Therapy Technician-Musculoskeletal

Job description

Job responsibilities

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical

To assist in the development of therapy services by supporting Physiotherapists in the assessment and treatment of highly complex patients and the day-to-day running of the therapy environment.

To accept patients referred by therapists and carry as own patient caseload. Treat patients according to treatment protocols, and competencies applying appropriate treatments and progression of treatments including exercises on land and in water, and using investigative and analytical skills make alterations (within protocols and scope of practice) to patient treatment programmes as required.

Assess routine non-complex patients as 1st point of contact within agreed patient pathways

To use clinical reasoning, and use a range of assessment and treatment skills and options to formulate treatment programmes.

Support physiotherapists in delivering exercise, education and water based classes.

To liaise with the therapist as necessary regarding patient care. In particular highlighting any variations to expected outcomes from treatment programmes you deliver

Carry out safe treatment sessions for patients individually or in a group in a variety of settings without the direct supervision or presence of a therapist, e.g. in the Aspire Centre and in the therapy gym and hydrotherapy.

Participate in the inter-professional evaluation of the rehabilitation programme to ensure patients meet their ongoing health & wellbeing needs.

To demonstrate an understanding of the physiological concepts underpinning the prescribed treatment programmes to enable you to instruct, advise and guide patients.

To make the appropriate adjustments independently and be able to communicate any changes to patients and prescribing staff. This may include areas of work requiring physical effort or intense concentration, with regard to risk, health & safety.

To maintain timely and accurate signed records and statistical information as required, this includes using paper records and entering information on to electronic databases.

Contribute to development of patient care by attending relevant team, departmental or clinical / Multi-disciplinary team meetings and comment on recommended changes to clinical care or service provision.

Be responsible for the administrative arrangements in area of work e.g. booking out of equipment/ rooms in conjunction with other members

To encourage patients and their carers in an active approach to regaining and maintaining personal independence. This requires empathy, sensitivity, and good interpersonal skills and may require motivational skills with some patients.

To carry out water based treatment activities as directed by the therapists.

To support patients, carers, staff and relatives by providing education and advice as appropriate under the instruction of therapists.

Assess for walking aids and appliances such as knee splints.

Manage and prioritise own patient caseload delegated by the therapist.

To help develop web-based and patient information materials.

Organisational

Keep the department tidy, clean the therapy equipment regularly and ensure that used / returned equipment is stored and collected in line with equipment loan store procedures.

Be responsible for monitoring and ordering specialist equipment and materials required for therapy use across both hospital sites. This requires liaison with both suppliers and therapists to ensure that cost and efficiency measures are considered throughout the process.

Be responsible for the safe use of therapy equipment and aids by patients in your care, including the sale of small pieces of equipment.

Participate in staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee.

To use the provided Personal Development Plan to support your own learning and development, including gathering evidence of Continual Professional Development to keep up to date on professional issues by participating in In-Service Training, and other training activities as agreed through the appraisal process.

Maintain up to date mandatory training compliance.

To be conversant with, and comply with, all organisation and departmental policies and procedures. Eg health and safety, security and confidentiality, and privacy

Be responsible for the administrative arrangements supporting the therapy service e.g. booking rooms, setting up/clearing away equipment, collecting and inputting data onto the computer system, rehab booklet for rehab pts etc

To support the development of Therapy students and people considering therapy as a career e.g. work experience and access students

To actively participate in the delivery of in-service training and assist in the training of newly appointed Therapy Assistants and Technical Instructors.

To be an active participant within departmental audits and research as deemed appropriate to the area of work.

To be an effective team member, respecting the work of others and representing the profession suitably at all times.

The post holder may be required to work over weekends as the division develops 7 day working. The post holder may be required to work on more than one site.

To undertake any other duties considered appropriate by the Lead Therapists (Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy).

Person Specification

Knowledge, Training & Experience

Essential

• Good general level of education up to GCSE Equivalent (Minimum GCSE Maths/ English or equivalent)
• Evidence of further education e.g. sports or exercise, anatomy physiology, exercise conditioning.
• Experience of working directly with people in a hospital, fitness or leisure environment
• Experience of delivering exercise or educational programmes with an adult population

Desirable

• Evidence of higher education related to health, sport or leisure at NVQ level 3/HND/BSc
• Experience of working as a Therapy assistant/ Rehab technician in a hospital setting
• Experience of initiating, progressing, modifying individual or group exercise programmes

Communication & Relationship Skills

Essential

• Able to communicate clearly, succinctly and logically in verbal and written formats.
• Can modify communication effectively to teach treatment programmes to patients some of whom may have barriers to understanding or communication, e.g. blind, deaf, dysphasic or who do not have English as a first language.
• To be an effective team member, respecting the work of others and representing the profession suitably at all times.
• Sensitive to individual's needs and wishes, acknowledging and respecting their rights, individual values, cultural and religious diversity at all times.
• Appreciation of appropriate staff/patient boundaries.

Desirable

• Coaching or teaching skills
• Be able to devise strategies to enable people to adopt healthy behaviours

Analytical & Judgment Skills

Essential

• Ability to work as part of a team
• Skills/ working with people with psychological needs
• Ability to manage group treatment sessions.
• Good organisational skills

Desirable

• Skilled in use of relevant equipment and materials.

Planning & Organisational Skills

Essential

• Able to demonstrate empathy, motivate and persuade patients with impairments.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Desirable

• Able to deal with challenging client groups

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

Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust

Address

Enfield Musculoskeletal Hub - 2nd Floor

Forest Primary Care Centre, 308A Hertford Road

London

N9 7HD

Employer's website

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