Rehabilitation Assistant - Therapies

Phyllis Tuckwell Memorial Hospice Ltd; Guildford, Camberley, Farnham; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent hospice organization in the UK is seeking a full-time Rehabilitation Assistant to join their compassionate team. This role involves supporting high-quality rehabilitative palliative care for patients with advanced diseases. The successful applicant will work closely with physiotherapy and occupational therapy teams, assisting patients in enhancing their ability to manage their conditions while promoting their dignity and quality of life. A Level 3 qualification in Health or Social Care is required, along with a commitment to person-centered care.

Benefits

Pension contributions

Clinical supervision

Employee Assistance Programme

Learning and development opportunities

Flexible working hours

Qualifications

• At least two years of experience working in a health or social care environment.
• Experience of working with people living with advanced illness.
• Ability to drive and use own car with business insurance.

Responsibilities

• Support patients in managing their condition and engaging in meaningful activities.
• Work collaboratively with a multi-disciplinary team.
• Assist in assessing and planning care for patients.

Skills

Understanding of palliative care

Good information technology skills

Teamwork

Communication skills

Education

Level 3 qualification in Health or Social Care or equivalent

Tools

Electronic patient records

Microsoft Word

Excel

Smartphone technology

Job description

Location: Farnham, Beacon Centre, patients homes and in wider communitysettings

Areyou looking for a job where you can make a real difference? At PhyllisTuckwell, we pride ourselves on offering exceptional care to our patients andtheir families and carers.

PhyllisTuckwellis looking to appoint a full time Rehabilitation Assistant. The role supportshigh quality rehabilitative palliative care for patients of Phyllis TuckwellHospice.

The successful applicant will be anintegral member of the physiotherapy and occupational therapy teams and widermulti-disciplinary team. They will workin any of our settings across both sites as well in patients home, incommunity venues and on the in-patient unit. They will work with patientsliving with advanced disease or a terminal illness, their carers and theirfamily. The role will work one to oneand with groups of patients. Moving and handling of patients and equipment ispart of the role and training will be provided. The successful applicant willuse a range of interventions to enable a patient to develop the skills,knowledge and confidence to actively manage their condition and maximise theirability to engage in activities that are meaningful to them. This will empower patients to live fully andenjoy the best quality of life possible according to their preferences, needsand choices.

If you wouldlike to feel part of a welcoming and committed team, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

A successful RehabilitationAssistant will have:

• Alevel 3 qualification in Health or Social Care of equivalent.
• Anunderstanding of palliative care.
• Becommitted to person centred, high-quality, rehabilitative palliative care forpatients, their relatives, and carers.
• Experiencein and be committed to working as part of an effective multi-disciplinary team.
• Goodinformation technology skills across a range of platforms.
• Beself-aware and resilient.
• Havethe skills required to work with groups of patients and carers.

For a full list of essential requirements, please refer to the jobdescription and person specification document.

We Offer:

• Continuationof NHS Pension or Phyllis Tuckwell Group Personal Pension Plan (matchedcontributions up to 7.5%)
• ClinicalSupervision
• EmployeeAssistance Programme
• BlueLight Discount Card
• Access to learning and professional development opportunities (we have an on-site education team)
• Professional Growth
• Upskilling
• Diverse Training Courses

A Great Place to Work

• Flexible hours and flexible working
• Supportive colleagues
• Clinical supervision and support

*Phyllis Tuckwell Birdsong Hospicestaff survey 2023

About us

We arebased in Farnham, Camberley and Guildford, and provide bespoke, compassionate palliativeand end of life care for people living with an advanced or terminal illness,across West Surrey and North-East Hampshire.

Phyllis Tuckwell is a very special place to work. Our staff make a real difference to the livesof our patients and their loved ones, providing outstanding care at a time thatreally matters. Our Therapies staff arepivotal in helping deliver our vital services, ensuring every day is preciousfor our patients.

The impact of our services on the lives of our patients and theirfamilies can be read about here:

https://www.pth.org.uk/our-care/helpful-information/patient-stories/

We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive culture, with theprinciples of fairness and equality at its core. We are an equalopportunities employer, who values and respects our employees uniqueknowledge, skills and experiences. We warmly welcome applications fromall sections of the community. All appointments are made following a fairand equitable process, based on merit, job requirements and business need.

For furtherinformation regarding the role or to arrange an informal visit please contact RuthHale, Physiotherapist Team Lead on [e-mail] or Kirsten Holt, Occupational Therapy TeamLead on [e-mail].

Pleasenote that we do not hold a sponsor licence and therefore are unable to providesponsorship.

Job responsibilities

Job Description

Post:RehabilitationAssistant (Therapies)

Accountable to: Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy team leads

JobPurpose:

• Towork within the therapy department in supporting high quality rehabilitativepalliative and end of life care for patients referred to Phyllis Tuckwell.
• Tobe an integral member of our physiotherapy and occupational teams who cover thein-patient unit, outpatient services and homebased community settings.
• Towork with patients living with advanced disease or a terminal illness, with theircarers and their family. The role will involve using a range of interventionsto enable a patient to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence needed toactively manage their condition and maximise their ability to engage inactivities that are meaningful to them. Through client centred input, therole will empower patients to live fully and enjoy the best quality of lifepossible according to their preferences, needs and choices.

Responsibilities

1.0 Clinical

• Tobe able to drive and use own car with business insurance to carry out work inthe community, including loading and transporting rehabilitation equipment inown car*
• Always adhering to safemoving and handling practices when moving patients and equipment, in line withorganisational policy and training.
• Towork to support patients, carers and families as individuals both on site andin the community setting, facilitating development of skills, knowledge andconfidence in managing their condition and to help to maintain functionalability.
• To assistcolleagues to assess a patients functional ability and establish what isimportant to them and their goals.
• To supporta rehabilitative palliative care approach.
• Tomanage own caseload of patients as delegated by the therapy leads.
• Tomotivate patients to be as independent as possible and support their ability toengage in what is important to them, including personal care, movement,domestic, social, and leisure activities.
• Toreport changes in a patients condition, treatment plan or progress to membersof the multidisciplinary team and to Physiotherapists or OccupationalTherapists when additional assessment by them is required.
• Tounderstand the physical symptoms, emotional and the psychological, social,spiritual and cultural needs of the patient and utilise these to supportimprovements.
• Followingtraining and supervision, assess and teach patients to use adaptive equipment,both on site and within patients homes.
• Todevelop knowledge in falls prevention.
• Tosupport a patients autonomy by using a range of solutions includinginformation, assistive technology and skills in motivating and facilitatingbehaviour change.
• Toscreen patients needs including assessing their home environment to identifyany potential risks, inform goal setting and advanced care planning, incollaboration with registered staff.
• Supportthe planning and organisation of group work, including transport arrangementsand setting up the rooms appropriately for the groups.
• Regular moving andhandling of equipment and various exercise apparatus for group /1-1 sessions*
• Followingtraining and supervision, to deliver patient information and symptom managementgroup work, modifying in accordance with own competency level.
• Toknow own limitations and seeking advice from the appropriate professional whenrequired.
• Towork alone in the community whilst understanding own competency levels andscope of practice.
• To ensureequipment is clean, well maintained and stored appropriately reporting faultsto appropriate colleagues.
• Moving equipment betweenrooms and from the storeroom to the car, in line with safe moving and handlingguidance*
• Toliaise with the multi-professional team including attendance at MDT meeting asrequired.
• Toread and contribute to patient clinical records to effectively manage delegatedcaseload.
• To riskassess and manage moving and handling situations both jointly and when on ownas appropriate within your competency level, reporting any concerns asappropriate.
• Tobe able to facilitate patients during rehabilitation sessions, in line withsafe moving and handling guidance.
• Tocarry out onward referrals to external and internal agencies under thesupervision of registered staff and monitor their progress.
• Tosupport registered staff to order and monitor prescribed equipment.

*Reasonable adjustmentscan be considered to support applicants or employees who may require them to carry out these duties safely.

2.0 Administrative

• Tosupport team working by answering telephone calls, making appointments and roombookings, scheduling, filing, taking and relaying messages, photocopying andprinting.
• Tomonitor stock and ordering supplies as required.
• To overseethe equipment peripheral stores across sites.
• Toclean and maintain equipment and maintain infection control standards in theworking environment.
• Tohave effective IT skill across a range of platforms.
• Regularlyreview team tasks and emails, ensuring timely and appropriate actions aretaken.
• 3.0 Communication
• Tocommunicate effectively with patients and their families and carers withcompassion and by utilising skills that help to motivate and empower.
• Toutilise effective communication skills to work with a range of people livingwith communication difficulties including hearing, sight and speech and languageimpairment.
• Togain consent and act in accordance with a patients choices.
• Towork within the multi-disciplinary integrated team communicating appropriatelyand foster collaborative working.
• Proactivelyseek opportunities to support the team and enhance workflow across the service.
• Toescalate situations in a timely manner.
• Tomaintain accurate and up to date patient notes in line with professionalstandards and Phyllis Tuckwell policy.

4.0 Professional

• Workefficiently, managing time and resources effectively to meet service and budgetneeds.
• Towork within established standards and policies to deliver high quality patientcare.
• Tobe responsible for ensuring a safe working environment in all care settings.
• Toparticipate in surveys and audits as directed by your line manager.
• Tobe responsible for time management and organisation of daily workload and schedulesas allocated by senior member of staff.
• Tomaintain confidentiality according to the Caldicott principles.
• Alwayswork and communicate in alignment with Phyllis Tuckwells values andprofessional behaviour standards.

5.0 Trainingand Development

• To participatein statutory and mandatory training.
• To participatein clinical supervision, one to one support meetings, appraisals / performancereview and look for opportunities for self and professional developmentensuring skills are developing.
• Tocontribute to service planning.
• Todevelop competencies in falls prevention, moving and handling, provision of adaptiveequipment and in engaging patients in and providing opportunities formeaningful activities.
• Supportregistered staff in the delivery of teaching sessions.

6.0 Safeguarding, Equality, Diversity andInclusion

Role holders are requiredto understand their responsibilities in the safeguarding context, ensuring thatPhyllis Tuckwell reduces the risk of harm or abuse of adults and children atrisk.

You are required to:

• adhere to Phyllis Tuckwells Safeguarding Policy(held on the NEST), which supports the local authoritys multi agencysafeguarding policy, the law (Care Act 2014) and Mental Capacity Act 2005(including Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards).
• inform the appropriate PT professional where there isconcern that an adult or child may be at risk of harm, abuse, or neglect.
• Phyllis Tuckwell iscommitted to an Equal Opportunities approach, valuing, and respecting everyoneas individuals, with diverse opinions, cultures, lifestyles, and circumstances.

This job description isunderpinned by Phyllis Tuckwells philosophy, culture, and core values, whichactively embrace diversity and inclusion and promotes total team spirit.

This job description iscurrent and subject to yearly review in consultation with the jobholder. It isliable to reflect and anticipate necessary changes to support the PT strategy.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Educated to GCSE Level or equivalent including a pass in English.
• Level 3 in Health or Social care or equivalent.

Team Working

• Willingness to follow guidance and to use own initiative within areas of competence.
• To be aware of benefits of diversity amongst colleagues and patients and need for inclusion.
• Awareness of own competencies and limitations, and work within those, liaising with team colleagues as appropriate to provide safe and effective care.
• Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Experience

• An understanding of palliative care and the benefits of a rehabilitative approach.
• Commitment to providing high quality, person centred, rehabilitative palliative care to patients, their relatives, and carers.
• Understanding of the importance of Health and Safety and having a commitment to complying with PT policies.
• Have experience in working with groups of patients or have a willingness to develop the skills needed for this.
• At least two years experience of working in a health or social care environment.
• Experience of working with people living with advanced illness or long-term conditions.
• Understanding and experience of caring for people at end of life and with palliative care needs.
• Experience of using electronic patient records
• Effectively communicate in an accurate, clear and concise way understand the importance of timely record keeping and reporting any changes in a patients condition to colleagues.
• Demonstrate an awareness of the importance of patient confidentiality.
• IT literacy with skills including word, excel, smart phone technology and electronic diaries or willingness to learn.
• Car driver with a valid driving license, business insurance and able to travel to a patients home, between sites or to a community venue.

Education, Training and Self Management

• Good problem solving and organisational skills.
• Ability to work autonomously to plan and prioritise.
• Able to reflect on and appraise own performance.
• Have the ability to cope with stressful and emotionally demanding situations.
• Commitment to personal development and training.
• Competent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise.
• Ability to support patient and their families to express concern and distress.
• To work effectively and efficiently with groups of patients, their families and carers.
• To be self-aware.
• Flexible, motivated, and self-directed.
• Good attendance and punctuality record.
• To be professional in appearance and conduct.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Lead Physiotherapist & Lead Occupational Therapist

£28,032 a yearWTE (based on 37.5 hours a week)