Therapy Assistant - Prehab
Job overview
Therapy Technician Band 4 Prepare to recover - 37.5 hours
We are looking for a Therapy Assistant to join our Prehabilitation “Prepare To Recover” team.
The successful candidate will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team including Physiotherapists, Dietitians and Anaesthetists. You will support in conducting assessments, leading prehabilitation classes with support, educating patients on the importance of ‘prehab’ before a variety of operations and help support the transition of care post-operatively.
You will play an active role in building relationships with an Orthopaedic cohort of patients to help optimise their outcomes following Orthopaedic surgery. There is opportunity in the future that you will work with Cancer and Colorectal patients, to help prepare them for upcoming treatment.
The role is based at multiple sites across Woking and Elmbridge areas. The successful applicant would be required to work 8am-4pm Monday to Friday, with some flexibility of working from home.
We are looking for someone with proven therapy assistant experience or similar with evidence of an understanding of the role of a Therapy Assistant. It is essential to have good IT and organisational skills as part of the role involves recording activity on Trust IT system, writing electronic notes and inputting data on Excel.
The Trust is committed to training and development and employee well being.
Main duties of the job- To implement specific treatment programmes or interventions delegated by qualified therapy staff and help lead group prehabilitation classes
- To carry out and support assessments, information gathering and onwards referrals for patients
- To contribute to patient education and advice giving to patients, staff and families/ carers.
- To carry out assessment and rehabilitation as determined by patients’ needs and progress/ adapt patient’s rehabilitation with guidance from the team clinicians (OT/PT).
- To be able to independently run exercises classes and know how to manage unforeseen circumstances such as falls
- Have a good understanding of community services available to our patients and how to access them
- To undertake non-clinical duties such as telephone follow ups, audits, recording patients contacts on Trust IT system, writing electronic notes, monitoring stock.
- To participate in CPD and develop knowledge and skills by attending relevant training and keeping mandatory training up to date
Working for our organisation
Ashford and St. Peters Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust serves a population of more than 410,000 people living in North-West Surrey, parts of Hounslow and beyond.
Over 3,700 highly trained doctors, nurses, midwives, therapists, healthcare scientists and other support staff make up our workforce, providing a wide range of services across our two hospital sites, Ashford, Surrey and St Peter's, Chertsey, Surrey.
We also run many specialist clinics in the community and local community hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
Our vision is to be one of the best healthcare Trusts in the country. There has never been a better time to join us in the NHS at ASPH. We are committed to providing continuous professional development and flexibility to shape our workforce around our patient care.
We are expanding our theatres at Ashford Hospital and moving towards this becoming our dedicated elective centre. We want to create a state-of-the-art centre for excellence for planned surgical procedures.
We can offer you the full range of NHS benefits/discounts and in addition:
- Excellent pension scheme and annual leave entitlement
- On-site Nurseries
- On-site staff cafes
- On-site parking
- Support in career development
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including wage stream, lease cars, Cycle to Work schemes and home electronics
Adverts may close early, so applicants are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible.
For more information about a career at ASPH please visit: www.asph-careers.org
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Clinical or technical- To carry out initial Prepare to Recover assessments, final assessments (within scope of practice) and follow therapy regimes following assessment
- To be responsible for the monitoring of these care programmes to facilitate patients reaching their optimum level of independence and social integration
- To adapt and progress the prehabilitation of patients within set guidelines including adapting treatments and approaches to take account of changes in the patients’ physical and mental state
- To have a basic understanding of what Prehabilitation as a concept is and the need for it within the NHS
- To work with patients without direct supervision or presence of a qualified therapist
- To be aware of problems that could affect the patient’s progress and report back any changes
- To be responsible for reporting on patient changes/progress to qualified staff and relevant team members
- To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including the management of patients in your care. To ensure a high standard of clinical practice for patients under your care.
- Take responsibility for the implementation of treatment programmes for an identified caseload, with access to supervision from therapy staff
- To organise the identified workload efficiently and effectively with regard to clinical priorities and use of time.
- Identify those patients who may require treatment or intervention by more senior staff or other services
- Make limited decisions and judgements on straightforward clinical treatments and prioritise within agreed parameters, applying clinical reasoning skills. Be able to judge when patient is unwell and deteriorating in a class/community setting and call for appropriate assistance in a timely manner
- Under Therapy direction plan, treat, evaluate and progress patient care to maximise their treatment potential for an identified specific caseload.
- To follow Trust and departmental procedures, policy, guidance and pathways where they exist eg lone working policy, manual handling, infection control.
- To identify and manage clinical risk within own clinical caseload, and report to supervising Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist.
- To be aware of own safety and safety of others, assessing risk and reporting any adverse incidents or near misses.
- To participate in CPD and develop knowledge and skills by attending relevant training and keeping mandatory training up to date.
- To organise clinical activity with appropriate time scheduling in order to complete all clinical and administrative duties, including statistical record keeping and use of the Trust’s IT system.
- To be independently responsible for time management, planning and organisation of daily workloads as delegated by a qualified staff member.
- To ensure equipment and treatment areas are prepared for use by therapists and ensure no damaged or problem equipment is used.
- To be responsible for the ordering and monitoring of equipment and supplies for the team in conjunction with the lead therapists.
- To be responsible for general and specific administrative duties as required and delegated i.e. data collection, photocopying, booking transport
- To participate in the appraisal system
- To maintain the high standards of the service by contributing towards individual, team and service objectives.
- To work to the standards of individual speciality areas and to ensure that the background knowledge within each area is acquired through independent learning and collaboration with qualified staff.
- To participate and contribute to all activities associated with the departments’ response to current trends/developments and changes within the Health service.
- To make onward referrals to other community services
- To maintain comprehensive, accurate and timely patient notes and records in accordance with department policy, and to ensure safekeeping and confidentiality of those records.
- To keep comprehensive records of activity in accordance with local, trust and national requirements and guidelines, using IT software systems as required
- To use computer skills to support role, including electronic notes, e-mail
- To participate in quality/development projects as directed by the therapy staff.
- To contribute to the evaluation of the ward therapy service and make improvements and alterations with support from qualified therapy staff.
- To keep accurate statistical records in line with departmental procedures.
- To be responsible for educational and experiential learning, keeping up to date with relevant evidence-based practice whilst maintaining a continuing professional development portfolio.
- To participate in training programmes and continuing professional development activities, including competency based training programmes as set by your clinical supervisor/mentor.
- To participate in regular meetings with your clinical supervisor/mentor.
- To provide appropriate advice, demonstrate own activities or workplace routines to new or less experienced employees or students
- To develop rapport with patients, encourage their interest and participation, in a manner, which promotes dignity, self-esteem and choice. This requires empathy, sensitivity and good interpersonal skills.
- To maintain effective communication links with patients, carers and all relevant professional practitioners as appropriate.
- To use effective communication tools, verbal and non-verbal to communicate treatment programmes to patients who may have barriers to understanding or communicating eg dementia patients.
- To report back directly to the Therapy Team, any changes in functional abilities, relevant information gained or patient’s comments linked to treatment.
- To liaise with other staff disciplines to ensure continuity of care
- Convey information in a particularly sensitive manner when it is contradictory to customer and carer expectations, cultural beliefs or desires.
- Maintain strict confidentiality regarding customer and staff information, adhering to organisational policies and procedures
- Consult with more experienced staff for advice when required.
- To report effectively to the team on patients performance/ progress.
- 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.
- To have responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of self and others at work. This includes being conversant with relevant trust safety policies and procedures. To report incidents and near misses at work; take part in the risk management process; attend all mandatory training courses in the agreed duration as defined by trust policy and carry out tasks and use equipment only when competent to do so
- To ensure confidentiality at all times, only releasing confidential information obtained during the course of employment to those acting in an official capacity. To comply with the requirements of the Data Protection act
- To comply with the trust’s corporate and local policies and procedures on such subjects and clinical management and human resources
Person specification
Behaviour and values
Essential criteria- Willing and able to take personal responsibility
- Seeks out and takes opportunities to improve the service
- Flexible in their attitudes and behaviours to support team working and delivery of objectives
- Supports learning and development of self and others
Experience
Essential criteria- Demonstrable experience as a Therapy Assistant (or equivalent) in the NHS or similar setting
- Experience of working in a team
- Experience of direct patient care
Knowledge
Essential criteria- Understanding the role of Physiotherapists, dietitians and Anaesthetics within the ‘prehab’ setting
Skills
Essential criteria- Confidence in leading a group of individuals through an exercise class
- Strong communication skills, verbally and non-verbally
- Ability to demonstrate a wide range of exercise techniques
Other
Essential criteria- Able to drive between trust sites across Woking and Elmbridge Areas