Assistant Practitioner - Community Recovery Service Therapy

Assistant Practitioner - Community Recovery Service Therapy

South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust

This job is now closed

Job summary

We have an exciting opportunity for you to be part of our national frontrunner community discharge programme. As recently announced by the Department of Health and Social Care, SWFT was one of only 6 NHS trusts selected to act as national 'Discharge Frontrunners' leading the way to explore new long-term initiatives to free up hospital beds and enhance community rehabilitation.

The aim of this programme is to explore and develop discharge to assess services in Warwickshire to enable all people in an acute hospital, who need further support, to access timely therapeutic intermediate care services on discharge.

We are looking to recruit a variety of therapy assistants to be part of this exciting new programme with bases across the county e.g. Warwick, Leamington, Stratford, Rugby and Bedworth. As this is a community role, access to own transport is essential.

We have substantive and secondment opportunities throughout Warwickshire.

Main duties of the job

The role of the Band 4 Assistant Practitioner is to deliver high quality, caring, compassionate patient care. The post holder will support the Community Recovery Service (CRS) therapy team in managing a range of diverse patients, providing a high standard multi-disciplinary service in community settings. Applicants will need to have a full British driving licence and access to a vehicle.

CRS supports timely discharge from hospital to home, aiming to increase an individual's functional independence and reduce long term care needs.

This will involve undertaking assessment, implementation, and evaluation of patient care needs for patients under the indirect supervision of a registered professional. The postholders are required to work as part of a team committed to delivering and improving a high standard of care within South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust.

About us

Come and join a Trust rated Outstanding by the CQC. South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust have been rated as outstanding following our latest inspection by the CQC and we are recruiting new staff to come and help us improve even further.

We provide services across Warwickshire and beyond ranging from Hospitals in Warwick, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Royal Leamington Spa and Shipston-on Stour to Community Services across the county. We are a progressive, expanding organisation with great ambition around improving quality, integrating pathways and delivering high levels of productivity.

Our values can be summed up in one sentence. We are 'Trusted to provide safe, effective and compassionate care'. Throughout the recruitment process you will be asked to think about how you demonstrate these values and how they impact on your work. It doesn't matter what role you do, whether it is patient facing or not, we are all working in the same way with our values at the core.

Job responsibilities

Professional Values

1. To ensure Trust standards and values are maintained and monitored to improve the quality of care to all who come into contact with the services provided by South Warwickshire Foundation Trust.
2. Ensure records and documentation are maintained, kept confidential, and meet appropriate Trust standards, and in line with the Data Protection Act.
3. Demonstrate a positive and enthusiastic approach to their work in order to maintain high morale and motivation within the department. Promote a professional and positive working environment.
4. Report any accidents or incidents via the DATIX incident reporting system and/or to an appropriate registered professional, ensuring an open and transparent culture.
5. Adhere to the Trust's dress code policy, always maintaining a smart appearance.
6. Adhere to the Trust's IT policies regarding e-mail and internet usage.
7. Ensure children and adults are protected from abuse and avoidable harm and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with Trust policies and procedures.

Clinical Practice

1. Take responsibility for care and welfare of a defined caseload of patients/clients within your area of work.
2. Continuously assess, implement, and evaluate treatment, using appropriate programmes/methods of care agreed by a registered professional.
3. Report to the registered professional any patient who gives cause for concern.
4. Never undertake anything beyond your own level of competency.
5. Ensure delivery of high-quality care in accordance with Trust policies, procedures, and guidelines.
6. Accurately document all care delivered to patients, always maintaining confidentiality.
7. Participate in activities to improve the quality, productivity and effectiveness of care in response to local and national policies and initiatives.
8. Adhere to Infection Prevention and Control policies relevant to the area of work, demonstrating an understanding of cross infection.
9. Support relatives as required demonstrating compassion and empathy.
10. Provide supervision and support to junior support and care staff as required.

Communications and Interpersonal Relationships

1. Communicate effectively with patients, carers and relatives on an individual or group basis to maximise rehabilitation potential through verbal and non-verbal methods. This may require explanation, instruction, persuasion, motivation, negotiation, and reassurance.
2. Always introduce yourself in line with the Trust privacy and dignity promises and the principles of good customer service.
3. Communicate effectively and professionally with the multi-disciplinary team to ensure that patient care is well planned, coordinated and communicated.
4. Contribute to the reporting, handover and documentation of patient care always maintaining confidentiality.
5. Use the Trust information support systems and other computer systems as required by the clinical area.

Team Working

1. Act in a professional manner, and as a role model, at all times, leading by example to junior members of the team.
2. Support and cooperate with the multidisciplinary team to ensure that all statutory and Trust regulations are complied with.
3. Participate in research and audit as required by the multidisciplinary team to ensure standards of patient care are monitored and improved.

Education, Training and Personal Development

1. Ensure attendance at mandatory training sessions i.e. infection control, resuscitation and moving and handling training.
2. Complete the Trust's Clinical Support Worker Induction programme.
3. Successfully complete the Care Certificate within 12 weeks of commencing employment.
4. Ensure maintenance and development of individual competence knowledge and skill.
5. As a competent practitioner, teach and provide supervision to appropriate junior staff.
6. Participate in and undertake appropriate training and development activities including IT and clinical skills.
7. Maintain up to date knowledge of changes in policies and procedures relevant to the post.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Obtained an educational level of GCSE level A - C English and Maths or equivalent
• Minimum Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care or equivalent higher apprenticeship
• Care Certificate or willingness to work towards attaining it

Experience

• Significant experience in delivering care and working in a healthcare, people centred environment
• Experience working as part of a team
• Experience in supervising others at work

Skills

• Evidence of competence in patient assessment skills
• Evidence of specialist extended skills and competencies
• Evidence of regular updates and utilisation of specialist skills and competencies
• Able to implement and evaluate treatment
• Able to recognise when escalation to a registered professional is required
• Good written, verbal and non-verbal communication skills
• Able to present information, written and orally in an accurate clear and logical manner
• Ability to organise and prioritise workload
• Able to work autonomously
• Ability to write accurate and legibly in patient notes
• Experience of supervising others

Personal Qualities

• Able to work as part of a team
• Compassionate and caring nature
• Reliable

Other

• Able to work flexibly over a 24 hour period
• Able to carry out moderate to intense physical effort throughout the working day and carry out concurrent activities
• Able, with appropriate support, to work in an emotionally demanding environment

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.

South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust