Rotational Therapy Technical Instructor

Job overview

Are you passionate about healthcare and helping others in the challenging environment of an acute hospital? Would you enjoy rehabilitating patients to improve health, function and to achieve person centred goals?

If so, we are looking for enthusiastic and proactive individuals to join our Bank Therapies Department at Northampton General Hospital. We currently have multiple maternity leaves and we are looking for people to join our bank to help cover shifts on an ad hoc basis.

You will work alongside Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists as a Therapy Technical Instructor.

You will have the opportunity to learn and develop across multiple inpatient clinical areas, as part of our rotational team of Therapy Technical Instructors. Clinical areas include Surgery, Trauma and Orthopaedics, Respiratory, Stroke, Acute Medicine, Elderly Medicine, Urgent Care and Frailty.

You will be joining a supportive team in delivering holistic care to patients, helping to treat and progress therapeutic plans as part of the therapy and multi-disciplinary team plans.

If you feel that you have the relevant skills, experience and the desire to work in an ever-evolving acute hospital setting, then we look forward to receiving your application.

Please note: As this is a bank position it does not attract sponsorship

Main duties of the job

Actively provide therapy care for patients as part of the multi-disciplinary team at NGH.

Provide specific evidence-based treatment under indirect supervision and guidance of a registered therapist.

Active involvement in departmental developments and governance.

Provide effective input into the work of the Trust, to support the achievement of our vision.

Contribute to the administration and day-to-day operation of the Therapy services.

Ability to work independently and within a team setting.

Ability to work across rotations as follows; Surgery, Stroke, Acute Medicine, Elderly Medicine, Respiratory, Trauma Orthopaedics, Urgent Care and Frailty.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Implement and record planned programmed of care and comprehensive functional and mobility treatment of patients as directed by a therapist.

Communicate effectively with patients, carers, members of the multi-disciplinary team, Therapy services colleagues and other agencies

To communicate effectively with patients with a variety of communication barriers (blind, deaf, dysphasic, learning difficulties) and use appropriate methods and tools to overcome these.

Make recommendations for equipment, care provision and ongoing rehabilitation as directed by a therapist.

Support patients through instruction and guidance in a range of activities, under the direction of a therapist, in the achievement of identified treatment goals.

Take an active role in home visits and other therapy/treatment sessions alongside a therapist.

Provide advice to patients, their family, and carers, teaching and demonstrating the safe use of equipment or other techniques to optimise the patient’s mobility, functional ability, safety, and independence.

Build professional relationships with patients, their family, and carers, through use of communication, reasoning and person-centred advice, respecting others’ views, culture, beliefs and individuality.

Provide effective verbal and written reports to Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and other multi-disciplinary team members relating to the patient’s performance and progress in their therapy interventions.

Respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of patients and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs.

Contribute to the Therapy Services governance groups (e.g., Infection Prevention, Health & Safety, Fire Safety) acting as an active participant on such groups where appropriate.

Contribute towards service development activities through participation in team meetings and service development sessions.

Propose changes to processes and procedures carried out within own area of work to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Therapy services.

Participate in team/departmental audit and evaluation as agreed with their supervisor.

Ensure work areas are clean, tidy, and well maintained, complying with Health & safety and Infection Prevention guidelines, ensuring the safe use of equipment and storage of materials.

Exercise good personal time management, punctuality, and consistent reliable attendance.

Submit accurate claim forms on electronic timesheets for weekend and additional hours worked.

Able to work flexibly, including 7 day working pattern.

Notify the team leader of periods of sickness as soon as possible in line with Department and Trust policies.

In the absence of Therapy Technical Instructor colleagues through planned or unplanned leave, work flexibly to meet the prioritised needs of the Therapy services both within the team and across all service areas.

Comply with departmental guidelines for the safe use, care and maintenance of equipment and stock.

Take responsibility for the routine management of designated tasks in conjunction with Technical Instructor colleagues e.g., lease car maintenance, management of equipment orders.

Assist Therapy colleagues in the induction, training and education of other staff and students within the Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy services.

Maintain accurate and up to date records of clinical interventions, consistent with legal, Organisational and Trust requirement.

Collect, record, and submit accurate clinical and personal statistical data in line with departmental requirements and guidelines.

Participate in team meetings and in service training sessions with opportunities to lead when appropriate.

Regularly attend and participate in team and Therapy service staff meetings.

Complete the required competencies and rotational objectives for the role within agreed timescales and ensure these remain up to date.

Identify own learning and development needs with guidance from Therapy colleagues, contributing to the production of a Continual Personal Development Plan and annual appraisal objective.

Undertake relevant training and development activities to meet agreed learning needs.

Compile an ongoing record of training and development activities undertaken, reflecting on, and recording learning outcomes of development opportunities.

As part of a team, incorporate up to date therapy and manual handling techniques into working practice.

Complete and prioritise clinical and non-clinical work tasks as appropriate, in conjunction with colleagues under guidance from a therapist.

Seek supervision from a therapist to inform analysis and reasoning when complex patient situations are identified.

Comply with the Royal College of Occupational Therapists and Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, national and Trust policy, protocols, and guidelines under the guidance of team and service leads.

Review and reflect on own practice and actively participate in regular supervision and annual appraisal.