Community Therapy Assistant Practitioner

Job overview

Are you looking for a new challenge? East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust are an integrated NHS and Social Care Trust offering opportunities for a Community Assistant Practitioner in the therapy team in South Norfolk.

We have an opportunity to work in the community within the therapy team based at Wymondham Health Centre, with an expectation to work across the South Locality if and when required. This will be a part time, substantive post of 22.5 hours per week . The area you will cover is in the picturesque rural Norfolk countryside, working alongside a friendly supportive multidisciplinary team.

If this post interests you, we look forward to receiving your application. we would also strongly encourage you to discuss any aspects of this post by contacting us.

Clinical support will be provided by the Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy registered staff, along with attendance at and contribution to in-service training. There is also support and development through regular appraisals, a personal development plan and regular formal supervision.

• Previous applicants need not apply

Main duties of the job

We would welcome applicants with a ‘can do’ attitude who reflect the values (compassion, creativity and community) and behaviours of the organisation.

You will work as part of a multidisciplinary team and have a varied caseload, supporting functions along the Falls Pathway, long term condition management, progressive neurology management, prevention of admission and early supported discharge from hospital to patients in their own homes and care homes.

The successful candidate will have a good baseline knowledge of therapy and additional training can be given for various aspects of the role.

Triage is key to this role, and as such you will also be expected to work at the Hub in Wymondham on a regular basis gaining experience in triage duties alongside community work.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key Areas of Responsibility 1. To contribute to the delivery of therapy for patients with long term conditions, palliative care and rehabilitation needs for example, to achieve quality of life and independence where possible. 2. To work within the integrated team to facilitate early discharge from hospital. 3. To work within the integrated team to prevent unnecessary admission to hospital 4. To work with all health care professionals, and statutory/non statutory agencies to provide a seamless, integrated service to our service users.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES Clinical The post holder will: 1. Assess patients with straightforward requirements based on predetermined department protocols. 2. Prepare for, carry out and monitor assessments and treatments in specified clinical areas, and discharge in line with predetermined department protocols. 3. Apply competency-based treatment techniques/care to patients with specific conditions under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. 4. Modify and progress intervention / treatment using own clinical reasoning, notifying a qualified practitioner accordingly. 5. Prepare for and develop individual/group activities to meet defined intervention needs. 6. Monitor patients and promptly alert a qualified practitioner when there are unexpected changes. 7. Demonstrate problem solving, and contribute to the solution, working with colleagues. 8. Make basic judgements on patients’ response to prescribed treatment, and report findings to a qualified practitioner. 9. Plan and prioritise own visits to delegated patients and ensure these are documented in personal work diary. 10. Ensure patient held records are completed for each visit, and that SystmOne inputting is completed on a daily basis. 11. Where there are barriers to understanding, such as hearing impairment, mental capacity impairment and other difficulties in comprehension, explanations require adjustments in order to gain understanding, consent and concordance. 12. Be required to use tact and persuasive skills in order to gain the patient’s cooperation in their treatment/care/management plan. 13. Liaise with GPs, Social Services, inpatient teams, other allied health care professionals and the voluntary sector to ensure identified needs are met and care co-ordinated appropriately. 14. To participate in multi-disciplinary/multi-agency meetings as appropriate, e.g. Gold Standard Framework. 15. Communicate with patients/carers by exchanging factual information, reassurance, tact and empathy. 16. Establish and maintain appropriate working relationships with colleagues, patients, carers and other health care professionals. 17. Demonstrate dexterity and coordination when undertaking treatment of patients where accuracy is important, e.g., taking blood sugars, venepuncture, supervising transfers, passive exercises.

• Be responsible for ensuring equipment is used safely, following appropriate training, and that it is maintained appropriately. 19. Contribute to the requisitioning of supplies and equipment through electronic ordering systems. 20. Work predominantly independently on specified tasks, with regular clinical support and supervision by a qualified practitioner. 21. Work with qualified practitioners with group work/clinics as required. 22. Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of consent and gain consent as appropriate following department policy. 23. Share responsibility for maintaining store cupboards, pool cars, cleaning specialist equipment and general housekeeping tasks. 24. Share responsibility for indirect patient contact tasks, such as, answering telephones, arranging appointments, processing referrals and inputting activity data. 25. Will be exposed to bodily fluids, infected material, blood products on a daily basis, therefore must utilise universal precautions and adhere to infection control policies. 26. Demonstrate basic IT and standard keyboard skills.

Professional The post holder will: 1. To be an active member of the in-service training programme by attendance at and participation in staff meetings, training sessions, courses and reflective practice. 2. To participate in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee, maintaining a dynamic personal development plan. 3. To demonstrate an awareness of clinical governance and risk management and apply to work situations. 4. To provide peer support to other carers. 5. To develop competencies to enhance practice and ability to meet needs of patients and the service.

Communication 1. To establish and maintain therapeutic relationships with patients and carers, incorporating motivation, encouragement and confidence building. 2. To demonstrate an ability to communicate with patients/carers with complex needs, using clear and effective verbal/non-verbal communication. 3. To gather and collate information to enable co-ordinator to plan interventions/liaison with others. 4. To provide direct feedback to professionals as appropriate, and in a clear and concise way. 5. To contribute to accurate and timely patient records, including data collection. 6. To communicate and share information with DN’s, GP’s and SW’s as necessary. 8. Be able to communicate effectively with patients/relatives with communication difficulties i.e., deafness, blindness, learning difficulties. 9. To provide feedback to co-ordinator in a clear and concise way.

Organisational The post holder will: 1. Undertake mandatory training as required. 2. Participate in a Personal Development Review process. 3. Undertake Personal Development Plans for more junior staff members. 4. Take part in clinical supervision as per Trust Policy. 5. Follow Trust policies, and local procedures.

• Ensure absence reporting is undertaken as determined by Team Leader and Trust Policy. 7. Contribute to clinical audit as required. 8. Complete the staff survey as required. 9. Complete risk assessments and incident forms as required.

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.