Therapy Associate Practitioner

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Following significant investment into the community hospitals wards, we have an exciting opportunity to join our team. We are seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic Band 4 Associate Practitioner to join our therapy rehabilitation team based in the North Community Hospitals (Chester le Street, Shotley Bridge, and Weardale).

Applicants must be prepared to participate in a 6-day week service, covering bank holidays and Saturdays on a rota basis.

The role will have a main base of Chester le Street Hospital with the expectation of cross-site cover as service demands.

Come and join this exciting development. Receive support and opportunities to develop clinical and leadership skills with regular individual supervision, peer support, and access to additional learning.

For further information please contact Sarah Watson, Clinical Team Lead at 07785681183.

Main duties of the job

This is an exciting role with a great deal of patient contact and opportunities to increase and consolidate both skills and knowledge. You will work under the direct supervision of the senior Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists. You will have the autonomy to assess specified patients as well as carry out rehabilitation and help facilitate timely discharges and maximize patients' independence. You will act as a source to provide health education and advice to patients, carers, and their families.

The post will combine competencies from physiotherapy and occupational therapy disciplines to support the delivery of the therapy services to patients within a community rehabilitation ward setting.

About us

We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield, and Weardale, as well as over 80 other community-based settings and providing care in patients' homes.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented.

Job responsibilities

*Please Note: For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description.*

Person Specification

Statutory Registration

• Knowledge of NMC / HCPC and accountability.

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care (or equivalent).
• Foundation degree in health and social care or willingness to work towards.
• Teaching certificate or equivalent.

Special Skills and Knowledge

• Evidence of team working.
• Ability to work independently and with minimal supervision.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Good organisational and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to observe and record physical and social changes of a patient and report immediately.
• Ability to act alone in an emergency situation.
• Able to prioritise work on a daily basis to meet service demands.
• Confident in the use of email and basic IT skills.

Experience

• Experience of clinical supervision.
• Therapy-specific role extensive experience of working within a rehabilitation environment with physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists.
• Experience of working in a community setting.
• Experience of audit/research.

Special Requirements

• Able to travel independently across Trust sites and the locality to meet the requirements of the post.

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.

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust