Job Description: Physiotherapist

JOB DESCRIPTION: PHYSIOTHERAPIST

Name:

Responsible to: Ultimately - Board of Trustees for Governance

- Principal for Management

Directly - Therapy Team Leader

- Deputy Principal

Purpose of Position: To provide an effective and integrated physiotherapy service for pupils at Oaklynn

Special School, their families and carers so that the student achieves maximum physical

potential enabling him/her to achieve optimum participation in the educational process

and all areas of daily living.

Functional Relationships:

Primary: * students

* teachers

* teacher aides

* parents, caregivers and whanau

* Deputy Principals

* Therapists, Specialists

Other: * professionals and services providing specialised equipment, e.g. Orthotics, Accessable,

company representatives

* medical personnel, e.g. GP, Medical Officer, specialists

* other health service providers, e.g. Needs Assessors, Paediatric Home Health Care

workers

* other therapists working in education and health

* GSE, MOE Sp Ed. relevant government departments and voluntary agencies

Dimension / Process / Performance Expectations
·  Physiotherapy role / ·  Establish each student’s functional status, need for physiotherapy intervention and method of therapy delivery
·  Instigate and/or provide suitable intervention strategies and evaluate programme effectiveness on an ongoing basis. / ·  Assess each student’s functional status using appropriate assessment procedures
·  Establish and prioritise realistic short and long term goals for students with physiotherapy needs and review these on a regular basis
·  Provide hands-on therapy using appropriate physiotherapy techniques where the need is identified
·  Assess the need and apply for appropriate equipment for students, including wheelchairs, specialised seating, walking aids and orthotics
·  Provide support to students and their families and/or caregivers with the provision of home management programmes and post-operative care, where the need is identified
·  Keep accurate and up-to-date records of assessment and progress in accordance with standards of practice NZSP
·  Attend specialist’s clinics/liaise with the medical profession as requested
·  Liaise regularly with other professionals as needed
·  Classroom Management / ·  Integrate the physiotherapy process in the classroom setting to improve access to the education curriculum
·  Develop perceptual motor and other physical skills development programmes for those students who need them in conjunction with classroom teachers / ·  Contribute to the IEP from a motor function perspective to support the learning outcomes for students.
·  Assists and train teachers and other staff in the physical management of students and their equipment in the classroom environment, with the aim to enhance performance and allow access to the curriculum
·  Contribute to the trans-disciplinary team to promote an integrated school programme
·  Develop lifting and transferring plans for students, as needed
Dimension / Process / Performance Expectations
·  Teaching Role / ·  Increase awareness of correct handling techniques for the safety of pupils and staff
·  Share knowledge with other professionals.
·  Supervise and monitor programme delivery.
·  Assist and work with parents /caregivers to provide programmes in the home. / ·  Instruct staff on lifting procedures and back care
·  Instruct staff on correct use of wheelchairs and specialised seating
·  Assist with teaching disability awareness and related appropriate subjects as requested by teaching staff
·  Instruct staff on correct handling/positioning
·  Share skills and knowledge with transdisciplinary team members.
·  Instruct team members on therapy and programme delivery
·  Support parents/ caregivers to provide physical therapy in the home, where requested
·  Professional Development / ·  Improve and update professional knowledge, particularly in relation to current client need / ·  Participate in ongoing education by attending in-services, conferences, visiting colleagues, professional liaison, reading
·  Contribution to wider school activities / ·  Participate in the life at the school / ·  Actively support and assist with organisation and/or implementation of corporate activities
·  Have knowledge of school policies and be involved in review and development of these as appropriate

Signed: ______(Physiotherapist)

______(Principal)

Date: ______

June 2015