Job Description

We are excited to offer an Assistant Practitioner role for Occupational Therapy on Beech Ward. Beech Ward is a 24-bed inpatient unit which provides high quality specialist stroke rehabilitation, for adults of all ages. You will be a core member of our interdisciplinary team, working collaboratively with patients and their families to optimise function and level of dependency post stroke.



This post requires management of a caseload and participation in multidisciplinary discussions and meetings, discharge planning as well as support for therapy support workers and students.



Some experience of working in stroke rehabilitation and/ or neurology is desirable but not essential.



This role is fixed term and specific to Occupational Therapy to support maternity leave.



The Assistant Practitioner will function at a higher competency level than that of other health care support workers. The assistant practitioner will contribute to the delivery of high standards of rehabilitation to patients following a stroke within the Stroke Rehabilitation Team. They will have responsibility for actively participating as a key member of the Stroke Rehabilitation Team and will be expected to communicate with a range of people on a range of matters (including the wider multi-disciplinary team) within the clinical department and/or ward, community setting and acute settings. The assistant practitioner will have a responsibility to provide quality services to patients under the supervision of a registered Occupational Therapist.

Please see attached for further information.

Find out more about working for our organisation here:

https://heyzine.com/flip-book/2565ae62eb.html



Please note, the selection processes at Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust are in place to ensure we recruit candidates with the right values and skills, please be advised that the use of AI in applications are monitored. We remain watchful of candidates who misuse these tools to generate an application that doesn't accurately reflect their skills.



Apply now to join an organisation that has been awarded an Outstanding rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the highest possible rating and the first stand-alone NHS community trust in the country to be awarded the title.



Clinical



Assess patients following stroke with straightforward requirements based on predetermined department protocols.

Prepare for, carry out and monitor assessment, treatments and discharge within therapy/nursing for stroke rehabilitation in line with predetermined department protocols. Tasks may include manual handling, personal care, toileting, mobility exercises, communication and cognitive rehabilitation.

To carry out and contribute to planned programmes of rehabilitation to meet individual patient and family circumstances related to communication, cognition, emotional and physical impairments resulting from a stroke.

Apply competency based treatment techniques/care to patients with stroke under the supervision of a qualified practitioner, following a treatment/care plan.

To promote and encourage independence and restoration of function post stroke including information, education on secondary prevention and self-management.

To ensure that patients, families and carers are involved in the planning and implementation of their stroke rehabilitation care plans.

Modify and progress intervention / treatment using own clinical reasoning, notifying a qualified practitioner accordingly.

Prepare for and develop individual/group activities to meet defined intervention needs.

Monitor patients and promptly alert a qualified practitioner when there are unexpected changes.

Work predominantly independently on specified tasks, with regular clinical support and supervision by a qualified practitioner.

Ensure patient held records are completed for each visit and that SystmOne inputting is completed concisely, accurately and timely in line with service standards.

Liaise with GPs, Social Services, inpatient teams, other allied health care professionals and the voluntary sector to ensure identified needs are met and care co-ordinated appropriately.

To participate in multi-disciplinary/multi-agency meetings as appropriate.

Demonstrate dexterity and coordination when undertaking treatment of patients where accuracy is important, e.g. taking blood pressures, urinalysis supervising transfers, and passive exercises.

Provide basic equipment and be responsible for ensuring that it is used safely, following appropriate training, and that it is maintained.

Contribute to the requisitioning of supplies and equipment through electronic ordering systems.



Non Clinical



Share responsibility for maintaining store cupboards, cleaning specialist equipment and general housekeeping and administration tasks.

Share responsibility for indirect patient contact tasks, such as, answering telephones, arranging appointments, processing referrals and inputting activity data.



Professional



Actively contribute to a positive learning environment to students, new starters and/or less experienced staff; and be involved in induction programmes for new staff/students as required.



To continue to develop extended competencies through reflective practices, clinical supervision and performance reviews.

To attend relevant training and development in order to maintain and develop skills and knowledge required for the role within the team and disseminate this knowledge through the stroke service.



Communication



To use appropriate methods of communication with patients, families and carers in order to maximise rehabilitation and understand their conditions. Barriers to effective communication will regularly be evident (e.g. expressive and receptive dysphasia, cognitive impairment, loss of hearing, pain and depression) and a variety of communication methods may be required.

To communicate effectively and collaboratively with colleagues across health/voluntary and social sectors to ensure the delivery of a co-ordinated multi-disciplinary integrated stroke service. This will include case conferences, handovers, patient held documentation and documentation in service records.