Senior Therapy Assistant

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Therapy Assistant

The closing date is 02 November

Are you passionate about caring for others?

We are looking for a Therapy Assistant to join our Interim Team.

The Interim service was set up in

• and over the years has grown from a tiny team based at one desk, to a large and highly effective service supporting hundreds of patients home every year.

We support patients home under a pathway known as "ICAT", which stands for Interim Care Assessment Team.

This means that we complete our own assessment of the patient's care needs using a rehab approach.

Once a patient is assessed as either needing further rehab (with reablement and Intermediate Care), long term POC or will achieve independence in a week.

If a long term POC is required this information is gathered through assessment & fed back to the Social Workers by the senior members of staff, to put a future plan in place for on-going support, or to continue to support the patient back to independence.

As part of our assessment we often deliver and fit equipment, assess mobility and transfers and observe patient safety and abilities in their activities of daily living.

The Interim Team play an important role in aiding flow through the hospital and limiting harm to patients that is caused by prolonged hospital stays.

We are in a good position to provide short term assessment and to be able to signpost to other services if needed.

Interview Date - 11th November

Main duties of the job

To provide care and rehabilitation and fitting of equipment to patients discharged from UHD to enable patients to leave the acute hospital as soon as they are suitable to.

To work in the community under the clinical supervision of the team Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists.

To ensure each patient contact is therapeutic and as per the care plan to ensure patients are supported through their recovery and enabled to regain their independence.

To have a knowledge and understanding of assistive equipment, techniques and supportive services available to support our patients and their families.

To support the Interim team with administration tasks, service improvement projects and our education and training programme

To work over a 7 Day rota period in order to meet the demands of the service

To support end of life patients when required

About us

Our values define who we are as #TeamUHD.

They underpin everything we do now and in the future.

They define how we treat our patients, visitors, and each other, our valued teammates and colleagues.

UHD are investing in services across the Trust, with many being transformed and developed following merger and the New Hospital Programme.

This means that some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or long term.

Recruiting Managers interviewing for this role will be happy to answer any specific questions that you have about this at interview.

Job responsibilities

The Senior Therapy Assistants (STA) provide a 7 day service 7am-10pm to enable patients from the acute hospital to return home through a discharge to assess approach.

The STA can visit each patient from OD to QDS depending on their care needs.

They assess, support and rehab patients in activities of daily living which include; personal care, meal preparation, transfers, toileting and medication.

The first visit, meet & greet, is usually completed by a STA where they check they are presenting as referred, settling at home and checking medication.

They are supervised and supported by a MDT which includes Occupational Therapists, nurses, Therapy Assistant Practitioners and coordinators.

Person Specification

Qualifications

NVQ III Care or equivalent

Experience

Recent experience working in a health or social care setting

Experience of working with older people at Band 3 level.

Evidence of recent study relevant to the role.

Previous work as a Therapy Assistant or equivalent where direct patient care is involved.

Experience in working with palliative and end of life patients.

Experience of working within a team

Technical skills competences

Use own initiative with guidance / supervision from therapists.

Manage own caseload with support from therapists

Basic IT skills

Experience with IT programs such as outlook, excel and word.

Knowledge

Awareness of holistic patient needs

Understanding of the basic principles of rehabilitation

Willingness to learn and complete the Competency Based Training.

General knowledge of relevant medical conditions

Basic rehabilitation techniques

Basic life support skills

Other requirements specific to the role

Ability to drive, potentially spending prolonged periods driving as a part of the role across South Dorset and West Hampshire.

Use of own car for job role

Prepared to work on a shift basis including weekends

Ability to speak, understand and write in English to the required standard for the role.

Personal Attributes

Ability to use time effectively

Well motivated -Able to take direction from senior staff

Empathy with older people

Ability to recognize boundaries of own job role

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order)

Employer name

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

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