Senior Therapy Assistant

We are looking for an experienced, motivated and proactive Senior Therapy Assistant to work as part of our Enablement Therapy team; consisting of Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Administrator.

Main duties of the job

In this role you will work closely and collaboratively with patients, those important to them and the established Multi-Disciplinary Team, by proactively undertaking, reviewing and evaluating holistic palliative assessment and rehabilitation plans of care - as allocated to you by the Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists. Your role will be working across our In-Patient Unit and Day Hospice, supporting our Out-patient activity as requested. Completing essential housekeeping duties and tasks to ensure the efficient running of the Enablement team service delivery.

To be considered you will need to have experience of team working in a Health and/or social care setting, possess sensitive, empathetic communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to organise and prioritise yourself and your allocated work/programmes of care accordingly. Experience of group work and rehabilitation is desirable.

Job responsibilities

• To support the provision of Physiotherapy (PT) and Occupational Therapy (OT) treatment plans and daily operational support as part of the Enablement Therapy team.
• Supporting patients with life-limiting conditions to maximise physical and functional independence and improving quality of life through provision of holistic palliative assessment and rehabilitation.
• To assist Enablement therapy team administrative and housekeeping duties to support efficient service delivery.
• Person centred collateral information gathering following handover and referral to the Enablement team as delegated to you by registered OT/PT.
• Manage and prioritise your own small routine caseload to include assessment of transfers and mobility with/without aids; as allocated and delegated to you by OT and/or PT team.
• To be aware of contraindications/precautions when carrying out any direct patient related activity independently, reporting back concerns to senior therapists.
• Carry out delegated ADL assessments to include: personal care, kitchen skills practice with/without equipment, stairs and mobility assessments in line with the patients goals and treatment plan.
• To take an active role in identified Enablement Day Therapy group sessions which may be holistic education, discussion or exercise based.
• To assist the Enablement team with assessment and measurement of patients requiring complex seating/wheelchair assessments and onward treatment planning, referrals.
• To assess, demonstrate and issue routine pieces of equipment to patients i.e. walking aids, toilet equipment within your scope of practice.
• To maintain timely, accurate and legible records of all interventions with patients, using an agreed format, in accordance with standards set by the therapy service and LOROS.
• To proactively plan annual leave, training, and clinical supervision, seeking guidance from supervisor, deputy or clinical lead therapist as needed to ensure the department can continue to offer a safely staffed service.
• To attend and participate in LOROS mandatory training programmes and competency based training programmes specific to the senior therapy assistant role.

Person Specification

• Knowledge of the role of PT and OT in palliative care.
• Understanding of the role of a therapy Assistant in palliative care.
• An appreciation of the principles of palliative care and the needs of patients/families with a life-limiting illness.
• Experience of working within a health and/or social care environment.
• Experience of working within a team.
• Education to GCSE standard or equivalent (Maths & English).
• NVQ Level 2 in a health-related subject (or equivalent health or social care qualification).

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.