Job Description

This position is part of the Therapy Assistant Practitioners rotation in the community. It will provide therapy intervention and care in the patient's home, in the hospital setting or in intermediate care beds. The position contributes to the community therapy pathway to support initiatives to avoid hospital admission, shorten patients' stay in hospital and maximise clinical outcome when discharged from hospital.



The rotation includes the Community Stroke Team, Supported Discharge Team and the Urgent Community Response Therapy Team.



The Therapy Assistant Practitioner will work under the supervision of qualified therapy staff, providing assessment and treatment programmes for patients in the community and in intermediate care beds if required.



The Therapy Assistant Practitioner is able to carry out a full episode of care from assessment to discharge, for a specified and designated clinical caseload identified by a qualified clinician.



The post holder will assist in the administration and clerical duties for the team and department.



Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:



Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development



Widening access (anchor institution) and employability



Improving the experience of staff with disability



Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development



Making equalities mainstream

Job Summary:

This position is accountable to Head of Therapy. It will provide therapy intervention and care in the patient's home, in the hospital setting or in intermediate care beds. The position contributes to the community therapy pathway to support initiatives to avoid hospital admission, shorten patients' stay in hospital and maximise clinical outcome when discharged from hospital.



The Therapy Assistant Practitioner will work under the supervision of qualified therapy staff, providing assessment and treatment programmes for patients in the community and in intermediate care beds if required.



The Therapy Assistant Practitioner is able to carry out a full episode of care from



assessment to discharge, for a specified and designated clinical caseload identified



by a qualified clinician.



The postholder will assist in the administration and clerical duties for the team and



department.

Key Result Areas & Performance:

To undertake all aspects of clinical and care duties under the supervision, direct and indirect, of a therapist.



To carry a full caseload of patients under the supervision, direct and indirect, of a therapist



Assess and provide for equipment needs



Progress patients in their homes to maximise their function and independence



To provide information, teaching and instruction to relatives, carers, colleagues, other disciplines and agencies. To promote understanding on the aims of Therapy and to ensure continuation of the treatment programme.



Contributes to advice and education sessions for relevant patient groups



To participate in multidisciplinary / multi-agency team meetings and case



conferences to ensure the co-ordination of patient care. This may include the



review of patient progress, and discharge planning.



To employ appropriate skills such as persuasion, motivation and negotiation to gain



co-operation in the continuation of the agreed treatment programme.



Maintain accurate clinical records of all interventions



To produce patient related reports for other disciplines or agencies relating to



assessment findings and/or treatment outcomes



Input to databases as required



Referring to the qualified practitioner when necessary, to work independently with a



specified client group to manage equipment provision and functional assessment



and rehabilitation, from pre- operative phase to post-op rehabilitation



Deliver and install simple aids and equipment in the patient's home and instruct



patients and carers in use of this equipment as appropriate



To carry out home visits and access visits, with or without a therapist, as required



To manage own day to day workload and maintain level of service within the



pathway at the local site, and assist other members of the team to make appropriate



prioritisation choices. To ensure the effective exchange of information across the



pathway team and co-ordination of service delivery.



Work force



To provide guidance and teaching to therapy assistants working for Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust



To be proactive in the community with therapy and nursing staff within the Lewisham Enablement Team to feedback on patients' progress, immediately highlighting any clinical concerns



To participate in supervision and appraisal with a designated senior therapist



To attend staff meetings



To contribute to the clinical induction of therapy staff



To be able to independently progress patients' exercise programme and mobility,



including issuing walking aids, for the specified patient group



Financial



Ensure adequate activities of daily living equipment is available and accessible,



and work with Transferring Community Equipment Services (TCES) agenda



Partnerships



Communications and Relationships



To communicate directly with ward staff any relevant information for patient care



and discharge facilitation



To provide information and instruction to other disciplines to ensure a consistent



approach to patient care



To educate patients / relatives/ carers regarding the nature of the condition and the



aims of the therapy intervention



General



To maintain accurate computer and written records that meet professional Trust and council standards



To undertake general administrative tasks as required including filing, appointment



booking, processing referrals, answering the telephone, and other duties as



required



To drive a lease car to visit patients' homes, with or without passengers



To be able to work flexibly between community and hospital, depending on



demand, and be able to prioritise and organise own workload to facilitate this



Care duties include, but not exclusively, help with personal hygiene, management of continence, medication management in line with LBL policy on Medication Administration, light housework, shopping and meal preparation.



Able to participate in weekend / out of hours rota.