Senior Therapy Technical Instructor - Urgent Care & Frailty

Job overview

Are you a proactive, enthusiastic person looking for a new experience or the next step in your career? We have an exciting opportunity for a band 4 Senior Therapy Technical Instructor (STTI) to join our established team of therapists to work in the urgent care and frailty therapy team at Northampton General Hospital. This is a 3 month fixed term contract from December 2026 to support with winter pressures.

The team consists of Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Support Staff and you will be supported by the qualified staff in the role and encouraged to develop your knowledge and skills. The successful candidate will work alongside the therapy staff and the wider multi-disciplinary team on the Nye Bevan Assessment Unit, the Emergency Department and the Frailty Assessment Unit.

The successful candidate will work autonomously, under the indirect supervision of therapists, to complete rapid assessments of routine patients and provide therapy intervention to enable a safe and timely discharge from the front door. This will also include providing clinical reasoning as to why a patient may not be safe to be discharged at that time. The applicant will have the opportunity to work with patients who have a variety of medical conditions and presentations, be required to manage their own caseload and support other team members under the supervision of qualified therapists. This will include supporting other therapy support staff with their rotational objectives.

Main duties of the job

Job Summary

The post holder will:

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

Provide specific evidence based assessments and treatments under the indirect supervision of qualified therapist using a therapy framework.

Provide technical skills to assist a qualified Therapist in treating orthopaedic patients.

Provide therapy care to in-patients and occasionally patients in their own homes

Have access to, read and understand medical notes and information from the MDT to inform decision making regarding suitability for intervention

Be able to interpret clinical observations and provide supportive treatments of orthopaedic patients, understanding the implications of therapy interventions

Provide rehabilitation to patients within the orthopaedic ward areas

Provide care to post-operative orthopaedic patients

Provide training in use of mobility aids and Therapy Equipment to Orthopaedic Nursing colleagues/HCA’s and Therapy support staff.

Key Working Relationships

The post holder will be required to maintain constructive relationships with a broad range of stakeholders, including but not extensive to: Therapy Department and Enablement Centre clinical and non-clinical staff, Therapy Management Team and the broader trust staff group as required. Participate in relevant working groups/projects, services and initiatives to provide information and analytical advice and expertise.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Good communication skills, verbal and written, and commitment to team working within a fast-paced environment is essential. As well as recent experience of working in an acute setting and moving and handling of patients.

As a therapy team we are continuously involved in service development and the post holder will be involved alongside the therapy team in new projects, service developments and initiatives to ensure best practice.

This post has some non-clinical responsibilities e.g. ordering and maintaining equipment stock levels, inputting data onto the IT systems and other administrative duties as required.

Regular supervision, competency and performance reviews and continued personal development are actively encouraged. The team also has regular team meetings and in-service teaching programmes.

Our service is provided over 7 days per week. The successful candidate will be expected to be part of the weekend service rota and the possibility of developing into extended hours.

To be an integral member of a Therapies team, to assist qualified therapy staff in assessing and carrying out specific therapy interventions for clients with more complex needs. This will include clients who have difficulties understanding and communicating.

Review and implement treatment programmes making necessary modifications prior to reporting back to a qualified therapist in line with the band 4 competency framework. Provide support and training to other qualified and non-qualified staff within the therapy team.

Manage and prioritise own case load independently, carry out delegated duties and work flexibly and at a fast pace in order to support the smooth running of the therapy department.

Provision of clinical services: Demonstrate a good understanding of medical conditions within the area of speciality / clinical pathway and the impact of these on the patients’ function and rehabilitation.

To have a holistic understanding of the patient and their condition, as well as the impact of psychosocial dynamics on their function.

To enable patients to co-operate in their rehabilitation programme using encouragement, reassurance, tact and sensitivity; overcome barriers to understanding with patients whose understanding is impaired.

To identify and implement correct treatment plans within known patient care pathways under the indirect supervision of a qualified therapist.

To assess and formulate treatment and discharge plans for patients as guided by the agreed treatment framework.

To identify patients that do not fall within care pathway / agreed framework and who need referral to qualified staff.

Using protocols and set processes to assess patients’ mobility and functional abilities and assess for and issue appropriate low level equipment.

To constantly assess patient’s stamina / understanding during treatment sessions and modify treatment as appropriate.

To work in a flexible and responsive way when under pressure.

To provide and receive complex patient care information with the multi-professional team, patients and carers in board rounds, ward rounds, family meetings and discharge planning meetings and use this information to modify patient care.

To assist / facilitate same day discharges under guidance of therapists.

To provide advice to patients / carers on safe use and care of prescribed equipment.

Maintain accurate and up to date records of clinical interventions, consistent with legal and organisational requirements.

Be responsible for maintaining rehabilitation equipment in the department.

Improving patient and visitor experiences: To be a point of contact for patients and relatives in the clinical area.

To communicate factual and sometimes complex information to patients and relatives with patients’ consent.

To contribute to the development and sharing of patient and carer information.

Support with gathering and using patient feedback to help improve and develop services.

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

Be aware of ethical issues which impact on Therapy service provision and work under the guidance of Therapists in relation to this.

Using audit, evaluation and research: Through guidance from the qualified therapists, be aware of and implement, evidence based practice and outcome measures as appropriate to the clinical area.

Support therapists to implement agreed action plans from both national and local strategies, benchmarking standards and clinical audits as appropriate.

Participate in audit and research projects as required by service leads and collect data as required.

Support therapists to foster a culture which allows innovation and practice development within the clinical area.

Monitor outcomes of patient intervention using outcome measures

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.