsibilities of this post are carried out in compliance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, Statutory Regulations and Trust Policies and Procedures. This will be supported by the provision of training and specialist advice where required.
Infection Control
Infection Control is everyone’s responsibility. All staff, both clinical and non-clinical, are required to adhere to the Trusts’ Infection Prevention and Control Policies and make every effort to maintain high standards of infection control at all times thereby reducing the burden of Healthcare Associated Infections including MRSA.
All staff employed by OUH have the following key responsibilities:
- Staff must wash their hands or use alcohol gel on entry and exit from all clinical areas and/or between each patient contact.
- Staff members have a duty to attend mandatory infection control training provided for them by the Trust.
- Staff members who develop an infection (other than common colds and illness) that may be transmittable to patients have a duty to contact Occupational Health.
Child Protection
The post holder will endeavour at all times to uphold the rights of children and young people in accordance with the UN Convention Rights of the Child.
Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults
The Trust is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults throughout the organisation. As a member of the trust there is a duty to assist in protecting patients and their families from any form of harm when they are vulnerable.
Information Governance
All staff must complete annual information governance training. If you have a Trust email account this can be completed on-line, otherwise you must attend a classroom session. For further details, go to the Information Governance intranet site.
Data Quality
Data quality is a vital element of every member of staff’s job role. Oxford University Hospitals recognises the importance of information in the provision of patient care and in reporting on its performance. Data quality is therefore crucial in ensuring complete, timely and accurate information is available in support of patient care, clinical governance, performance management, service planning, and financial and resource planning and performance.
All staff should ensure that they have read and understood the Trust’s Data Quality Policy.
