Senior Principal Physiotherapist, Head Physiotherapy

Woodlands Health (WH) envisions personalised and quality healthcare for the community of the future. It will co-develop and integrate services with community stakeholders and extend care beyond the hospital into the community and homes.

The Physiotherapist helps patients restore mobility, function and independence through detailed assessment of problems and individualized treatment. Physiotherapists manage a wide range of conditions, with expertise in mobilization techniques and manual therapy, exercise prescription, electrotherapy, balance and gait training, and education on health promoting strategies.

The Physiotherapist works within the context of a multi-disciplinary team. Examples include collaboration with Sports Medicine Physicians to address sports-related injuries and Geriatricians in the rehabilitation of geriatric patients. A Physiotherapist must ensure a high standard of clinical practice and professional conduct in all areas of patient care, and proactively participate in continuous professional development and evidence-based practice.

As a Principal Physiotherapist, he/she should have extensive experience and knowledge in the area of inpatient, outpatient, community and preventive care. The therapist will have advanced expertise and knowledge in the area that he/she is specializing in. The Principal Physiotherapist should have a comprehensive understanding and insights into departmental and hospital operations and directions. He/she should also be able to initiate and oversee the planning, implementation and execution of new services and initiatives.

RESPONSIBILITIES

In Physiotherapy services, the Principal Physiotherapist must have the general clinical competences below (though not exclusive to this list) and had attained the specific area of competency for their specialty area. Depending on current rotation, the Principal Physiotherapist must have the expertise in the  management of patients in one of these disciplines:

1. Orthopedics
2. Sports
3. Neurology/ Neurosurgery
4. Cardiopulmonary
5. Chronic Disease Management
6. Geriatrics
7. Musculoskeletal
8. Women’s Health and Lymphoedema
9. Pediatrics
10. Others

He/she must be independent in the assessment, diagnosis, and management of complex cases and know when to seek guidance proactively when required.

The Principal Physiotherapist will be recognized in his/her specialty as a specialist in his/her own field. He/she will be able to manage and assess walk-in patients as first-line practitioners for their specialty area. He/she must be able to handle complex cases and know when to request for a second opinion.

1. General Competency
   1. Demonstrates in-depth understanding of the related areas pertaining to his/her area of specialty
   2. Demonstrates in-depth understanding of general operational aspects of the department and hospital
   3. Initiatives in area-related processes and improvement projects
   4. Initiates the planning, implementation and execution of new services, and initiatives within a multi-disciplinary team
   5. Demonstrates research and literature critique skills
   6. Possesses qualities of integrity.
   7. Possesses supervisory, coaching and mentorship skills
   8. Demonstrates effective leadership skills in projects and teams
   9. Demonstrates ability to trouble-shoot and problem-solve

2. Specific Skills and Competency
   1. Possesses advance knowledge, skills and clinical reasoning in specific area
   2. Possesses ability to develop and facilitate rehabilitative intervention plans and strategies
   3. Demonstrates ability to identify and plan the training needs of the team
   4. Possesses the ability to identify and source on advancement in research and technology pertaining to the relevant area

Administrative Competencies and Duties

1. In the course of provision of Physiotherapy services, staff must:
   1. Develop skills and competency in self-management and compliance to medico-legal and governance guidelines
   2. Be responsible for the department and individual caseload
   3. Plan and allocate manpower resource and coverage based on departmental needs
   4. Maintain accurate, up-to-date medical records in continuity of care
   5. Ensure team compliance to hospital policies
   6. Capitalize on hospital technology (e.g. IT applications) to improve departmental processes and workflows
   7. Maintain and monitor departmental and hospital KPIs
   8. Coordinate processes and flows within teams which includes understanding each area’s operations
   9. Plan and develop services under the guidance of the Supervisor/ Manager
   10. Assist in the regulation of the finances and workload of the physiotherapy section to ensure cost-effectiveness and productivity
   11. Assist to evaluate manpower needs and assist in the recruitment of new staff
   12. Set directions for sub-team development with considerations to SWOT analysis and directions set by the Supervisor/ Manager and above
   13. Deputize in the absence of Supervisor/ Manage
   14. Handle patient feedback and media enquiries
   15. Initiate and lead team/ departmental projects
   16. Propose and formalize SOPs and policies in line with new development

Demonstration of Teamwork and Professionalism

1. Principal Physiotherapists are members of the multi-disciplinary team. Staff must:
   1. Demonstrate esprit de corps and professionalism to ensure that the desired outcomes are attained
   2. Engage actively and lead the team in patient and care-giver education
   3. Be proactive in assisting Supervisor/ Manager in managing team workload and coverage
   4. Assist or lead departmental meetings, ward rounds and other professional meetings
   5. Liaise and maintain good working relations with other healthcare professionals within the hospital and with external organizations
   6. Develop good relationships with and awareness within junior and senior surgeons/ doctors in specific area
   7. Demonstrate/ portray professional behaviour including respect for patient privacy, personal hygiene and to be a role model to subordinates
   8. Delegate responsibilities appropriately and monitor progress
   9. Lead the team to adhere to the policies and procedures of the Hospital and Department
   10. Mentor/coach JG14 and below in their roles within hospital/ department activities e.g. Fitness Challenge/ Community Day/ Hospital activities as and when required

Supervisory Role

• Supervise JG 14/15 and below in their supervisory and clinical skills.
• Supervision of the junior staff in the work group
• Be involved in the appraisal of JG 14/15 and below.
• Supervise students (Year 1/2/3) and mentor JG 14/15 and below in their clinical educator roles.
• Guide area-specific patient education, in-service education

Quality Improvement

• Mentor and guide others to adhere to patient quality service.
• Mentor and guide others to contribute actively to departmental or other service quality improvements projects and initiatives.
• Physiotherapist/ Manager, seek advice and provide feedback on service delivery and improvement.

Leadership Role

Manage Services & Resources

• Lead and manage complex relationships and different positions of multiple stakeholders at institution/ cluster/national level e.g. steer advanced service development at institution

Clinical

• Steer clinical standards/development of specialized services for profession at cluster/national level

• Plan and develop specialized centres/ programmes / clinics for institution/cluster in conjunction with stakeholders

Operational

• Demonstrates in-depth understanding of general operational aspects of the department, institution and cluster
• Coordinate processes and flow within and between teams/departments, which includes understanding each area’s operations and how they can be optimized 
• Demonstrate esprit de corps and professionalism to ensure that the desired outcomes are attained
• Provide after hours and on-call therapist services as required
• Oversee/mentor staff for care and maintenance of equipment, materials and resources in the Department/ Hospital
• Deputize in the absence of Supervisor/Head
• Plan and allocate manpower resource and coverage based on departmental needs
• Assist to evaluate manpower needs and recruitment of new staff, in consultation with the Physiotherapy Head
• Assist in the regulation of the finances and workload of the physiotherapy section to ensure cost-effectiveness and productivity
• Propose and formalize SWIs and policies in line with new service developments
• Capitalize on hospital technology (e.g. IT applications) to improve departmental processes and workflows
• Maintain and monitor institution/cluster KPIs
• Report KPIs trend and analysis to Senior Principal Physiotherapist/Head, seek advice and provide feedback on service delivery and improvement
• Assist in planning and organisation of broad range of areas at division/ institution/ cluster

•             Chair clinical/operational meetings, including inter-hospital/ cluster initiatives

Coaching

•             Supervise and mentor JG 15 and below staff in their supervisory skills

•             Be involved in the appraisal and development of JG 15 and below staff

Collaboration & Communication

• Lead complex programs/ projects and influence policy and decision making within broad networks and partnerships at institution/ cluster/ national levels (cross-organisation/ sector) to achieve organisational goals and meet population health needs.

Plan Influence and lead change

• Lead strategically to drive/ transform change within profession/ broader healthcare context (i.e. institution/ cluster/  national) to develop organisation policy and practice, design and develop new/ emerging service models/ technologies to meet population health needs/ future demands
• Identify future patient care needs and develop strategies within profession/cluster to meet those needs
• Steer and facilitate leadership development in education, research, and innovation
• Work with education, research and innovation leads to align developments in these pillars with direction of future care needs