Overview
Contract Type: 0
Salary: £26,240 – £27,928 per annum inc. HCAS
Partner Org: Ashford & St. Peter’s Hospital Foundation Trust
Job overview
Come and join our dynamic friendly and supportive Stroke and Neuro Team working as a rotational therapy assistant. Rotations include acute stroke at Saint Peter’s Hospital, neuro-rehabilitation at the Bradley Unit in Woking Community Hospital and Early Supported Discharge for Stroke supporting people in their own homes in NW Surrey.
You’d be part of a multidisciplinary team, working mainly with therapists but also alongside other health professionals. We have a positive approach to development and value our staff, supporting regular training, supervision and appraisal.
You’ll manage a caseload with guidance and support and carry out non-clinical duties too, like maintenance of equipment and data entry.
Are you motivated, a good communicator and team worker? Do you have organisational and prioritisation skills? Are you enthusiastic about therapy and rehabilitation? If you are committed to providing high standards do get in touch.
You will need to have the ability of working weekends depending on the rotation you are in and have access to a car in your ESD rotation
We have extensive health and wellbeing support, including a well-being hub, free staff gym and excellent catering facilities.
We support work life balance and are happy to discuss flexible working at interview
Main duties of the job
The post-holder will
· Assist the therapy team in providing a range of treatments under the guidance and supervision of qualified staff, to facilitate patients to reach their optimum level of health, independence and social integration. This will include gathering collateral information from patients and providing intervention within set parameters to facilitate patients reaching their optimum level of independence and social integration
· Work independently, under the guidance and supervision of qualified staff
· Maintain effective communication links with patients, carers and all relevant professionals as appropriate
· Continue professional and personal development including participation in training programmes
· Undertake non-clinical duties related to the treatment and management of patients, i.e. ordering of equipment, recording contacts/stats
· This is a rotational role, currently across 3 areas (Acute stroke, Bradley Unit and ESD). Rotations are anticipated to be 6-12 months in length, subject to review
There is an expectation that the post holder will be required to travel between sites for meetings/training as necessary and to support other teams if required.
There is a requirement to take part in the weekend rota (variable between rotations).
Working for our organisation
Ashford and St. Peters Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust serves a population of more than 410,000 people living in North-West Surrey, parts of Hounslow and beyond.
Over 3,700 highly trained doctors, nurses, midwives, therapists, healthcare scientists and other support staff make up our workforce, providing a wide range of services across our two hospital sites, Ashford, Surrey and St Peter’s, Chertsey, Surrey.
We also run many specialist clinics in the community and local community hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
Our vision is to be one of the best healthcare Trusts in the country. There has never been a better time to join us in the NHS at ASPH. We are committed to providing continuous professional development and flexibility to shape our workforce around our patient care.
We are expanding our theatres at Ashford Hospital and moving towards this becoming our dedicated elective centre. We want to create a state-of-the-art centre for excellence for planned surgical procedures.
We can offer you the full range of NHS benefits/discounts and in addition:
- Excellent pension scheme and annual leave entitlement
- On-site Nurseries
- On-site staff cafes
- On-site parking
- Support in career development
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including wage stream, lease cars, Cycle to Work schemes and home electronics
Adverts may close early, so applicants are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible.
For more information about a career at ASPH please visit:
www.asph-careers.org
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Clinical, technical and scientific roles and responsibilities
· Work in collaboration with other team members to provide a service for patients within the specialty, assisting in the implementation of programmes to meet individual needs
· Provide therapeutic intervention for individual patients to maintain or improve function in mobility, personal, social and domestic activities including accessing the community, and evaluating the findings, to feed back to qualified therapists.
· Work with patients individually or in a group, in a variety of settings as directed by a qualified therapist.
· Understand the Assistant’s role in contributing to disease prevention and health promotion
· To plan treatment programmes, adapting and progressing the rehabilitation of patients within the guidelines set by the assessing therapists. This will include modifying treatments to take account of changes in the patient’s physical and mental state.
· Be able to judge when patient is unwell and deteriorating, and call for appropriate assistance in a timely manner
· supply aids and appliances (e.g. walking aids and ADL equipment) ensuring appropriate sizing and education of client in the correct use of appliance, as prescribed by a qualified therapist.
· Demonstrate knowledge of a range of manual handling and mobility skills relevant to the management of patients, including safe use of transfer equipment
· This role requires a flexible approach to working and may require the post holder to undertake weekend commitments as part of a rota
Leadership
· Be independently responsible for time management, planning and organisation of daily workloads as delegated by a qualified clinician
· Maintain the high standards of the service by contributing towards individual, team and service objectives
· Identify and develop own leadership skills e.g. by volunteering to support broader opportunities
Communication
· Develop, manage and maintain positive, appropriate relationships with service users, families and carers, demonstrating respect and kindness, and promoting dignity, compassion and empathy at all times
· Maintain strict confidentiality regarding patient and staff information, adhering to organisational policies and procedures
· Maintain accurate and legible records of all interventions
· Ensure competence in the accurate and effective use of email, and all Trust IT systems
· Use a range of verbal, non-verbal, written and presentation skills appropriately with colleagues, patients and carers
· Adapt communication methods accordingly for those with barriers to understanding, communication or challenging behaviour
· Be able to engage, persuade and motivate patients through effective communication to optimise treatment outcome
· Convey information in a sensitive manner taking account of differences in expectations, cultural beliefs or desires
· Report back directly to the MDT, particularly re any changes in functional abilities, relevant information gained, or patients’ comments linked to treatment
· Attend staff meetings and relevant training, and actively participate
Education
· Participate in Continuing Professional Development (CPD), including competency-based training programmes, to develop knowledge and skills by attending relevant opportunities and keeping statutory/mandatory training up to date
· Take responsibility for and actively record own personal development through educational and experiential learning
· Participate in regular meetings with clinical supervisor/mentor to include clinical supervision and appraisal
· Be aware of and demonstrate boundaries in personal scope of practice
· Have an awareness of the importance of Evidence Based Practice (EBP)
Research and Development
· Participate in quality/ development projects, including audit, as directed
· Keep accurate statistical records in line with departmental procedures
General responsibilities
· Take initiative and be responsible for general and specific administrative duties as required and delegated
· Support the department and organisation by carrying out any other duties that reasonably fit within the broad scope of a job of this grade and type of work as qualified and able
Person specification
Other requirements
Essential criteria
- • Driving license and access to own vehicle (during ESD rotation)
Education
Essential criteria
- English and Maths GCSE or Functional skills Level 2
- Level 3 qualifications equivalent to A Levels or B Tec, OR Level 3 apprenticeship
- Care certificate or willing to work towards within 6 months of joining
Experience
Essential criteria
- Health care experience such as paid employment, work experience, volunteering or placements
- Working in a team
Desirable criteria
- Direct patient care with evidence of working alongside therapists/others
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Principles of rehab
- An understanding of the Assistant role in the relevant field
- Awareness of the importance of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)
Desirable criteria
- Area specific knowledge
Skills
Essential criteria
- Effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills
- Ability to respond to changes in a working day
- Ability to manage own workload
- Ability to provide customer-focused service
Desirable criteria
- Ability to motivate and encourage individuals
- Ability to interact effectively with patients and their families
- Ability to move and handle patients safely
