Job summary
The @home service provides the Urgent Community Response for the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark. It is also delivers a core part of the Virtual Ward offer for Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. The therapy that is provided by @Home is a key part of the high quality and care and treatment we provide to our patients to support patients to stay in their own homes and avoid admission to hospital. The role of Therapy Lead is key to maintaining and further developing this offer and high standards.
The successful candidate will work as a key part of the senior management team within the service, they will work closely with the other Therapy Lead, Clinical Matrons and Leads with the team. The Post holder will have daily operational and clinical responsibilities alongside a management role to develop junior staff in their roles and to drive the overall development and evolution of the @Home service.
Main duties of the job
Job Summary
- To be accountable for the line management, supervision, training, support and leadership of Band 7 therapists and below within the team, including being responsible for supporting, learning and development.
- To be part of the senior management team taking responsibility for the day to day operational management and clinical leadership of their area of responsibility including the multidisciplinary team.
- To work clinically across the service combining operational duties with leadership responsibilities.
- To provide leadership, communication and liaison with hospital and other community health and social care teams to ensure that the @home pathways are as streamline and efficient as possible.
- To ensure effective operational processes and clinical protocols related to @home and in particular to therapy are in place.
- To be a source of high quality specialist clinical expertise and advise on and be consulted on a daily basis by the multi-disciplinary team and professionals working in external agencies.
- To provide clinical leadership and support to the multidisciplinary team in order to promote high standards of clinical practice across the service.
- To lead on specific areas of clinical practice development, governance, service improvement and care pathway development across the acute- community interface and across organisations.
- The post-holder will be expected to deliver at least 50% of direct clinical care as part of the role
About us
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK's best known hospitals - Guy's, St Thomas', Evelina London Children's Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield - as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation.
We are among the UK's busiest, most successful foundation trusts. We provide specialist care for patients including heart and lung, cancer and renal services as well as a full range of local hospital and community services for people in Lambeth and Southwark.
We have around 22,700 staff, making us one of the largest NHS Trusts in the country and one of the biggest employers locally. We aim to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and continue to develop new and existing partnerships with local people, patients, and neighbouring NHS organisations, local authorities and charitable bodies and GPs.
We strive to recruit and retain the best staff as the dedication and skills of our employees lie at the heart of our organisation and ensure that our services are of the highest quality, safe and focused on our patients.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Professional / Clinical responsibilities
- To be professionally and legally responsible for own practice and
- accountable for all aspects of treatment delivered to the patient/client and to ensure a high standard of clinical care. To support the staff to do likewise.
- To work as an autonomous lone practitioner, case managing patients/clients in the community.
- To work as part of the team involved with day to day planning of the care delivered by the multidisciplinary workforce to all patients/clients on the team caseload, ensuring the co-ordination of care with relevant team members is provided promptly and to a high standard.
- To carry out timely assessments, therapeutic interventions and rehabilitation of community patients/clients to prevent hospital admission or re-admission and facilitate early discharge home from hospital.
- To be competent in using a wide variety of highly specialised assessment and treatment approaches in adults with a range of conditions, including those with severe physical and cognitive impairment in order to formulate treatment plans, maximise rehabilitation potential and set goals.
- To be able to analyse and interpret complex clinical and social information from a range of sources.
- To be able to identify significant health changes that would warrant medical intervention and liaise with the relevant practitioner.
- To evaluate patient/clients clinical intervention and rehabilitation progress using appropriate outcome measures and evaluation tools.
- To adapt care plans as needed and delegate rehabilitation tasks appropriately.
- To demonstrate highly developed therapeutic handling skills requiring dexterity, co-ordination and palpatory skills for accurate assessment, treatment and moving and handling of clients.
- To educate patient/clients, carers and family members on their therapy/rehabilitation intervention.
- Be able to assess and manage clinical, physical and/or environmental risk. To adhere to incident reporting procedures and to support the staff to do likewise.
- To support patients/clients with their medication management within the scope of practice, and trust guidelines and competencies.
- To act as lead health professional for patients/clients when required. This may include initiating and co-ordinating multi-disciplinary/multi- agency meetings, liaising with clients/families and onward referrals to other professionals/agencies.
- To be responsible for ensuring that I and all team members carry out assessment, analysis of findings and formulation and delivery of care plans for a wide range of patients including those with highly complex presentations, ensuring that clients and/or carers are involved in decision making and care planning where possible.
- To ensure patients are cared for by myself and my team through the highest level of clincial competence and best practice.
- To shadow and supervise staff providing therapies or rehabilitation to patients/clients of the @home service in a community setting and to regularly audit/ review the service provided by staff.
- To work to standards set by the Trust, relevant professional body and national standards e.g. National Service Frameworks.
- To continually update clinical practice in accordance with current research, evidence-based guidelines, audit results and government legislation.
- To assess patients/clients needs for any rehabilitative equipment and aids to improve safety and functioning within the home. To educate carers, family members and other agencies in the use of the equipment.
- To maintain accurate and up to date individual patient records and ensure safekeeping and confidentiality of these records.
- To respect an individuals ethnicity and cultural and religious beliefs.
- To work as a lone practitioner and at times in conjunction with team colleagues, across a variety of locations within the community to meet the individual needs of the multi-cultural population in inner city areas.
- To work as an autonomous practitioner complying with the standards set by the regulatory body (Health and Care Professions Council), professional body (e.g. Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and Royal College of Occupational Therapy), government, Trust and department; thereby being professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own work and to meet the requirements for professional registration
Department and staff organisation:
Work in collaboration with fellow Therapy Lead and other colleagues across the @home service on a daily basis. Respond to decisions ensuring an appropriate skill mix in relation to activity and acuity. Manage and report any risk issues to the Service Manager/Clinical Lead.
Management and Leadership
- Ensure therapy rostering, and as required, MDT rostering, meets service demands, is cost effective and adheres to trust guidelines.
- Review and agree any bank and agency requirements and usage with the Service Manager/Service Lead.
- Empower staff to perform their roles effectively.
- Plan and implement induction programmes for new members of the @Home therapy team.
- Participate in the interviewing and selection of members of the multidisciplinary team and be responsible for the recruitment and selection of @Home therapy staff.
- Work collaboratively with other therapy teams.
- Hold regular meetings with staff and be responsible for their supervision and appraisal. This includes setting objectives, problem solving, personal development plans, identifying training needs and providing leadership and support.
- Oversee the process of continuous performance review of staff in the service.
- Actively support the Service Lead, and where appropriate lead in planning and implementing service development activities. To contribute to, and take the lead where appropriate, the development/review of policies and guidelines relevant to the team.
- Contribute to the strategic planning and development of the @home service across the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark.
- Assist in the local integration and implementation of national and local NHS policy changes.
- Monitor, advise and support staff with documentation and other clinical practice.
- Adhere to Professional, Departmental and Trust standards of practice, policies and procedures e.g. complaints and incident reporting.
- Manage and respond to complaints and adverse incidents.
- Undertake root cause analysis and develop action plans, ensuring that this leads to change in practice.
- Engage and build positive working relationships with GP practices and primary care services.
Communication
- To demonstrate excellent verbal and non-verbal communication with clients, carers and families who may have a range of physical disabilities or other barriers to understanding.
- To work in a client-centred approach, jointly formulating treatment programmes and appointments.
- To communicate highly complex, sensitive and sometimes unwelcome information to clients, carers, families and other professionals. To demonstrate compassion, empathy and sensitivity.
- To develop and maintain effective communication links and working relationships with all members of the multi-disciplinary team and external agencies.
- To offer specialist advice and communicate detailed, timely and accurate written reports, therapy and rehabilitation programmes and verbal information regarding a clients management to clients/carers and agencies, including other health professionals, GPs, social services and voluntary organisations.
- To lead clinical meetings and reviews with medical colleagues and members of the multidisciplinary team, and negotiate when various patient management options are available.
- To represent the service within the trust and to external agencies regularly.
- To resolve written and verbal complaints and be well versed wit the trusts formal complaint procedure within the specialist area, in conjunction with the management team.
- To promote the role of the service within the trust and local communities.
- To cascade corporate strategic ideas and information to all staff within designated area, whilst being sensitive to their level of understanding and prior knowledge.
Education, Training & Mentorship
- To plan, organise and deliver training to members of the multi-disciplinary team and external agencies.
- To be involved in the education and development of all staff within the team and related health and social care staff.
- To be involved in competency frameworks for the staff.
- To provide highly specialist training and presentations relating to clinical field or service area across the multidisciplinary team and to external audiences. This may be to large groups and may include Consultants, social workers, care home staff, GPs and nurses.
Audit, Benchmarking & Research
- To participate or lead on audit, research and data collection as required.
- To monitor the quality of services offered by the team and identify areas of development and to implement an action plan to address these with the support of the Service Lead.
Personal & Professional Development
- To work within local and national clinical operational standards and guidelines.
- To maintain and update knowledge and skills in line with personal development plans and appraisal.
- To use evidence-based practice to develop and maintain a high quality, clinically effective and cost-effective service.
- To participate in self-appraisals and performance reviews.
- To be responsible for own professional growth and development. To attend relevant post-graduate training courses.
- To maintain a CPD portfolio reflecting personal professional development in line with Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) competencies.
- To identify and be responsible for own training needs as well as identifying team training needs and supporting the development of others.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Professional / Clinical responsibilities
- To be professionally and legally responsible for own practice and
- accountable for all aspects of treatment delivered to the patient/client and to ensure a high standard of clinical care. To support the staff to do likewise.
- To work as an autonomous lone practitioner, case managing patients/clients in the community.
- To work as part of the team involved with day to day planning of the care delivered by the multidisciplinary workforce to all patients/clients on the team caseload, ensuring the co-ordination of care with relevant team members is provided promptly and to a high standard.
- To carry out timely assessments, therapeutic interventions and rehabilitation of community patients/clients to prevent hospital admission or re-admission and facilitate early discharge home from hospital.
- To be competent in using a wide variety of highly specialised assessment and treatment approaches in adults with a range of conditions, including those with severe physical and cognitive impairment in order to formulate treatment plans, maximise rehabilitation potential and set goals.
- To be able to analyse and interpret complex clinical and social information from a range of sources.
- To be able to identify significant health changes that would warrant medical intervention and liaise with the relevant practitioner.
- To evaluate patient/clients clinical intervention and rehabilitation progress using appropriate outcome measures and evaluation tools.
- To adapt care plans as needed and delegate rehabilitation tasks appropriately.
- To demonstrate highly developed therapeutic handling skills requiring dexterity, co-ordination and palpatory skills for accurate assessment, treatment and moving and handling of clients.
- To educate patient/clients, carers and family members on their therapy/rehabilitation intervention.
- Be able to assess and manage clinical, physical and/or environmental risk. To adhere to incident reporting procedures and to support the staff to do likewise.
- To support patients/clients with their medication management within the scope of practice, and trust guidelines and competencies.
- To act as lead health professional for patients/clients when required. This may include initiating and co-ordinating multi-disciplinary/multi- agency meetings, liaising with clients/families and onward referrals to other professionals/agencies.
- To be responsible for ensuring that I and all team members carry out assessment, analysis of findings and formulation and delivery of care plans for a wide range of patients including those with highly complex presentations, ensuring that clients and/or carers are involved in decision making and care planning where possible.
- To ensure patients are cared for by myself and my team through the highest level of clincial competence and best practice.
- To shadow and supervise staff providing therapies or rehabilitation to patients/clients of the @home service in a community setting and to regularly audit/ review the service provided by staff.
- To work to standards set by the Trust, relevant professional body and national standards e.g. National Service Frameworks.
- To continually update clinical practice in accordance with current research, evidence-based guidelines, audit results and government legislation.
- To assess patients/clients needs for any rehabilitative equipment and aids to improve safety and functioning within the home. To educate carers, family members and other agencies in the use of the equipment.
- To maintain accurate and up to date individual patient records and ensure safekeeping and confidentiality of these records.
- To respect an individuals ethnicity and cultural and religious beliefs.
- To work as a lone practitioner and at times in conjunction with team colleagues, across a variety of locations within the community to meet the individual needs of the multi-cultural population in inner city areas.
- To work as an autonomous practitioner complying with the standards set by the regulatory body (Health and Care Professions Council), professional body (e.g. Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and Royal College of Occupational Therapy), government, Trust and department; thereby being professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own work and to meet the requirements for professional registration
Department and staff organisation:
Work in collaboration with fellow Therapy Lead and other colleagues across the @home service on a daily basis. Respond to decisions ensuring an appropriate skill mix in relation to activity and acuity. Manage and report any risk issues to the Service Manager/Clinical Lead.
Management and Leadership
- Ensure therapy rostering, and as required, MDT rostering, meets service demands, is cost effective and adheres to trust guidelines.
- Review and agree any bank and agency requirements and usage with the Service Manager/Service Lead.
- Empower staff to perform their roles effectively.
- Plan and implement induction programmes for new members of the @Home therapy team.
- Participate in the interviewing and selection of members of the multidisciplinary team and be responsible for the recruitment and selection of @Home therapy staff.
- Work collaboratively with other therapy teams.
- Hold regular meetings with staff and be responsible for their supervision and appraisal. This includes setting objectives, problem solving, personal development plans, identifying training needs and providing leadership and support.
- Oversee the process of continuous performance review of staff in the service.
- Actively support the Service Lead, and where appropriate lead in planning and implementing service development activities. To contribute to, and take the lead where appropriate, the development/review of policies and guidelines relevant to the team.
- Contribute to the strategic planning and development of the @home service across the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark.
- Assist in the local integration and implementation of national and local NHS policy changes.
- Monitor, advise and support staff with documentation and other clinical practice.
- Adhere to Professional, Departmental and Trust standards of practice, policies and procedures e.g. complaints and incident reporting.
- Manage and respond to complaints and adverse incidents.
- Undertake root cause analysis and develop action plans, ensuring that this leads to change in practice.
- Engage and build positive working relationships with GP practices and primary care services.
Communication
- To demonstrate excellent verbal and non-verbal communication with clients, carers and families who may have a range of physical disabilities or other barriers to understanding.
- To work in a client-centred approach, jointly formulating treatment programmes and appointments.
- To communicate highly complex, sensitive and sometimes unwelcome information to clients, carers, families and other professionals. To demonstrate compassion, empathy and sensitivity.
- To develop and maintain effective communication links and working relationships with all members of the multi-disciplinary team and external agencies.
- To offer specialist advice and communicate detailed, timely and accurate written reports, therapy and rehabilitation programmes and verbal information regarding a clients management to clients/carers and agencies, including other health professionals, GPs, social services and voluntary organisations.
- To lead clinical meetings and reviews with medical colleagues and members of the multidisciplinary team, and negotiate when various patient management options are available.
- To represent the service within the trust and to external agencies regularly.
- To resolve written and verbal complaints and be well versed wit the trusts formal complaint procedure within the specialist area, in conjunction with the management team.
- To promote the role of the service within the trust and local communities.
- To cascade corporate strategic ideas and information to all staff within designated area, whilst being sensitive to their level of understanding and prior knowledge.
Education, Training & Mentorship
- To plan, organise and deliver training to members of the multi-disciplinary team and external agencies.
- To be involved in the education and development of all staff within the team and related health and social care staff.
- To be involved in competency frameworks for the staff.
- To provide highly specialist training and presentations relating to clinical field or service area across the multidisciplinary team and to external audiences. This may be to large groups and may include Consultants, social workers, care home staff, GPs and nurses.
Audit, Benchmarking & Research
- To participate or lead on audit, research and data collection as required.
- To monitor the quality of services offered by the team and identify areas of development and to implement an action plan to address these with the support of the Service Lead.
Personal & Professional Development
- To work within local and national clinical operational standards and guidelines.
- To maintain and update knowledge and skills in line with personal development plans and appraisal.
- To use evidence-based practice to develop and maintain a high quality, clinically effective and cost-effective service.
- To participate in self-appraisals and performance reviews.
- To be responsible for own professional growth and development. To attend relevant post-graduate training courses.
- To maintain a CPD portfolio reflecting personal professional development in line with Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) competencies.
- To identify and be responsible for own training needs as well as identifying team training needs and supporting the development of others.
Person Specification
Qualifications/ Education
Essential
- Recognised Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy degree qualification or equivalent
- Masters degree or equivalent qualification/training and experience
Desirable
- Member of relevant Clinical Interest Group e.g. COT-SS Older People, AGILE
- Recognised post-graduate qualification in specialist clinical area
- Registration or willingness to register as a member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists or Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
Professional/ Statutory Registration
Essential
- Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration
Previous experience
Essential
- Demonstrate previous success in leading, delivering change and performance with and through therapy and multidisciplinary clinical teams, by engaging them in service development and delivery plans, establishing clear work priorities effective delegation, ensuring a capability to deliver, monitor performance and give feedback
- Proven ability to analyse complex problems, to develop and successfully implement practical and workable solutions to address them, and to think and plan operationally, tactically and creatively, and prioritise work priorities in the face of competing demands.
- Extensive postgraduate experience across a range of clinical areas
- Specialist therapy/ rehabilitation experience at Band 7 level
- Clinical experience in all the core Band 6 rotational areas: neurology, orthopaedics, respiratory, and care of the elderly
Desirable
- Evidence of training in management skills and experience of managing budgets
Skills/Knowledge/ Ability
Essential
- Ability to use an evidence- based approach including clinical outcome measures to evaluate outcomes
- Ability to work as an autonomous practitioner and to make sound clinical judgements and decisions regarding patient care and to be responsible and accountable for decisions made
- Ability to manage a complex and constantly changing workload of clinical and non-clinical duties demonstrating excellent time management, prioritisation and organisational skills. Ability to facilitate these skills in others
- Ability to demonstrate skills sharing and collaborative multi- professional working, at a variety of levels, including ability to co-ordinate multi-disciplinary/ multi- agency meetings
- Evidence of leadership and influencing skills with the ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals and teams, and have them understand service and performance expectations
- Ability to devise, deliver and evaluate training both within the service and to other agencies
- Excellent knowledge and application of manual handling techniques in line with Manual Handling Guidelines.
- Able to travel across Boroughs
Desirable
- Valid current licensed UK car driver
Person Specification
Qualifications/ Education
Essential
- Recognised Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy degree qualification or equivalent
- Masters degree or equivalent qualification/training and experience
Desirable
- Member of relevant Clinical Interest Group e.g. COT-SS Older People, AGILE
- Recognised post-graduate qualification in specialist clinical area
- Registration or willingness to register as a member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists or Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
Professional/ Statutory Registration
Essential
- Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration
Previous experience
Essential
- Demonstrate previous success in leading, delivering change and performance with and through therapy and multidisciplinary clinical teams, by engaging them in service development and delivery plans, establishing clear work priorities effective delegation, ensuring a capability to deliver, monitor performance and give feedback
- Proven ability to analyse complex problems, to develop and successfully implement practical and workable solutions to address them, and to think and plan operationally, tactically and creatively, and prioritise work priorities in the face of competing demands.
- Extensive postgraduate experience across a range of clinical areas
- Specialist therapy/ rehabilitation experience at Band 7 level
- Clinical experience in all the core Band 6 rotational areas: neurology, orthopaedics, respiratory, and care of the elderly
Desirable
- Evidence of training in management skills and experience of managing budgets
Skills/Knowledge/ Ability
Essential
- Ability to use an evidence- based approach including clinical outcome measures to evaluate outcomes
- Ability to work as an autonomous practitioner and to make sound clinical judgements and decisions regarding patient care and to be responsible and accountable for decisions made
- Ability to manage a complex and constantly changing workload of clinical and non-clinical duties demonstrating excellent time management, prioritisation and organisational skills. Ability to facilitate these skills in others
- Ability to demonstrate skills sharing and collaborative multi- professional working, at a variety of levels, including ability to co-ordinate multi-disciplinary/ multi- agency meetings
- Evidence of leadership and influencing skills with the ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals and teams, and have them understand service and performance expectations
- Ability to devise, deliver and evaluate training both within the service and to other agencies
- Excellent knowledge and application of manual handling techniques in line with Manual Handling Guidelines.
- Able to travel across Boroughs
Desirable
- Valid current licensed UK car driver
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
