Job summary
We have an exciting opportunity for a Band 4 Therapy Assistant to join our established Acute Medicine Therapy Team at Whiston Hospital.
You will be part of a friendly and experienced multi-disciplinary team, working across Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy to provide excellent patient-centred care.This is an opportunity to work with patient's supporting them to build and maintain independence. Our goal is to work with the patient to maximize their independence and recovery from a period of ill health.
You will be part of a team that aims to provide comprehensive and holistic assessment and treatment for our patients, incorporating home assessments, engagement in functional activities and discharge planning.
Our philosophy is to keep the patient at the heart of everything we do. We look for people who are willing to go the extra mile, not because they are asked to, but because they are committed to being part of a healthcare team that delivers an excellent caring service to our patients.
Main duties of the job
You will need to demonstrate effective communication skills, be highly committed to the delivery of quality care as part of our MDT and always provide thorough holistic patient intervention.
You must have the ability to work flexibly and adaptably to changing working patterns as the teams work their hours across a 7-day rota.
This position is suitable for applicants who have completed an assistant practitioner foundation degree; however, we will consider applications from applicants interested in developing into this role and willing to complete this qualification. At STHK we can offer an apprenticeship route which offers on the job training and development as well as HEI study and completion of assignments.
In return for your hard work and dedication we can offer a friendly and welcoming team. We encourage ongoing continuing professional development and enable regular peer support and In Service Training. Service development, Clinical Governance, Research, and audit activities are key, and you will have a number of opportunities to contribute to our developing and expanding service. We have a diverse team of AHP's with an excellent staff supervision system. Becoming a member of our Team you will be committed to developing both our service and as an individual.
About us
The Secretary of State has approved the partnership between St Helens & Knowsley and Southport & Ormskirk Hospitals.
From 1st July we have come together as a single organisation under the name Mersey & West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
The Trust delivers acute hospital care, intermediate care, community, and primary care services to a population of over 600,000 people with a combined workforce of around 9000 dedicated and skilled staff from 17 locations including Whiston, Southport & Formby, St Helens, Ormskirk and Newton hospitals.
The Trust provides regional services for burns, plastic surgery and spinal injuries to more than 4 million people across Mersey and West Lancashire, Cheshire, the Isle of Man and North Wales.
Our Vision is to deliver 5 Star Patient Care:
- CAREthat is evidence based, high quality and compassionate
- SAFETY that is of the highest standards
- COMMUNICATION that is open, inclusive and respectful
- SYSTEMS that are efficient, patient centred and reliable
- PATHWAYS that are best practice and embedded, but also respect the individual needs of patients
Our achievements include:
- Trust rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
- Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
- Awarded National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for our Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme
Please see our Wellbeing & Benefits booklet for more information on our staff benefits. Accessible version available upon request.
Job description
Job responsibilities
KEY DUTIES
- To contribute to the identification, planning, implementation and evaluation of individual care interventions under the direct/indirect supervision of a Registered Practitioner depending upon competency/complexity of work.
- Work with caseload holder to provide advice to clients and carers in relation to any needs and the wider public health remit of the Health and Social Care organisation.
- To maintain accurate, clear, concise and contemporaneous records as per trust policy and communicate information to members of the Team as necessary.
- To be aware of the role expectations and scope of practice and when to seek clarity from a supervising Registered Practitioner.
- Provide concise handover and information updates to other members of the Team referring clients for assessment and treatment or to other agencies as required.
- To liaise with external agencies with regards to follow up and provide feedback to registered Practitioners as appropriate
CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Communicate sensitive service user information appropriately and in accordance with local guidance with other health and social care professionals for the benefit of the service user.
- Adapt personal communication skills to overcome barriers to communication and understanding.
- Utilise Information Technology and Clinical Assessment Systems as required in the execution of your duties.
- Identify and use opportunities to promote healthy lifestyles e.g. diet, exercise.
- To identify and carry out a range of diagnostic/ assessment techniques to identify and respond to clients needs in a range of settings.
- To identify and implement a range of intervention techniques and skills to meet clients needs in a range of settings.
- Evaluate and feedback clients responses to the intervention and modify in discussion with registered practitioners.
- Maintain confidentiality within national and local guidelines.
- Ensure organisational and professional codes of conduct are adhered to at all times when representing the Integrated Health and Social Care organisation.
- Work collaboratively across teams, agencies, and organisational boundaries to ensure the delivery of an integrated service through effective communication.
- Staff will be trained to a leave appropriate to their responsibilities in this respect in line with current KSF post outline and the ongoing PDR process.
- To establish, maintain and develop professional working relationships with colleagues
- To personally contribute to the Trust health promotion strategies both internally and externally.
- To be aware of, and responsible to, the changing nature of the Trust and adopt a flexible and pro-active approach to work.
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
- To maintain accurate, comprehensive, and up to date documentation, in line with legal and local requirements, and communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines in the form of reports and letters
- To undertake as directed the collection of appropriate data and statistics for the use of the department
- To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service. This will include participating in a variety of MDT, internal and external agency meetings, and forums plus other forms of verbal/written communication as necessary including report writing and referrals to other agencies
TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSBILITIES
- Evaluate the effectiveness of learning opportunities and alerts others to benefits and problems
- Maintain a personal development plan and competency portfolio, in line with requirements for the job role.
- Participate in individual and group supervision in line with organisational policy.
- Participate in an individual performance review on an annual basis and be proactive in Continuous Professional Development.
- Utilise informal and formal learning opportunities both independently and with others.
- Participate in the delivery of Learning and Development opportunities to all bands of staff.
- To personally contribute to the Trust health promotion strategies both internally and externally.
LINE MANAGEMENT/SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
- To attend, contribute and represent at relevant meetings, including briefings.
- To demonstrate an understanding of policies relevant to the role including the application of clinical governance and risk management.
- To plan and prioritise own and others designated duties, with tact and diplomacy, in line with clinical and non- clinical responsibilities taking account of priorities and responding to additional delegated tasks as appropriate.
- To support Bands 1-3 in all areas of their clinical duties, within own scope of competence.
CLINICAL GOVERNANCE, RESEARCH & AUDIT
- Works within the limits of own competence and levels of responsibility and accountability in the work team and organisation.
- Ensure identified risks are reported and acted upon in line with organisational policy.
- To complete and maintain all Trust mandatory training requirements.
- To be responsible for ones own safety and security through the understanding and application of organisational and departmental policies and procedures.
- To participate in and support research, audit and practice development activity within the Team.
Job description
Job responsibilities
KEY DUTIES
- To contribute to the identification, planning, implementation and evaluation of individual care interventions under the direct/indirect supervision of a Registered Practitioner depending upon competency/complexity of work.
- Work with caseload holder to provide advice to clients and carers in relation to any needs and the wider public health remit of the Health and Social Care organisation.
- To maintain accurate, clear, concise and contemporaneous records as per trust policy and communicate information to members of the Team as necessary.
- To be aware of the role expectations and scope of practice and when to seek clarity from a supervising Registered Practitioner.
- Provide concise handover and information updates to other members of the Team referring clients for assessment and treatment or to other agencies as required.
- To liaise with external agencies with regards to follow up and provide feedback to registered Practitioners as appropriate
CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Communicate sensitive service user information appropriately and in accordance with local guidance with other health and social care professionals for the benefit of the service user.
- Adapt personal communication skills to overcome barriers to communication and understanding.
- Utilise Information Technology and Clinical Assessment Systems as required in the execution of your duties.
- Identify and use opportunities to promote healthy lifestyles e.g. diet, exercise.
- To identify and carry out a range of diagnostic/ assessment techniques to identify and respond to clients needs in a range of settings.
- To identify and implement a range of intervention techniques and skills to meet clients needs in a range of settings.
- Evaluate and feedback clients responses to the intervention and modify in discussion with registered practitioners.
- Maintain confidentiality within national and local guidelines.
- Ensure organisational and professional codes of conduct are adhered to at all times when representing the Integrated Health and Social Care organisation.
- Work collaboratively across teams, agencies, and organisational boundaries to ensure the delivery of an integrated service through effective communication.
- Staff will be trained to a leave appropriate to their responsibilities in this respect in line with current KSF post outline and the ongoing PDR process.
- To establish, maintain and develop professional working relationships with colleagues
- To personally contribute to the Trust health promotion strategies both internally and externally.
- To be aware of, and responsible to, the changing nature of the Trust and adopt a flexible and pro-active approach to work.
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
- To maintain accurate, comprehensive, and up to date documentation, in line with legal and local requirements, and communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines in the form of reports and letters
- To undertake as directed the collection of appropriate data and statistics for the use of the department
- To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service. This will include participating in a variety of MDT, internal and external agency meetings, and forums plus other forms of verbal/written communication as necessary including report writing and referrals to other agencies
TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSBILITIES
- Evaluate the effectiveness of learning opportunities and alerts others to benefits and problems
- Maintain a personal development plan and competency portfolio, in line with requirements for the job role.
- Participate in individual and group supervision in line with organisational policy.
- Participate in an individual performance review on an annual basis and be proactive in Continuous Professional Development.
- Utilise informal and formal learning opportunities both independently and with others.
- Participate in the delivery of Learning and Development opportunities to all bands of staff.
- To personally contribute to the Trust health promotion strategies both internally and externally.
LINE MANAGEMENT/SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
- To attend, contribute and represent at relevant meetings, including briefings.
- To demonstrate an understanding of policies relevant to the role including the application of clinical governance and risk management.
- To plan and prioritise own and others designated duties, with tact and diplomacy, in line with clinical and non- clinical responsibilities taking account of priorities and responding to additional delegated tasks as appropriate.
- To support Bands 1-3 in all areas of their clinical duties, within own scope of competence.
CLINICAL GOVERNANCE, RESEARCH & AUDIT
- Works within the limits of own competence and levels of responsibility and accountability in the work team and organisation.
- Ensure identified risks are reported and acted upon in line with organisational policy.
- To complete and maintain all Trust mandatory training requirements.
- To be responsible for ones own safety and security through the understanding and application of organisational and departmental policies and procedures.
- To participate in and support research, audit and practice development activity within the Team.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Assistant practitioner Degree/or equivalent
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Ability to demonstrate a good level of knowledge and skills in Therapeutic interventions
- Awareness of own strengths and limitations
- Able to work under supervision and as part of a team
- Evidence of effective working within an MDT
- Demonstrate experience of problem-solving approaches
- Demonstrates continuous Professional Development
Skills
Essential
- Ability to prioritise and work to deadlines
- Ability to communicate effectively in a variety of settings
- Accurate record keeping, report writing and IT skills
- Have a flexible approach to working with good time management
Other
Essential
- Ability to travel to various hospital locations by own car/shuttle bus
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Assistant practitioner Degree/or equivalent
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Ability to demonstrate a good level of knowledge and skills in Therapeutic interventions
- Awareness of own strengths and limitations
- Able to work under supervision and as part of a team
- Evidence of effective working within an MDT
- Demonstrate experience of problem-solving approaches
- Demonstrates continuous Professional Development
Skills
Essential
- Ability to prioritise and work to deadlines
- Ability to communicate effectively in a variety of settings
- Accurate record keeping, report writing and IT skills
- Have a flexible approach to working with good time management
Other
Essential
- Ability to travel to various hospital locations by own car/shuttle bus
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.
