Bank Complementary Therapist

Job overview

The Band 5 complementary therapist is an active member of a team that provides a high quality; evidence based complementary therapy service for the patient with cancer. The band 5 complementary therapist is expected to have skills enabling them to be a source of advice and expertise for hospital staff, relatives and patients and answer questions from the general public relating to the complementary therapy service at the Royal Marsden Hospital.

Main duties of the job

Provide a holistic, advanced, therapeutic assessment of patients with a cancer diagnosis. These patients may present with complex physical, emotional and psychological needs as a result of their cancer diagnosis and its treatment with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Provide a complementary therapeutic assessment, to develop and deliver individualised treatment programmes and make appropriate referrals to other disciplines.

Hold responsibility for own caseload, working without direct supervision. Access to advice and support from the Complementary therapy lead is available. Clinical supervision either one to one or in a group supports this practice and takes the form of formal training, reflective practice and clinical reasoning.

Be a source of knowledge and expertise relating to complementary therapies practiced for patients, relatives and colleagues of all disciplines within the Trust. The post holder works closely with all members of the multi-disciplinary team to provide specialist input to a planned programme of co-ordinated care.

The post holder has a responsibility to share best practice and answer or direct queries from health care professionals, patients and carers.

Undertake evidence-based audit and research projects, in conjunction with the Complementary Therapy lead and the Therapies lead, to further clinical practice within the service and contribute to development of the service by identifying opportunities for improvement to the service.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including the management of patients
• Manage clinical risk within own patient caseload
• Undertake a comprehensive assessment of patients including those with diverse or complex presentations/multiple pathologies. These may include symptoms directly related to the disease process, symptoms related to treatment, or symptoms arising from pre-existing pathologies.
• Use advanced clinical reasoning skills and assessment techniques to provide an complementary therapy intervention appropriate to the patient’s condition and place this within the context of their cancer and its treatment
• Develop advanced listening skills to understand the physical, emotional and psychological needs of patients and carers and incorporate these into treatment planning
• Plan and provide an individual complementary therapy treatment programme incorporating patient focused goals and outcomes. This will be based on a sound knowledge of evidence based practice, complementary therapy treatment options and a developing knowledge of cancer and its treatment.
• Assess the patient’s understanding of treatment proposals and gain valid informed consent to implement the treatment programme. To have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent to treatment.
• Use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication skills and strategies to communicate effectively with patients, For example patients may be unable to accept their diagnosis, may have a hearing loss, a visual impairment, affected speech, cognitive problems or have a learning disability
• Evaluate patient progress and re-assess and alter treatment programmes if required.
• Develop advanced communication skills, with the support of the Complementary therapy lead, and further training, to work with patients and carers in complex/sensitive situations, which may include end of life situations.
• Represent the complementary therapy service and individual patients/carers at multi-disciplinary meetings when required to ensure the delivery of a co-ordinated multi-disciplinary service,
• Supply relevant written or online advice and information in line with department protocols.
• Ensure that high standards of documentation are maintained. These should meet professional and departmental standards. These will usually be electronic records entered into the hospital patient records system.
• Use moderate physical effort, highly developed handling skills, manual dexterity and coordination to deliver complementary therapy sessions adapted to patients needs on a daily basis.
• Comply with the Trust Manual Handling Policy and local therapeutic handling guidance at all times.
• With the support of the Complementary therapy lead, draw on previous clinical experience to develop advanced personal coping strategies to work in the oncology setting. Complementary therapists working within this setting have daily exposure to patients with progressive disease and those who are in the terminal stages of their illness.
• Take the responsibility for maintaining own competency to practice through CPD activities, and maintain a portfolio which reflects personal development.
• Take an active role in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee and be responsible for setting and agreeing a personal development plan with the senior complementary therapist
• Ensure personal and professional development through reflective practice, supervision and peer review.
• Be an active member of regular in-service training within the complementary therapy team and Therapies Department.
• Be actively involved in professional clinical groups, and other professional development activities.
• Develop and maintain an awareness of evidence based practice and current developments in cancer and its treatment and the implications these may have for the delivery of care.
• Develop presentation skills to use in formal teaching opportunities where appropriate and with support of senior staff use these skills for internal and external presentations
• Prepare and present formal patient education sessions and provide written information for groups of patients and/or carers attending structured rehabilitation programmes.
• In collaboration with senior colleagues assist in the orientation and integration of new complementary therapy staff members and other health care colleagues. With the Visitor Programmes Co-ordinator, participate in planned programmes for visitors to the Complementary therapy Department.
• Undertake the measurement and evaluation of your work and current practices through the use of evidence-based projects, audit and outcome measures, with the support of the Complementary Therapy lead and Research and Practice Development lead within Therapies.
• Participate in appropriate research and/or data collection, identified in departmental/rehabilitation objectives, with support from the Complementary Therapy lead