Title: Physiotherapist Consultant
Reports To: Field Representative/Psychotherapist trainer
Country of Assignment: Gulu, Uganda
Department: International Services
Employment Type: Consultancy
Last Reviewed: January 2022
Summary: To provide physiotherapy services in within Gulu district to individuals, groups and communities to recover from physical difficulties resulting from the effects of torture and war trauma. To assist the rehabilitation process by developing and restoring body awareness, self-regulation, and body systems, in particular the neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and respiratory systems resulting from the effects of torture and/or war trauma under daily supervision of clinicians; provide training to other health professionals and advocate on behalf of CVT. This position will be based in CVT Gulu’s office.
Key Responsibilities:
- Provide appropriate physiotherapy assessment to clients throughout their episode of care at CVT in order to continuously evaluate their progress and their changing needs for intervention and establish treatment goals and plan.
- Determine appropriate treatment techniques for war trauma and torture survivors based on solid clinical reasoning. Interventions could include education, exercise therapy and manual therapy in the context of group work or within individual sessions.
- Educate and advise clients and their care takers about prevention and/or self-management of their condition.
- Take responsibility for maintaining professional development by keeping up to date with evidence-based practice for managing CVT clients.
- Assist in the daily clinical operations to ensure clients are given appointments in a timely manner, group work activities and room designation is scheduled and coordinated fairly, equipment is shared and organized appropriately and follow other CVT client procedures.
- Maintain up- to- date clinical records and statistical data and ensure that all required documentation is completed and stored in a timely and professional manner.
- Ensure that all work with clients observes CVT’s confidentiality policies and that ethical practices are observed at all times and are in accordance with the World Physiotherapy (WP) standards.
- Provide interpretation between clients and other CVT staff members and assist with translating written material when needed.
- Ensure the cleanliness of treatment spaces and equipment used with clients as well as maintain a clean, professional appearance.
- Attend all regularly scheduled trainings and meetings necessary for professional development and team coordination and upon request.
- When necessary to accommodate programmatic needs, work after hours or on weekend days when requested.
Multidisciplinary teamwork:
- Case manage clients’ interdisciplinary care through regular communication with CVT’s psychosocial counselors (PSCs), Psychosocial Trainers and social workers to best identify clients’ on-going needs.
- Consistently communicate prior to and throughout client sessions with other disciplines to supply and receive relevant information about the background and progress of clients as well as refer those who require other specific medical attention.
- Provide and attend internal trainings to orient new staff and provide on-going interdisciplinary understanding and discussion.
- Recognize and respect boundaries between disciplines and establish regular communication mechanisms to address client urgent and/or on-going concerns.
Rehabilitation needs:
- Assist with CVTs community outreach and awareness, education, and sensitization campaigns and programs when needed.
- Liaise with CVT PSCs to identify men and women whose physical functioning may have been affected by war related experiences and encourage them to approach CVT for support.
- Contribute to completing the documentation and reporting of external trainings.
- Assist with developing referral systems and encourage collaboration between local groups and leaders, local and international NGOs, and government ministries.
Administrative Management of CVT clients
- Recommend and work with CVT PSCs on client transport reimbursement and any other commodities as approved by CVT in timely manner.
- Ensure and adhere to all set Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) with regard to the client and to COVID-19
- Work with the PSCs to ensure Submission of accountability on timely basis as per the SOPs.
- Responsible for proper filing of all client assessment forms on weekly basis where applicable.
Promote self-care through support and supervision:
- Attend regular support, debriefing, case conferences, and/or supervision meetings to ensure information and skill-sharing.
- Set and follow through on a personal self-care schedule to avoid burnout and vicarious traumatization.
- Recognize and seek support when needed from internal and/or external resources to address concerns of secondary trauma in an expedient manner.
- Provide formal feedback to colleagues when requested for on-going performance evaluation and development.
Other Duties:
o Ensure good internal and external communication with all stake holders including CVT Field Representative, PSCs, physio trainer supervisors, etc.
o Participate in other program and organization-wide activities, meetings and trainings.
o Complete administrative responsibilities.
o Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
o University Degree in physiotherapy.
o Higher Diploma in orthopedic manual therapy is preferred.
o 5 or more years of relevant experience.
Required education, experience, certificates, licenses or registrations
· Certification or licensure as a Physiotherapist with Uganda Association of Physiotherapy and Allied Health Professionals Council.
· University Degree in physiotherapy.
· 5 or more years of relevant experience**
- Registered by Uganda Association of Physiotherapy
Preferred education, experience, certificates, licenses or registrations
· Experience working in Humanitarian work
Competencies (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities)
- Computer literacy in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook).
- Excellent Oral and written communication skills in English & Luo.
- Excellent interpersonal skill.
- Strong Organizational and analytical skills.
- Ability to work independently and as a team member.
- Has current certificate of practice Allied Health Professionals Council.
· Demonstrated flexibility to adapt to changing requirements and needs.
· Knowledge of local dialect is desirable.
· Experience working in local and regional contexts and knowledge of local area and community structures desirable.
· Able to work in a stressful environment
Supervisory Responsibilities: n/a**
Work Environment:
· Typical office environment on office days
· Occasional early departure or late return from the field
Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to sit; stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. This position requires the ability to occasionally lift office products and supplies, of 10 to 15 pounds.
Travel: Occasional travels outside of duty station.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions