About this role
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and motivated Therapy Assistant Practitioner to join our MSK and Orthopaedic Therapy Service within Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. The post is a permanent part-time position (18.75 hours per week) and will be worked Wednesday - Friday, with a half day on the Wednesday. This is a job share with the other individual currently working the first half of the week.
The post holder will be working within the MSK and Orthopaedic Physiotherapy teams, delivering exercise based classes, treating a caseload of non-complex outpatients, supporting the pre and post-op management of orthopaedic patients on the ward, and also contributing to administrative duties.
The post-holder may also assist with data collection to measure the effectiveness of our interventions and assist in service improvement. They will also be asked to assist with tasks related to the housekeeping and day to day running of the outpatient department where required.
The MSK and Orthopaedic Service covers 3 sites (Worcester, Redditch, Kidderminster). This role will be based at Kidderminster, however there may be a requirement to travel across all sites as the service requires.
For more information, please contact Judith Jehring via email at [email protected]
Main duties of the job
Working as part of the Therapy team to provide direct high quality therapeutic care and support to a defined group of patients. Within the scope of the role, the post holder will independently (unsupervised) plan and deliver individual or group tasks where the understanding of role boundaries and the importance of supervision and carrying out delegated tasks and plans is essential.
This role requires understanding of principles, policies, protocols, procedures, processes within a defined group of patients. Although work is guided by standard operating procedures and protocols, the post holder must be able to make judgements to plan activities assess, treat and progress/grade and adapt treatment of patients in line with competencies set and assessed by the Registered Therapist. This knowledge should be utilised to contribute to effective discharge planning.
The post holder will also co-ordinate and assist with the training and management of other Therapy Support Workers, thus providing an effective support service to the Therapy Team. They will contribute to service development and demonstrate personal development as well as being responsible for supervision of others and delegation of tasks to other non-registered staff.
Working hours will be dependent upon the service provided within each speciality, this may include 7-day working, working contracted hours within an extended daily pattern or participation in a relevant weekend /bank holiday rota.
About us
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.
The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester
Our workforce is more than 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.
We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us. Our values, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.
Being open and honest
Ensuring people feel cared for
Showing respect to everyone
We are committed to developing a culture of continuous improvement by embedding the principles of our Improvement System.
We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.
DBS Checks and Costs
Any applicants who are offered posts requiring a DBS check as part of their employment check will have the cost of this check (at the current rate) deducted from their salary. Please see link in Supporting Information section for more details on DBS checks and costs.
Job description Job responsibilities
See Job Description Document for full list
Key Duties:
Domain 1: Formal Knowledge and Experience
Entry requirements as personal specification.
Able to demonstrate substantial experience in health and care settings, including in the relevant field of work.
Demonstrates the values of the NHS and commitment to personal and professional development.
Domain 2: Supporting service users.
Develops, manages, and maintains positive, appropriate relationships with service users, families and carers, demonstrating respect, kindness, compassion, and empathy at all times.
Consistently deploys care, treatment, and support strategies to promote and provide person-centred care, including providing information, advice, and guidance to service users, carers, families, health professionals, and others.
Understands the social, cultural, and economic influences, individual circumstances, behaviours, and lifestyle choices that impact on health outcomes for service users and their families, including health inequalities.
Understands the aims and principles of health promotion, protection and improvement and importance of relevant interventions for individual service users and their families, including making every contact count.
Understands a range of organisations in the health and social care system and services provided, referring service users to services appropriately.
Understands and can explain the main legislation, legal and ethical responsibilities that shape health and social care and the role of agencies such as the Care Quality Commission.
Able to work collaboratively with a variety of health staff, social care staff, professional staff, and others. Understands and demonstrates the principles of team and partnership working.
Recognises the importance of support workers in service delivery, including the diverse roles undertaken by AHP support workers. Is able to define own role, for example by describing their duties and the roles of others.
Has a thorough understanding of the function and role of their service and can actively advocate for this to other teams and services.
Domain 3: Clinical, Technical and Scientific Roles and Responsibilities, Knowledge and Practice, Support, and Interventions.
Developed knowledge of clinical, technical, and/or scientific theory and practice, within their immediate field of practice. Understands the importance of evidence-based practice.
Demonstrates an understanding of role boundaries, the importance of supervision and carrying out appropriately delegated tasks. Able to understand and follow procedures, protocols, and plans.
Following appropriate training and demonstration of competency, works unsupervised with service users within the scope of the role and operational policies, protocols, and procedures, adhering to evidence base practice.
Understands and gains valid consent prior to action or providing care, and records this appropriately.
Assesses a defined group of patients with mobility, functional/cognitive impairments, and impairments of activities of daily living, including assessment of a patients fitness to treat, recognising at deteriorating patient and escalating accordingly any concerns to a registered therapist/ward staff.
Gathers and interprets relevant information including social history, and through working under protocols facilitates early discharge planning, liaising with family/care agencies as needed.
Works unsupervised to assess, plan, implement, progress/grade and monitor own treatment and care plan interventions, including adapting to circumstances/patients needs.
Actively participates in the planning and development of personalised care plans by offering objective clinical and evidence-based information to inform planned activities.
Monitors the effectiveness of treatments through evaluation of outcome and use of clinical knowledge and evidence base to progress the patient within defined protocols and recognises the reason for any unmet goals.
Understands the impact of complex or urgent care needs and other factors encountered when prioritising care activities within their own or the teams defined workload.
Identifies the need for ongoing rehabilitation/support and liaises with the MDT to recommend the appropriate level of care on discharge. This could involve referral to other agencies.
Assesses for, recommends, orders, issues, and fits equipment as per scope of practice, as required by the service user, including demonstration of safe use of equipment to service users, carers, and other staff.
Recognises an emergency, summons assistance, and acts as a member of the MDT within parameters of own competence and defined role. In settings where a registered practitioner is not present, initiates immediate first aid whilst awaiting the arrival of appropriately qualified practitioners.
Domain 4: Communication and Information Management.
Communicates effectively, through a variety of methods with patients, carers, and relatives to maximise rehabilitation potential through interpersonal, verbal, and nonverbal skills. This may require explanation, instruction, persuasion, motivation, negotiation, and reassurance.
Exchanges information with service user and families using active listening, compassion, empathy, and coproduction techniques with the service user.
Demonstrates the ability to provide and receive complex and sensitive information, including relating to service users. Judges the appropriate method of communication, ensuring information is provided in an accessible way.
Actively listens and receives information, gives and acts on feedback. Understands the communication needs of others and adapts communication style accordingly.
Manages barriers to effective communication and adapts own communication style as appropriate.
Liaises and communicates effectively with registered therapists, acute ward and community teams and other members of the MDT, regarding referrals, ongoing care, rehabilitation needs, and discharge requirements of individual patients.
Understands role requirement and the importance of accessing, maintaining, and storing documentation relating to care, in accordance with local guidance and legal requirements for maintaining confidentiality and data protection.
Maintains complete accurate and contemporaneous treatment records including valid consent to interventions, utilising digital platforms as required, in line with local and HCPC standards.
Domain 5: Safe and Inclusive Environments.
Contributes to the maintenance of healthy and safe working environments through appropriate practice, use of resources, techniques and behaviours and understanding of relevant legislation.
Contributes to the application and evaluation of organisational procedures and protocols.
Identifies and acts immediately to manage risks/unsafe practice or environments, including assessment of moving and handling, using local policies and procedures.
Acts with integrity and honesty, ensuring individuals do not experience harm by reporting situations, behaviours or errors that might lead to adverse outcomes for service users.
Is aware of the environment in which they work and how to maintain health and safety for themselves and others.
Reports any adverse incidents, accidents, near misses or complaints in a timely manner, taking appropriate action where necessary, according to Trust policy.
Ensures safe use of all mechanical and electrical equipment or medical devices used in the care of patients.
Domain 6: Research and Service Improvement.
Participates in, contributes to, and may lead, audits, service evaluation, and quality improvement projects relevant to own work.
Applies research governance, ethics, protocols, and guidelines and may undertake more complex research activities including data collection and analysis. Disseminates research findings.
Person Specification
Personal Qualities Essential
Evidence of enthusiasm andcommitment to the role in Worcestershire. Proactive in self-development. Able to maintain confidentiality and Professionalism. Compassionate. Evidence of appropriate personal attributes e.g. responsible, reliable, flexible, well-organised, initiative. Evidence of good team working. Ability to problem solve.
Experience Essential
Proven experience as a Senior Therapy Assistant/or equivalent working with different patient groups/conditions. Experience of working in an acute/healthcare setting with direct patient contact. Evidence of work using a wide range of Therapy related skills including grading, adaptation and progression of interventions. Evidence of supporting other staff to develop.
Desirable
Experience of organising and/or providing training to others. Experience of group Working. Experience of using/fitting adaptive equipment.
Qualifications Essential
Functional Skills (level 2) or Maths & English GCSE (grades 9-4 or A*-C). National Care Certificate. AND a foundation degree Health and Social care or equivalent level 5 qualification and A-Levels and GCSEs or equivalent(s), Or as a level 5 apprenticeship (e.g. Assistant practitioner apprenticeship), Or equivalent clinical experience/expertise within an AHP profession underpinned by Theoretical, and practical experience.
Desirable
Evidence of attendance at healthcare related course e.g. Dementia awareness, stroke specialist seating. A relevant further education qualification eg BTEC (Therapy Support Worker) or NVQ 3 in healthcare or Equivalent.
Other Job Requirements Essential
Ability to meet the physical, emotional and challenging demands of the role. Able to meet the moving and handling requirements of the post. Able and willing to work contracted hours over 7 days, extended daily hours pattern as required. Able to contribute to the Therapy Weekend and Bank Holiday rota. Able to fulfil the travel requirements of the post - Full driving licence and access to a vehicle (or alternative mode of transport).
Desirable
Able and willing to commute between sites.
Skills/Knowledge Essential
Knowledge of Basic aims and principles of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy. Evidence of managing/ prioritising own caseload/working independently. Ability to work autonomously using own Knowledge/skills and initiative in complex situations, acknowledging role boundaries. Effective and appropriate written and verbal communication/interpersonal skills. Evidence of thorough, relevant self-development/ CPD activity. Completion of broad-based competencies in therapy related skills. Evidence of patient handling skills. Computer Literate e.g. Microsoft Word PowerPoint Outlook.
Desirable
Evidence of activities involving leadership/management skills. Understanding of professional, legal and clinical governance issues. Previous experience of Electronic Patient Records.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details Employer name Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
Address Kidderminster Hospital
Bewdley Road
Kidderminster
Worcestershire
DY11 6RJ
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.worcsacute.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)