Assistant Practitioner

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider in Liverpool is seeking an experienced Assistant Practitioner to join its Urology department. The role involves providing high-quality patient care, assisting with urology diagnostics, and supporting a multi-disciplinary team. Candidates should have relevant qualifications and experience in urology treatments and diagnostics. This position offers a dynamic work environment within a dedicated team.

Qualifications

• Foundation degree in health and social care or equivalent.
• Urology treatment and diagnostics experience is essential.
• Excellent communication skills required.
• Basic computer skills necessary.

Responsibilities

• Provide high quality patient care.
• Assist with diagnostic procedures.
• Collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team.
• Supervise unqualified staff when required.

Skills

Urology treatment experience

Excellent patient care

Communication skills

Interpersonal relationships

Education

Foundation degree in health and social care

Tools

PAS systems

Job description

Overview

We are looking to recruit an experienced assistant practitioner (Band 4) to work within our Regional Urology Diagnostics, Treatment and Outpatients department. The successful candidate will be an enthusiastic, motivated, flexible and hardworking member of the Urology team. The service provides care to all Urology patients including escorting patients through the diagnostic process, use and decontamination of diagnostic equipment, assisting with diagnostic procedures, assisting with clinic throughput, urodynamics, lithotripsy and oncology patients, and acting as support to the Medical and Nursing team.

Responsibilities

• Provide high quality patient care, appropriate to patient need.
• Take personal responsibility for ensuring that patients are treated with courtesy at all times, that individual needs are respected, and that confidentiality is maintained.
• Promote and value the rights, responsibilities and diversity of people.
• Team working with Specialist Nurses to deliver treatments and knowledge on catheterisation, CISC change of catheter, Freestyle/VR LUTs symptoms. Awareness of Cancer treatments. Assist and support junior staff in Diagnostic room, assist with flexible cystoscopy, transperineally biopsy, botox treatments, urodynamics. Assist Benign Team with TWOC and Nurse Led clinics including instillations. Coordinate a team in care delivery and where appropriate other students.
• Work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team, recognising the contribution of all team members in meeting patients' needs.
• Actively participate in team development and make suggestions to the team on service improvements.
• Utilise Trust policies and protocols under the supervision of the Registered Nurse to undertake and interpret a range of patient observations (e.g., temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure, MEWS, oxygen saturation, ECG), and report adverse signs to the registered Nurse/Doctor/Therapist.
• Obtain requested specimens and ensure transportation to appropriate department (urine, faeces, sputum, exudates such as swabs from nose, eye, wound).
• Order routine bloods/investigations if required and have a basic understanding of normal and altered values, reporting adverse results.
• Assist with basic and where agreed intermediate cardio-pulmonary resuscitation procedures.
• Maintain intravenous therapy safely per Trust policy, report abnormalities to the registered Nurse. The Assistant Practitioner will not alter infusion rates but will perform second checks for infusion fluids without drug additives.
• Assist in the administration of treatments and be responsible for and demonstrate competence in utilising mechanical infusion pump devices, performing equipment and alarm checks at shift change.
• Undertake procedures relevant to the area of work (e.g., venepuncture, cannulation, catheterisation, bladder scanning) and complex dressings following assessment of competency.
• Undertake clinical audit (e.g., infection control audits).
• Environmental responsibilities: ensure a safe environment at all times; safe custody of patients' valuables and property; efficient use of supplies and equipment; escort patients as required; observe Manual Handling regulations and attend Trust-provided training.
• Educational responsibilities: demonstrate procedures to and supervise unqualified staff; contribute to the learning environment and mentor staff and students; participate in induction of new staff; promote Health Education with patients and relatives as appropriate.
• Professional responsibilities: exhibit professional behaviour and excellent customer care; recognise scope of safe practice; abide by Trust policies; adhere to uniform policy; keep up to date with new developments and participate in research/clinical audits; attend annual update sessions; act as a role model for best practice and evidence-based care.
• Take opportunities to sustain and improve knowledge.
• Candidates must possess a caring nature and be able to provide high quality care in a fast-paced, progressive service.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Foundation degree in health and social care or equivalent (or evidence of equivalent training and experience).
• Urology treatment, diagnostics and Outpatients experience is essential.
• Ability to provide excellent patient care and to analyse patient progress in response to care given.
• Understanding of the role of audit in assuring standards of care; ability to undertake audits in practice; excellent communication skills.
• Ability to develop effective interpersonal relationships with colleagues in a healthcare setting.
• Basic computer skills: experience with PAS systems, email, and access to policies on the Trust intranet; good team player and supportive of colleagues and patients.

About the Organisation

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital & Royal Liverpool University Hospital. We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed from LUHFT and Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust. The Group is one of the largest employers in the region, serving over 630,000 people in Merseyside. We provide general and emergency hospital care and regional services; sites include Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital, Liverpool Women’s Hospital and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

Additional Information

Note: Home Office Immigration Rules restrict visa sponsorship for Band 2 and 3 roles with salaries below £25,000 per annum. Shortlisting will be based on evidence against the person specification. The Trust reserves the right to close vacancies early when a sufficient number of applications have been received. All staff must maintain safeguarding knowledge and comply with Local Safeguarding Children and Adult Board procedures. The Trust supports flexible working arrangements where possible and is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.