About this role
Job summary
Join a team where every day makes a real difference.
As a Therapy Assistant within the Dysphagia Team for Adults with Learning Disabilities (DTALD), you'll play a vital, hands-on role in helping people eat, drink, communicate and live more safely and confidently. Working alongside Dietitians and Speech & Language Therapists, you'll support life-changing care for adults with complex needs--bringing compassion, creativity and practical skills into community settings across Sutton.
This is a dynamic and rewarding role where no two days are the same. You might be supporting someone in their home to follow a safe eating plan, creating engaging and accessible resources to aid communication, or helping deliver training that empowers carers and professionals. You'll be at the heart of a multidisciplinary team, contributing to personalised care plans, monitoring progress, and ensuring every individual's voice is heard.
If you're passionate about person-centred care, enjoy working closely with people, and want to be part of a forward-thinking, supportive service that truly puts patients first--this is your opportunity to make an impact that matters.
Main duties of the job
1. Supporting safe and effective clinical careThe post holder supports Dietitian and Speech and Language Therapists in delivering safe care to adults with learning disabilities and dysphagia, nutritional and communication needs, including undertaking delegated tasks, monitoring progress, and escalating concerns. This ensures risks associated with eating, drinking and swallowing are managed effectively, contributing to safe and effective care.
2. Delivering responsive, person-centred careThe role involves working directly with patients and the carers to support therapeutic interventions and achieve individual goals. A key aspect of the role is developing and using accessible information and communication approaches to meet the needs of individuals with learning disabilities, ensuring equitable, inclusive care and a positive patient experience.
3. Supporting multidisciplinary working and service efficiencyThe post holder works as part of a multidisciplinary team and across services to support coordinated care, while also contributing to administrative and service support tasks. This promotes partnership working, and supports efficient and sustainable service delivery.
About us
St George's, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group cares for a population of four million people in South West London and North East Surrey.Our sites include St George's Hospital, one of 11 major trauma centres in the UK and the largest healthcare provider and major teaching hospital in the area; St Helier Hospital, home to the South West Thames Renal and Transplantation Unit and Queen Mary's Hospital for Children; and Epsom Hospital, home to the South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre (SWLEOC).
After years of collaboration, our two Trusts became a hospitals group in 2021. While remaining as two separate Trusts, being a hospitals group will help us to collaborate more closely on research, and the development, education, and training of our 17,000-strong workforce.
At gesh we are committed to supporting flexible working arrangements. Applicants are encouraged to discuss any flexibility they may need during the recruitment process.
Job description Job responsibilities
1. MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POST:
Clinical
To work effectively as a member of the team, in providing therapeutic activities, in a variety of community settings e.g. service users own home, residential setting public amenities.
To work under supervision of registered Dietitians and Speech and Language Therapists, providing a range of activities that will support the service users to achieve identified person-centred goals.
To be also able to work without direct supervision and be responsible for assessing service users progress and reporting back to the registered member of therapy team.
To be able to facilitate and participate in planned group work and individual activities.
To monitor patients progress through weight, charts and observations, as directed by the Dietitian / Speech and Language Therapist.
To provide administrative support for the Dysphagia training programme as well as offering practical support during each training session.
To carry out observations under the supervision of the speech and language therapist.
To prepare visual aids and accessible information around Dysphagia, eating and drinking and health.
To contribute to team meetings and service user reviews, ensuring their goals are continually reviewed and treatment plans adjusted accordingly.
To effectively plan, prioritise and manage own workload.
To work across organisational boundaries in achieving safe packages of care / interventions, particularly with service users who have complex needs.
To promote protection of vulnerable adults, working according to policies and procedures.
To maintain accurate records of all client care activities within Community Services and Professional guidelines.
To follow Infection Control Policies, ensuring compliance with infection prevention and control practice and hand hygiene as a core component of basic infection control for self and within team.
To ensure messages are transmitted within an appropriate time frame and using methods consistent with their urgency.
To assist in the ordering, monitoring, issuing and returning of equipment.
To support the services administration team as required.
To organise samples of oral nutritional supplements as instructed by dietitian and follow up on preferences
Education, Development and Training
To comply with Clinical Governance activities.
To identify and attend relevant or further training as appropriate to maintain skills and knowledge in the area of specialism (e.g. attendance at courses, meetings and specialist interest groups).
To ensure that adequate records of assessment, treatment and progress are maintained in accordance with the record keeping policy.
To maintain patient confidentiality at all times.
To review, update and develop dietary information and education materials for patients and carers.
To support review, update and develop clinical policies, local protocols and procedures.
To contribute to the development and updating of departmental evidence-based clinical standards, policies, procedures and patient information.
To participate in research and audit within the specialist area,
To participate in identified departmental working groups as agreed with the Service Manager.
To attend, minute and contribute to regular DTALD team meetings.
To contribute towards maintaining and improving high standards of dietetic practice through the application of clinical governance initiatives, including participation in audit and research as appropriate.
To participate in continuing professional development as identified through a performance development programme.
To contribute to effective team working and to communicate with colleagues, patients and visitors in a polite and courteous manner at all times.
Personal and People Development
Provide training and education to qualified and unqualified staff in order to address and enhance the skills and knowledge of the workforce.
To participate in clinical supervision, appraisal and in-service training as identified on personal development plan.
Maintain clinical and professional competence by keeping up to date with nursing/allied health care and health care trends and developments by reading clinical/professional literature, research, study days and liaison with other professionals.
Service Development
When required, participate in the identification of service development needs.
To support in the delivery of service key performance targets.
To work as an integral part of Sutton Health and Care.
Identify and make recommendations for service development and improvements.
Be pioneering within the service ensuring continuous improvement of the quality and safety of services by taking action on feedback and seeking to develop skills and knowledge of self and others.
Support the delivery of Service objectives and KPIs.
To have experience and knowledge of change management.
Quality
Ensure contemporaneous records are maintained at all times and to safeguard clients confidentiality by being aware of legal and ethical responsibilities.
To record and submit data as required in a timely manner.
Ensure quality of services and make the best use of resources by minimising waste and finding the most efficient ways of working.
Research and Development
Contribute to the development of learning disability knowledge.
Support the implementation of evidence based practice.
Communication and Working Relationships
Work in a team structure, liaising with colleagues, community teams and other members of the multi-professional team to ensure a high standard of timely patient care is delivered.
Represent and talk on behalf of the service and give formal presentations as appropriate.
Diffuse potentially hostile, antagonistic and emotive situations with staff, patients and relatives.
Promote good practice and effective communication within and between hospital, community services, primary care, statutory and voluntary organisations on all matters relating to the patient.
Work collaboratively with colleagues, specialist community teams and other members of the multi-professional team to ensure a high standard of timely patient care is delivered.
To support the department and organisation by carrying out any other duties that reasonably fit within the broad scope of a job of this grade and type of work.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
oEvidence of formal education with written, verbal and numeric skills to GCSE or similar level
Experience Essential
oExperience of working in health or social care environment oTeam working
Desirable
oRelevant experience of working with people with learning disabilities oExperience of multiagency/multi-disciplinary working. oPrevious experience of working within a therapy assistant role/ HCA/care co-ordinator
Knowledge Essential
oUnderstanding of the basic principles of the role of the Dietitian/SLT and how the support worker supports this role. oKnowledge of safeguarding and incident reporting systems oKnowledge of what a learning disability is and how that can impact health inequalities
Skills Essential
oYou have knowledge & awareness of diversity and human rights as appropriate to your role oYou are able to communicate effectively to ensure high standards of care, treatment, service or support as appropriate to your role oPatient facing roles -be able to understand an individual's communication, physical & emotional needs; recognise their needs and preferences oAble to provide a customer focussed service oGood IT skills - Excel, word, email, internet, powerpoint, taking minutes oAbility to manage time effectively, meet deadlines and manage work pressures and competing demands. oAbility to take initiative and problem solve.
Desirable
oExperience of working with EMIS electronic patient system. oExperience of using Google: sheets, docs,
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 Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust
Address 2nd Floor, Green Wrythe Lane Clinic
Green Wrythe Lane
Carshalton
SM5 1JF
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.epsom-sthelier.nhs.uk/work-for-us (Opens in a new tab)