Therapy Assistant

Job description

Job responsibilities

Main Duties and responsibilities

Key Clinical and Non-Clinical Duties

To have an understanding of patient consent to carry out assessment/treatment.

To provide patient centred assessments and interventions with support from senior colleagues whilst respecting patient choice and dignity.

To assess patients mobility and functional abilities and discuss findings with senior therapist.

To support senior therapists in providing training, education and advice to patients and carers on managing and adapting their social and physical environments.

To provide and implement goals, treatment plans for patients and regularly update these with guidance from senior therapists.

To ensure documentation is accurate and completed in a timely manner in line with trust policy.

To liaise effectively with other members of the multidisciplinary team, patients and carers. This may include referral to other agencies or localities when a patients care is being transferred.

To provide appropriate equipment to patients whilst as an inpatient with support from qualified therapists.

To assist with rehabilitation and exercise programmes with individuals.

To ensure equipment stocks are managed to enable provision of essential equipment to patients.

Communication

To establish and maintain effective and professional communication with various individuals and groups in a range of situations and environments.

To obtain and present information in an accessible manner and raise communication barrier concerns with seniors.

To motivate patients, carers and other staff through effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills.

To record all necessary information in line with trust policy and standards.

To participate in regular meetings with the therapy team and wider multidisciplinary team.

To ensure appropriate liaison with other agencies throughout the patient care pathway, including post discharge where appropriate with senior support.

To positively promote the therapy service.

Learning and Personal Development

To use supervision and performance development plans to promote clinical and personal effectiveness and competence of self.

To participate in the OUH Trust appraisal process to identify, with the support of the senior Therapist, own educational needs and create a personal development plan.

To participate and assist in the in-service training programme offered by OUH and the therapies team.

Participate and assist in training sessions within the therapy team with senior guidance.

To be aware of own limitations and ensure that no task or procedure is carried out until necessary training has been received.

To attend statutory and mandatory training in line with Trust policies.

Health, Safety and Security

To comply with the Trusts policies and procedures as set at the end of this document.

To undertake personal risk assessments when using equipment and when treating patients as guided by senior colleagues.

Service Improvement

To work to the values and principles that are encompassed by OUH.

To assist senior colleagues in statistical reviews, audits and research in order to support in Therapy service development.

To provide comments on proposals and to contribute towards service improvement.

Organisational and Planning Skills

To demonstrate good time management, punctuality, and consistent, reliable attendance.

To co-ordinate own working day with guidance from senior therapist.

To be responsible for the management of own caseload in relation to clinical and non-clinical duties as set out by supervisor/Team leads.

To record departmental statistics and other relevant information as required by the therapy service manager with senior support.

To understand colleagues caseloads and offer support when required.

• To be able to work flexibly and adjust to constant changing demands of the working environment including an expectation to cross cover to all departments necessary within the hospital in response to increased demand for service.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Skills

Essential

• oGeneral education to GCSE level or equivalent.
• oGood written and spoken English language skills.
• oTheoretical and practical work-based training in health care.
• oDemonstrates an insight into caring/supportive role.

Experience

Essential

• oPrevious experience as Band 3 or 4 Therapy Assistant or equivalent in a healthcare setting.
• oExperience of working autonomously.
• oPrevious experience of effective team working.
• oUnderstand the Therapy Assistant role and ability to work within scope of practice.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Horton Hospital

Oxford Road

Banbury

OX16 9AL

Employer's website

https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)