Lifestyle and Activity Coach

Job description

Job responsibilities

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• To maintain a high level of confidentiality in all aspects of work including patient records and conversations.

• To maintain accurate electronic patient records and activities, complete data sheets and explore trends and formulate strategies with line manager.

• To take immediate action, in line with existing policies and procedures, when faced with a high-risk situation. (i.e., suicidal behaviour)

• Act as a resource for colleagues and maintain an up-to-date data base of self-help, voluntary and funded schemes across Nottinghamshire.

• Liaise with other members of the MDT to maximise patient care, timely and appropriate referral back to clinicians for review.

Movement & activity support:

• Support behavioural change to incorporate daily exercise opportunity, improve confidence to exercise.

• Support identifying first steps to becoming more active; home based options as well as onward referral to other exercise schemes e.g., exercise referral as appropriate. Initial steps often include low level exercise such as chair yoga.

• Support patients to incorporate pacing and recovery, as well as a healthier lifestyle alongside exercise, limiting sedentary postures, lifestyles.

• Working within group programmes and individually.

Essential:

• Exercise experience; including experience of developing and maintaining motivation for sustained behaviour change.

• Awareness of the evidence base for persistent pain management.

• Understanding of the impact of other health conditions on exercise tolerance / exercise advice e.g. cardiac conditions, diabetes, hypertension, ME/CFS, MS, RA

Desirable:

• Level 2 gym instruction

• Experience of delivering low level exercise eg chair yoga, pilates, tai chi

Mood / Wellbeing in relation to pain management

• Support patients to recognise areas of appropriate change to their current lifestyle. To identify how their way of life might affect their pain and emotional wellbeing and provide health education to promote this.

• Support lifestyle change to improve wellbeing e.g., relaxation practise, enjoyable activity, pacing, healthy eating, sleep routine, outdoor time.

• Signposting / onward referral as indicated to other services -smoking cessation, alcohol services, weight management.

• Listening and interpreting complex health information into understandable terminology regarding health improvement.

Essential:

• Demonstrate care and understanding to patients life journey as well as their health issues.

• Understanding of core facets of a healthy lifestyle; supporting behaviour change; NHS initiatives to help move to healthy lifestyle e.g., Make Every Contact Count

• Experience of working with people with long term health conditions

• To be respectful and non-judgemental of patients lifestyles, and to be able to encourage them in choices and actions that are acceptable and achievable to them, while being aware of cultural considerations in regard to patients lifestyles e.g. diet / exercise participation.

• To be aware of, and sensitive to, barriers to adopting lifestyle change such as affordability, accessibility, and life circumstances.

Desirable

• Awareness of relevant local community agencies / services that patients can be sign posted to

Social activity

• Supporting first steps to return to hobbies, social activities that add to a patients quality of life.

Essential:

• Goal setting / goal progression alongside patient

• Demonstrate engaging with patients, maximising their motivation to incorporate opportunity towards their goals.

Desirable

• Experience of value-based goal setting.

Group programmes:

• Supporting delivery of Group Programmes in community centre venues or online via zoom platform, alongside a clinical specialist or another Lifestyle and Activity Coach.

• Leading talks within group sessions, leading low level exercise component, and providing guidance. Leading relaxation practise, supporting value-based goal setting in small groups.

Essential:

• Adapt communication style depending on patients needs e.g., neurodiversity, anxiety, depression, literacy.

• Ability to present PowerPoint presentations in community venue setting or online.

• Deliver consistent messages in line with clinical guidelines for persistent pain under guidance of teams clinical specialists.

• Timely completion of electronic patient notes

• Transport of session equipment

Patient clinics:

• Offer individual appointments to patients referred by the clinical team where lifestyle support is needed; consideration for onward referral to other schemes eg exercise referral, weight management, social prescribers; also to explore patients commitment to behaviour change, engage with self-management support offered by service; work-up to patient attending a programme

Essential:

• Respond to waiting list / waiting list planning alongside clinical lead

• Timely completion of electronic patient notes

• Adapt communication style depending on patients needs: eg. neurodiversity, anxiety, depression, literacy ability

• Deliver consistent messages in line with clinical guidelines for persistent pain under guidance of clinical team.

Education and Training

• Maintain a personal development plan and an annual programme of learning and development using a personal portfolio which ensures best practice

• Participate in individual performance review on an annual basis

• Keep up to date with policies, procedures and protocols relating to the patient group / organisation and relevant practice

• To assess personal development with supervisor

• Attend further training as identified with the line manager

Administrative and Information technology

• IT skilled. Record patient activity and interventions in timely manner, whilst acting on this information as necessary

• Knowledge of S1 an advantage

Clinical Governance

• Identify risk issues that impact on the patients health or social needs

• Take appropriate action to the significance of the risk and consistent with protection procedures, applying protection procedures, following lone worker procedure

• Demonstrate effective team working inclusive of all relevant professionals

• Report all accidents / incidents, and all ill health, failings in equipment and / or environment to line managers.

• Contribute towards audit and data collection as required

• Once assessed as competent will be accountable for their own practice within their sphere of responsibility when identified and agreed with the Manager and the organisation in which the post holder works

Other duties and responsibilities

• Encourage and build trusting relationships and encourage participation and involvement in a variety of initiatives with communities and professionals.

• Be an active member of the Team, demonstrating own work to new members and working with other individuals engaged in health improvement to promote healthy living.

• Attend and participate in staff induction, training, MDT meetings, development reviews and personal development planning as requested.

• Identify, assess and manage risks.

• Actively promote equal opportunities, challenge oppressive behaviour and ensure service provided is equitable.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Please provide details of your CPD, using examples where necessary.

Knowledge and skills

Essential

• Please provide detailed information of how you feel that your knowledge and skills are suitable for this role; please provide examples to support your application referring to the job description and person specification for guidance.

Experience

Essential

• Please provide detailed information of how you feel that your experience is suitable for this role; please provide examples to support your application referring to the job description and person specification for guidance.

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Please provide details for why you would be a great fit for this role and why you have decided to apply.

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

Primary Integrated Community Services

Address

Primary Integrated Community Services

Unit H3, Nottingham Business Park, Mellors Way

Nottingham

NG8 6PY

Employer's website

http://picsnhs.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)