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Location

High Kelling, Norfolk | United Kingdom

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Job description

The North Learning Disabilities Team are pleased to be able to offer the role of Therapy Assistant Practitioner within our integrated health and social care team. The successful candidate will be supported to work in the community setting - visiting people in their own homes, day services, residential homes and other locations to provide support across three therapy disciplines (Physiotherapy, Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy).

Working under the supervision of registered therapists, you will be able to work autonomously and dynamically to support a range of individuals to both set and achieve their goals. Working with them and those other people who may support them to achieve these.

The role within Learning Disabilities services is very rewarding, and you will need to have flexibility in the approaches you take to deliver care for each individual you support. Previous experience in Learning Disabilities services would be an advantage - but not essential as full development and support will be available to the successful applicant.

The Therapy Assistant Practitioner post is designed to be a three-way split role across the disciplines of Physiotherapy, Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy. Each of these disciplines will have their own roles and expectations for the Assistant Practitioner.

You will be supported by a nominated Registered Therapist for each discipline, who will guide and support you with the role in their specific area. Your role as an Assistant Practitioner will include following the care plan instructions from the Registered Therapist to deliver bespoke interventions to individual patients. This is then reviewed regularly with the Registered Therapist to ensure the goals are being met. You will be supported to gain competencies for each of the three disciplines to enable you to have the skills required for the care and treatment you deliver.

Your role will also involve working with the wider integrated health and social care team members, to ensure the people we care for receive the best level of care and treatment available to them.

Norfolk Community Health and Care is rated as 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission. The Learning Disabilities service within the organisation has a great reputation for the care and support we offer to our patients and those who support them. We receive a high level of feedback from our Friends and Family surveys who would recommend us as a service to others.

The trust itself is very accommodating with regards to supporting your career development, and we take your health and well being seriously as part of you working for our trust. The trust values each member of staff's contributions to both the local team, and the wider organisation.

Working in North Norfolk - you have access to many picturesque towns and villages - and the coast is on our doorstep. The team are very supportive of each other, and there is a good level of camaraderie in the service.

Apply now to join an organisation that has been awarded an Outstanding rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the highest possible rating and the first stand-alone NHS community trust in the country to be awarded the title.

Clinical
1. Assess patients with straightforward requirements based on predetermined department protocols.
1. Prepare for, carry out and monitor assessments and treatments in specified clinical areas, and discharge in line with predetermined department protocols.
1. Apply competency-based treatment techniques/care to adults with learning disabilities under the supervision of a qualified practitioner, following a prescribed treatment/care plan.
1. Modify and progress intervention / treatment using own clinical reasoning in conjunction with a registered therapist.
1. Monitor patients and promptly alert a qualified practitioner when there are changes.
1. Plan and prioritise own visits to allocated patients, and in accordance with local procedures i.e. lone worker.
1. To use highly developed verbal and non-verbal skills to gain rapport with adults with learning disabilities who may have complex communication difficulties, profound physical disabilities and/or challenging behaviour, sensory processing difficulties, dysphagia, mental health difficulties or a combination of these.
1. Liaise with providers, families and other agencies to ensure identified needs are met and care co-ordinated appropriately.
1. Establish and maintain appropriate working relationships with patients, providers, families, other agencies and health and social care professionals.
1. Be responsible for ensuring equipment is used safely, following appropriate training, and that it is maintained appropriately.
1. Contribute to the requisitioning of supplies and equipment through electronic ordering systems.
1. Work with registered therapists with group work/clinics as required.
1. To assess patient capacity, gain valid informed consent and have the ability to work within a legal framework in line with the Mental Capacity Act.
1. Share responsibility for indirect patient contact tasks such as, answering telephones, arranging appointments, processing referrals, making resources and inputting activity data.
1. May be exposed to bodily fluids, infected material, blood products, therefore must utilise universal precautions and adhere to infection control policies.

Professional
1. Attend and contribute to team meetings, therapy meetings and other meetings where appropriate.
1. Attend in-house and competency training as required to develop current job role.
1. May be required to demonstrate own duties to students, new starters and/or less experienced staff; and be involved in induction programmes for new staff / students as required.
1. Work predominantly independently on specified tasks, with regular clinical support and supervision by a registered therapist.
1. Be aware of limitations of own scope of practice and competency, and when to involve a more senior clinician, both in daily practice and in emergency situations.
1. Acknowledge and recognise peoples’ expressed beliefs, preferences and choices.
1. Demonstrate an awareness of clinical governance and risk management and apply to work situation.
1. To provide peer support to other practitioners, demonstrating leadership skills to own competency.
1. Identify and explore own contribution to team working and reflect on own practice.
1. Actively contribute to the working of the team and express ideas on improving services for users and the team.

Organisational
1. Be actively involved in the collection of appropriate data and statistics as designated by the registered therapists.
1. Follow trust policies, departmental and local procedures.
1. Undertake mandatory training as required.
1. Participate in the Personal Development Review process.
1. Be aware of Trust’s Behaviour Framework and ensure behaviours are embedded in role.
1. Ensure absence reporting is undertaken as determined by Team Leader and Trust policy.
1. Contribute to clinical audit as required.
1. Complete the staff survey as required.
1. Complete risk assessments and incident forms as required.
1. Take part in clinical supervision as per Trust policy.

This advert closes on Friday 15 Mar 2024

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