Advance Clinical Exercise Instructor

Job overview

The post holder will provide comprehensive physical activity and clinical exercise programs to working age adult acute inpatient wards. This service is to be provided both in the central gymnasium at the NDBH and on the Maudsley wards where necessary. There will be occasion for the post holder to organise & establish a borough wide community Clinical Exercise group.

The post holder will co-ordinate a first-class service that includes assessment and monitoring of physical health, maintaining service users rights, supervising junior staff and students, working collaboratively with the Multi-Disciplinary Team and maintaining a safe and therapeutic working environment and accurate record taking. You will be expected to provide an equitable clinical exercise service and help create appropriate exercise regimes to match all environments across wards.

The post holder will be working in collaboration with other Clinical Exercise professionals as well as physiotherapist and occupational therapist to produce and co-ordinate the dissemination of physical health programs and raise awareness of the benefits of physical activity as a means to promoting healthier lifestyles.

Main duties of the job

Working autonomously within the parameters of the role leading, on implementation of a range and up to date evidence based physical activity initiatives. To provide and lead on a range of clinical exercise programmes for patients with relatively less complex, but stable needs.

• Triaging referrals and initial data collection
• Monitoring of individual service user progress
• Working closely with the physiotherapists and occupational therapists
• Producing reports and in-care reviews
• Devising a plan of care and interventions
• Co-ordinating and monitoring of Lifestyle Medicine interventions

Conduct active delivery of exercise referral consultations, assessments and tailored programmes by managing own caseload including effective communication with key workers and other members of the multi- disciplinary team. Undertaking 1:1 service user sessions tailored to specific needs and clinical indications. Contributing to service user wellbeing and improvement in physical health status through the use of lifestyle focussed interventions and supervising junior members of the team. Liaising with the multi-disciplinary teams (MDT), ensure patients are offered, and have access to a range of opportunities to be active throughout the day.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Responsibility for planning and providing a comprehensive needs led programme of exercise and physical activity to clients on adult acute inpatient wards. This will include developing and maintaining a comprehensive clinical exercise and rehabilitation programme guided by both evidence-based practice and service user preferences.

To monitor, evaluate and audit projects using and ensure the service is appropriate for the client groups on site and identify opportunities in order to improve the service within available resources.

To be aware of new developments in mental health and sports medicine. To use health promotional strategies to inform staff/ patients and to ensure the service develops in line with current trends within mental health and in physical activity and exercise.

To use a variety of techniques to apply the principles of clinical exercise part of the range of therapeutic interventions provided by the wards' multi­ disciplinary teams, and to involve service users and their carers where appropriate.

In accordance with The Health and Safety Act, ensure the gym is assessed continually, ensuring that it is a safe environment for all relevant sporting activities to take place there, including provision and maintenance of gymnasium equipment.

To ensure that relevant National and Local charters, standards and NHS Trust policies and procedures are followed.

To provide clinical feedback to MDT which includes contributing to patient treatment plans and use of the Electronic Patient Journey System.

To be responsible for the physical screening of patients to ensure their safety whilst participating in exercise sessions. To record & monitor physical health of patients whilst they're undergoing a physical programme

To support and lead on service development projects delegated by the Clinical Exercise Lead. To supervise junior exercise instructors and students and act as a role model in promoting effective and professional team working as the lead for physical activities in the clinical exercise day programme.

To liaise with outside agencies (e.g. local leisure facility providers /voluntary organisations) as required, with the aim of facilitating clients to exercise independently after discharge from the wards/Trust.