Occupational Therapy Assistant

Job summary

The Regional Hyper-acute Rehabilitation Unit is a 24-bedded unit offering multi-disciplinary assessment and rehabilitation to patients with complex neurological needs.

We are looking for an enthusiastic person to join our dynamic team of Occupational Therapy staff. Your work will involve assisting the Occupational Therapy Team in the rehabilitation and management of complex patients who have been admitted to hospital following a severe acquired neurological injury.

Patients are often not able to move or care for themselves and the ability to participate in manual handling tasks is crucial. Competence and capability in undertaking personal care, such as assisting patients with washing and dressing, and toileting, is needed.

You will work as part of the Occupational Therapy Team within a larger multi-disciplinary team. Experience of working within a team and contributing to its function is essential.You need to be well motivated and able to take initiative, with a passion to improve your own skills and knowledge. Opportunities for training and development are available through in-service training and appraisal.

Experience in working in a rehab setting and a significant interest in pursuing a career in healthcare is desirable. The post would particularly suit applicants with experience working within Healthcare with adults with disabilities.

Main duties of the job

• To work with patients with cognitive, sensory, communicative, physical and psychosocial disabilities .
• To work holistically to encourage optimum patient abilities
• To assist with cognitive, functional, physical, communicative, emotional and behavioural aspects of a patient's rehabilitation/ disability management programme.
• To assist and support with personal care as part of therapeutic interventions.
• To supervise under the guidance of OT the preparation of hot drinks and meals.
• To support patient's rehabilitation outside the unit i.e. shopping / travel training / recreational access within the community
• To deliver/assist patients in carrying out individualised exercise programmes.
• To support patients in the use and education around electronic assistive technology (EAT) such as powered wheelchair training.
• To establish an effective working relationship with each patient.
• To liaise with and communicate effectively with carers, and members of the interdisciplinary team in a timely manner, including feedback regarding the implementation of rehabilitation and care programmes.
• To respect the patient's dignity and rights to privacy and individuality.
• To attend fortnightly MDT in-service meetings.

About us

London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH) cares for the people of Brent, Ealing, Harrow and beyond.

Our team of more than 8,200 clinical and support staff serve a diverse population of almost one million people.

We run major acute services at:

• Northwick Park Hospital: home to one of the busiest emergency departments (A&E) in the country. The hospital provides a full range of services including the country's top-rated hyper-acute stroke unit and one of only three hyper-acute rehabilitation units in the UK
• St Mark's Hospital: an internationally renowned specialist centre for bowel disease
• Ealing Hospital: a busy district general hospital providing a range of clinical services, as well as 24/7 emergency department and urgent care centre, and specialist care at Meadow House Hospice
• Central Middlesex Hospital: our planned care site, hosting a range of surgical and outpatient services and collocated with an urgent care centre.

We are a university teaching NHS trust, in recognition of the important role we play in training clinicians of the future and bringing the benefits of research to the public.