Bank Therapy Technical Instructor

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust; Northampton; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust is seeking a Therapy Support Worker to assist in Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy services. You will support functional assessments, guide patients and carers, and help implement home adaptations as directed by therapists.

The role requires effective communication, physical capability for manual handling and the ability to work flexibly across shifts to support patient care.

Qualifications

• Clear and concise verbal reports and written documentation of therapy interventions.
• Effective communication with patients, carers, team members and other agencies.
• Ability to follow verbal and written instructions.
• Awareness of personal limitations and required competencies.

Responsibilities

• Assist Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists in patient care and home assessments.
• Provide advice and instruction to patients and carers to optimise mobility and independence.
• Support therapy sessions and participate in home visits as required.
• Maintain clean, safe work areas and comply with health and safety guidelines.

Skills

Communication skills

Manual handling

Mobility assessment

Education

GCSE English & Maths

NVQ Level 3 in Healthcare

Tools

IT skills (Word, email, internet)

Job description

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Implement and record planned programmes of care and comprehensive functional and mobility assessments of patients as directed by a Therapist.
• Assess and make recommendations for equipment, home adaptations, care provision and ongoing rehabilitation, reporting these to a Therapist.
• Support patients through instruction and guidance in a range of activities, under the direction of a Therapist, in the achievement of identified treatment goals.
• Take an active role in home assessments and other therapy/treatment sessions alongside a Therapist.
• Independently carry out access visits to patient's homes, under the direction of an Occupational Therapist.
• Provide advice to patients, their family and carers, teaching and demonstrating the safe use of equipment or other techniques to optimise the patient's mobility, functional ability, safety and independence.
• Build professional relationships with patients, their family and carers, through use of communication, reasoning and negotiating skills, respecting others views, culture and individuality.
• Provide effective verbal and written reports to Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists and other multi-disciplinary team members relating to the patient's performance and progress in their therapy interventions.
• Respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of patients and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs.
• Contribute to the Therapy Services governance arrangements and to the work of selected groups (eg Risk Management, Health & Safety) acting as a service representative on such groups where appropriate.
• Contribute towards service development activities through participation in team meetings and service development sessions.
• Propose changes to processes and procedures carried out within own area of work to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Therapy services.
• Participate in team/departmental audit and evaluation as agreed with supervisor.
• Ensure work areas are clean, tidy and well maintained, complying with Health & safety guidelines, ensuring the safe use of equipment and storage of materials.
• Exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance, submitting accurate daily records of attendance on electronic timesheets.
• Work flexibly across the week to include weekends, where weekend working is in operation.
• Notify the team leader of sick leave as soon as possible in line with Trust policy.
• In the absence of Therapy Technical Instructor colleagues through planned or unplanned leave, work flexibly to meet the prioritised needs of the Therapy services both within the team and across all service areas.
• Comply with departmental guidelines for the safe use, care and maintenance of equipment and stock.
• Take responsibility for the routine management of designated tasks in conjunction with Technical Instructor colleagues e.g. lease car maintenance, management of equipment orders.
• Assist Therapy colleagues in the induction, training and education of other staff and students within the Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy services.

Person specification

Personal Qualities & Attributes

• Confident manner with a positive approach and high levels of motivation
• Motivation for continued personal development and learning new skills
• Sensitive manner to be able to treat patients with dignity and respect
• Non-judgemental and able to work with people from a variety of backgrounds
• Flexible and adaptable approach to work
• Professional manner and appearance

Skills

Essential criteria

• Skills to produce clear and concise verbal reports and written documentation of therapy interventions.
• Skills to communicate effectively with patients, carers, team members, Therapy colleagues and other agencies
• Ability to follow verbal and written instructions
• Ability to recognise own limitations and level of competency
• Physical ability to undertake manual handling of patients and equipment on a daily basis in a variety of environments
• Personal mobility to move across the hospital site between
• Personal mobility to move across the hospital site between wards/office/assessment areas and to venues outside the hospital e.g. to patients home
• Ability to respond positively and adapt to change
• Personal resources to cope when dealing with patients with complex conditions, acute or terminal illnesses, traumatic injuries, mental impairment and challenging behaviours on a daily basis
• Ability to work flexibly across the week, including weekends and bank holidays

Desirable criteria

• Ability to drive Trust vehicles on home assessments and equipment deliveries
• IT skills (keyboard, Microsoft word, email and internet)

Knowledge & Experience

Essential criteria

• Basic knowledge and understanding of the role of the Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapist in healthcare
• Understanding/insight into the impact of illness and disability on an individual
• Experience working face to face with members of the public
• Experience working as a member of a team

Desirable criteria

• Basic knowledge of human anatomy and physiology
• Awareness of the impact of accident or illness on an individual
• Experience working as Band 2 or 3 clinical support worker within Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy

Education, Training & Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Good level of basic education e.g. GCSE or equivalent in English and Maths
• Study to NVQ level 3 or equivalent

Desirable criteria

• NVQ level 3 (or equivalent) in Healthcare
• Training as an Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy clinical support worker at Band 2 or 3

At Northampton General Hospital we provide general acute services and hyper-acute stroke, vascular and renal services to people living in Northamptonshire. As well as this we are an accredited cancer centre and provide cancer services to a wider population of Northamptonshire and parts of Buckinghamshire.

We celebrate staff achievements and value the importance of working as one big team. That's why we talk about Team NGH. It's all about working together to provide the best possible care for our patients and supporting each other to grow and develop our skills. We are driven to helping you to be the best you can be.

We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and help to unleash everyone's full potential. As an organisation, we value how we communicate and promote our vacancies to all communities. The Hospital Group encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups, especially those from BAME, Disabled and LGBTQ+ backgrounds as these are underrepresented in our hospitals. We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative. We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds. This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.

Our Excellence Values:

• Compassion
• Respect
• Integrity
• Courageous
• Accountable

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust recognises that staff of differing backgrounds and life experiences enrich our workforce and bring different skills and knowledge. We therefore encourage and welcome applications for our vacancies from all candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

PLEASE NOTE THAT WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CLOSE VACANCIES PRIOR TO THE ADVERTISED CLOSING DATE WHEN WE ARE IN RECEIPT OF SUFFICIENT APPLICATIONS