Job summary
Are you passionate about making a difference for babies, young children, and their families? Do you enjoy working as part of a supportive team where every profession's skills are valued, and variety is part of your working week? If so, we would love you to join our friendly Allied Health Professionals (AHP) team. We work closely together across neonatal and community settings, always putting families at the heart of everything we do. You'll be supported by experienced therapists and dietitians, and as part of your role you will complete a Level 5 apprenticeship. This ensures your qualification reflects your growing expertise and experience, while giving you the chance to build confidence, deepen your skills, and gain a nationally recognised award -- all within a nurturing and collaborative team environment.
Main duties of the job
As a Therapy Assistant Practitioner, you'll play an active role in supporting babies and children under 5, both in hospital and community settings. Guided by qualified AHPs, you'll help deliver a wide range of therapeutic and developmental interventions, contribute to family integrated care, and assist with assessments and follow-up clinics. Your role will also involve creating resources, supporting parents and carers, liaising with other professionals, and helping to keep our service and appointment system running smoothly. Each day brings fresh opportunities -- whether you're setting up a neonatal clinic, visiting a family at home, or producing resources to support children's progress. Whatever the task, you'll be a key part of a cohesive and welcoming team, working together to make a real difference for families.
About us
Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:
- Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development
- Widening access (anchor institution) and employability
- Improving the experience of staff with disability
- Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development
- Making equalities mainstream
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Result Areas & Performance:
- To contribute to the delivery of packages of high-quality healthcare including aspects of assessment, treatment and advice to babies/infants/children under 5 years of age with various needs in a variety of settings, including the neonatal intensive care units.
- To support the provision of effective developmental follow up and dietetic assessment and intervention within development care and family integrated care format.
- To carry out a range of AHP interventions in accordance with the service protocols and/or in discussion with the supervising therapist and/or dietitian. Making judgements on the babies/infants/children under 5 years of age progress and act on initiative to adapt and modify the intervention, within the boundaries of clinical competence, using established knowledge and skills to ensure clinical effectiveness.
- To liaise with a range of key people involved with the babies/infants/children under 5 years of age around specific cases and the service , observing confidentiality and data protection guidelines and policies.
- To write up to date accurate and factual clinical case notes according to service guidelines and contribute to reports as required, under the direction of a therapist/dietician. This will include the completion of management of patient information which supports the clinical work undertaken referrals, creating files, discharging files, filing, updating databases / spread sheets.
- To formulate a standard individual management and or intervention programme, under guidance of a qualified AHP.
- To participate in departmental clinical audit and research.
- To guide the development of administrative systems in order to be more effective in supporting the clinical work undertaken and assisting in assuring that processes are in line with service developments and in conjunction with the Team Lead.
- To provide a professional and helpful response to all enquires to the team via email, telephone or in person.
- To be able to gather clinical information sensitively and accurately from telephone questionnaires to parents and carers to support the quality of clinical work undertaken by the team and to promote the provision of a child and family friendly service.
- To demonstrate an organised approach to work prioritising your own workload while working effectively and keeping a focused attitude even when working under pressure.
- To identify and be responsible for your own personal and professional Development Plan developed within an appraisal framework.
- To acquire specific skills e.g. in using developmental checklists and assessment activities identified and supervised by AHP staff.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Result Areas & Performance:
- To contribute to the delivery of packages of high-quality healthcare including aspects of assessment, treatment and advice to babies/infants/children under 5 years of age with various needs in a variety of settings, including the neonatal intensive care units.
- To support the provision of effective developmental follow up and dietetic assessment and intervention within development care and family integrated care format.
- To carry out a range of AHP interventions in accordance with the service protocols and/or in discussion with the supervising therapist and/or dietitian. Making judgements on the babies/infants/children under 5 years of age progress and act on initiative to adapt and modify the intervention, within the boundaries of clinical competence, using established knowledge and skills to ensure clinical effectiveness.
- To liaise with a range of key people involved with the babies/infants/children under 5 years of age around specific cases and the service , observing confidentiality and data protection guidelines and policies.
- To write up to date accurate and factual clinical case notes according to service guidelines and contribute to reports as required, under the direction of a therapist/dietician. This will include the completion of management of patient information which supports the clinical work undertaken referrals, creating files, discharging files, filing, updating databases / spread sheets.
- To formulate a standard individual management and or intervention programme, under guidance of a qualified AHP.
- To participate in departmental clinical audit and research.
- To guide the development of administrative systems in order to be more effective in supporting the clinical work undertaken and assisting in assuring that processes are in line with service developments and in conjunction with the Team Lead.
- To provide a professional and helpful response to all enquires to the team via email, telephone or in person.
- To be able to gather clinical information sensitively and accurately from telephone questionnaires to parents and carers to support the quality of clinical work undertaken by the team and to promote the provision of a child and family friendly service.
- To demonstrate an organised approach to work prioritising your own workload while working effectively and keeping a focused attitude even when working under pressure.
- To identify and be responsible for your own personal and professional Development Plan developed within an appraisal framework.
- To acquire specific skills e.g. in using developmental checklists and assessment activities identified and supervised by AHP staff.
Person Specification
Qualfications and Training
Essential
- GCSE including Maths and English level 4 (c) or above or equivalent
- Competence/willingness to undertake relevant training including level 5 apprenticeship
Experience & Abilities
Essential
- Experience of direct work with young children
- Experience of dealing with the public and handling sensitive and confidential information
- The ability to recognize own professional boundaries through interpretation of clinical/professional policies
Desirable
- Experience of working with children with additional /special needs
- Some experience of direct work with children and parents in an educational, voluntary or health setting
Knowledge
Essential
- Demonstrable knowledge of computer software packages
- To demonstrate competent knowledge of team administrative skills needed to support clinical practice
Desirable
- Awareness of the implications of the 1993 Education Act, Disability & Discrimination Act & Revised code of Practice
Communication Skills
Essential
- The ability to adapt communication style to suit the audience
- To demonstrate empathy with clients, carers and families ensuring effective communication is achieved particularly where barriers to understanding exist
Person Specification
Qualfications and Training
Essential
- GCSE including Maths and English level 4 (c) or above or equivalent
- Competence/willingness to undertake relevant training including level 5 apprenticeship
Experience & Abilities
Essential
- Experience of direct work with young children
- Experience of dealing with the public and handling sensitive and confidential information
- The ability to recognize own professional boundaries through interpretation of clinical/professional policies
Desirable
- Experience of working with children with additional /special needs
- Some experience of direct work with children and parents in an educational, voluntary or health setting
Knowledge
Essential
- Demonstrable knowledge of computer software packages
- To demonstrate competent knowledge of team administrative skills needed to support clinical practice
Desirable
- Awareness of the implications of the 1993 Education Act, Disability & Discrimination Act & Revised code of Practice
Communication Skills
Essential
- The ability to adapt communication style to suit the audience
- To demonstrate empathy with clients, carers and families ensuring effective communication is achieved particularly where barriers to understanding exist
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.
