Band 4 Therapy Assistant Practitioner

We are excited to announce an opportunity for a Band 4 Therapy Assistant Practitioner to work within our Acute and General Medicine Team based at the Alexandra Hospital, Redditch. You will support the recently integrated Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy services on the Acute and General medical wards. Following appropriate training and completion of competencies, you will access and treat patients. Working as part of an integrated therapy team, you will work with qualified therapists and other assistants, as well as independently with patients within your scope of practice. This role requires excellent assessment and communication skills, together with the ability to prioritise workload and thrive in a busy environment. You will implement and monitor treatment interventions/care plans, putting patients first. The therapy team follows a Home First ethos, supporting safe discharge at the earliest opportunity. You will become confident in making discharge decisions within your role and liaising with all stakeholders to ensure timely and safe discharges. You will also contribute to service development and supervise support workers., Working as part of the Therapy team to provide high quality therapeutic care through the delivery of specified assessment and treatment techniques to a defined group of patients. This will involve working unsupervised at times as well as working with qualified and unqualified staff. To assess, treat and progress treatment of patients in line with competencies set and assessed by the Senior Therapist and to use this knowledge to contribute to effective discharge planning as part of the Multi-disciplinary Team. To co-ordinate, supervise and assist with the training and management of other Therapy support workers, thus providing a quality and effective support service to the Therapy Team. This is a part-time post working 30 hours per week in core hours across Monday-Friday with consideration around flexible working. The post includes working Bank Holidays on a rota basis and there will be an expectation of 7 day working in the future., To hold responsibility for own caseload within the defined area of work, at times working without direct supervision. Support available by bleep. Following appropriate training and demonstration of competency to work unsupervised to assess patients with mobility and functional impairments. To obtain an accurate and full social history to facilitate early discharge planning, liaising with family/care agencies as needed. To accurately assess range of movement, muscle power, sensation, sitting and standing balance and transfer abilities. To assess and progress patients mobility including issuing and training in the use of walking aids as appropriate. To safely assess a patients ability on the stairs where needed and correct technique as appropriate. To develop and safely deliver individualised treatment programmes. To prepare patients for treatment including undressing/dressing and toileting. Using own knowledge and reasoning to analyse the patients condition and needs and modify treatment accordingly. To monitor the effectiveness of treatment and use clinical knowledge to progress the patient within defined protocols. To identify the need for ongoing rehabilitation/support and liaise with the MDT and patient flow centre to recommend the appropriate level of care on discharge. To assist and encourage patients with routine breathing exercises and chest clearance techniques after completion of appropriate competencies. To maintain accurate and contemporaneous treatment records including valid consent to interventions. To ensure that patient confidentiality is always maintained. To be aware of limitations of own knowledge and refer to the supervising therapist where appropriate.

We are looking for a highly motivated individual that will be able to demonstrate safe and effective patient centred care. You need to be professional, self-motivated with excellent communication skills and the ability to work autonomously. You will also receive supervision from highly skilled and knowledgeable therapists within the team.,

• Evidence of enthusiasm and commitment to the role in Worcestershire
• Proactive in self development
• Able to maintain confidentiality and professionalism
• Compassionate
• Evidence of appropriate personal attributes e.g. responsible, reliable, flexible, well-organised, initiative
• Evidence of good team working
• Ability to problem solve, Knowledge of Basic aims and principles of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Evidence of managing/ prioritising own caseload/working independently
• Ability to work autonomously using own knowledge/skills and initiative
• in complex situations, acknowledging role boundaries
• Effective and appropriate written and verbal communication/interpersonal skills
• Evidence of thorough, relevant self-development/ CPD activity
• Completion of broad-based competencies in therapy related skills
• Evidence of patient handling skills
• Computer Literate eg. Microsoft word, PowerPoint, outlook, Evidence of activities involving leadership /management skills
• Understanding of professional, legal and clinical governance issues
• Previous experience of Electronic Patient records, Functional Skills (level 2) or Maths & English GCSE (grades 9-4 or A-C)
• National Care Certificate
• A foundation degree Health and Social care or equivalent level 5 qualification and A-Levels and GCSEs or equivalent(s) Or a level 5 apprenticeship (e.g. Assistant practitioner apprenticeship) Or equivalent clinical experience/expertise within an AHP profession underpinned by theoretical and practical experience, Evidence of attendance at healthcare related course e.g. Dementia awareness, stroke specialist seating.
• A relevant further education qualification eg BTEC (Therapy Support Worker) or NVQ 3 in Healthcare or equivalent, Proven experience as a Senior Therapy Assistant/or equivalent working with different patient groups/conditions
• Experience of working in an acute/healthcare setting with direct patient contact
• Evidence of work using a wide range of Therapy related skills including grading, adaptation and progression of interventions
• Evidence of supporting other staff to develop, Experience of organising and/or providing training to others
• Experience of group working
• Experience of using/fitting adaptive equipment
  
  Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.
The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester Our workforce is more than 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us. Our values, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do. Being open and honest Ensuring people feel cared for Showing respect to everyone We are committed to developing a culture of continuous improvement by embedding the principles of our Improvement System. We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.


• Able to meet the moving and handling requirements of the post
• Able and willing to work contracted hours over 7 days, extended daily hours pattern as required
• Able to contribute to the Therapy Weekend and Bank Holiday rota
• Able to fulfil the travel requirements of the post - Full driving licence and access to a vehicle (or alternative mode of transport)
Desirable
• Able and willing to commute between sites, Able to meet the moving and handling requirements of the post
• Able and willing to work contracted hours over 7 days, extended daily hours pattern as required
• Able to contribute to the Therapy Weekend and Bank Holiday rota
• Able to fulfil the travel requirements of the post - Full driving licence and access to a vehicle (or alternative mode of transport)
Desirable
• Able and willing to commute between sites
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.