Multidisciplinary Team Assistant in Yeovil

Are you a Healthcare Assistant, Occupational Therapy, or Physio Assistant looking for a role within the community? St Margaret's Hospice Care has a fantastic opportunity for a Multi-Disciplinary Team Assistant (MDTA) to join their team. Our MDTAs support with providing person-centered support, care and treatment to patients, their families and carers across the community who have palliative and end of life care needs.

Salary: £28,461.48 per annum

Contract: Full time (37.5 hours), Permanent

Location: Yeovil

We offer a pay progression pathway which aligns with increasing knowledge, skill and leadership. You will also receive the following unsocial hours payments: 30% for all time on a Saturday (midnight to midnight) and any weekday after 8pm and before 6am; 60% for all time on a Sunday and Public Holidays (midnight to midnight).

Main duties of the job:

• Assessing non-complex symptoms which may include pain, shortness of breath, mobility, pressure risk, continence and psychological factors.
• Analysing this information and carrying out non-complex interventions within own scope of practice or referring on to specialists as needed.
• Supporting the work of qualified practitioners (including Registered Nurses, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers, Clinical Nurse Specialists).
• Travelling across Somerset including into rural communities and working unsocial hours, evenings, weekends, and bank holidays.

About us:

Be part of a welcoming, community minded charity. Our mission is to provide excellent specialist palliative care for patients and support to their families. If you speak to any of our staff or volunteers, they will tell you how the patient is at the heart of everything they do. So, if you're looking for a role where you can really make a difference, working as part of a supportive team, we could be a perfect match.

Holiday entitlement:

• 33 days holiday including bank holidays rising to 35 days after 1 year, and increasing with length of service (pro-rata if part-time).
• Ability to buy and sell annual leave.
• NHS employees eligible to continue with their NHS pension scheme.
• Non-NHS employees will receive 6% employer and 5% employee contribution.

Award-winning Employee Assistance Programme:

• Vitality & wellbeing health portal for non-emergency care.
• Unlimited access to 24/7 online GP Consultations as well as Expert Case Management.
• Confidential and free 24-hour Employee Assistance Counselling and support.
• Legal, financial, and medical information and advice.
• And more.

Life assurance cover: 2x salary

Health Cash Plans: help with covering the cost of healthcare needs by providing cashback on a range of health benefits.

Blue Light Discount Card

Enhanced maternity leave: Eligibility criteria applies.

Excellent learning and development opportunities.

Free on-site parking in Yeovil and Taunton.

Volunteering and fundraising opportunities.

Job responsibilities:

• To contribute to the holistic assessment and re-assessment of patients, families and carers for whom they have delegated responsibility.
• To contribute to the assessment of non-complex symptoms e.g. pain, shortness of breath, nausea and constipation.
• To analyse this information and carry out non-complex interventions as appropriate within own scope of practice or refer on to specialists as needed.
• To keep other members of the MDT always updated through accurate documentation and additional communication when appropriate.
• To keep the patients, family members and/or other carers at the centre of their care, ensuring patient and carer participation in decision making.
• Within scope of practice, to carry out non-complex assessments of mobility, offer advice regarding rehabilitation and deconditioning and prescribe simple walking aids if required.
• Within scope of practice, to assess and provide appropriate aids for daily living and non-complex adaptations e.g. bathroom equipment, stair rails, within a patient's home.
• To contribute to the planning of individual patient programmes or group activities with patients, families and carers with the relevant professionals.
• To work as part of the multi-professional team to deliver care/treatment/activities as specified in the plan of care, e.g. advise on shortness of breath management techniques, fatigue management, offer relaxation therapies appropriate for each patient, including individual and group sessions.
• To work as part of the multi-professional team to actively support effective admission and discharge from the in-patient unit.
• To work as part of the multi-professional team contributing to the completion of Continuing HealthCare applications, Grants, SR 1 applications etc. to facilitate patients to remain at home.
• Ensure effective communication that respects patients, family and carers confidentiality but allows accurate transmission of necessary information between staff, patient, family/carers and other agencies always.
• Listen sensitively to patients, families and carers enabling them to say what is important to them and ensuring their needs and wishes are documented and communicated to activity lead.
• Respect the rights, privacy and dignity of patients, families and carers always and informally obtain permission for any care/treatment/activities undertaken.

Additional Responsibilities:

• To assist in the administration of aspects of the clinical services, including equipment library maintenance and stock control.
• To recognise and understand own personal needs and be sensitive to those of colleagues when affected by a patient's illness or behaviour.
• To organise and manage own time according to delegated workload.
• To keep accurate records including recording changes in care plans and recording activity onto electronic health record, and any additional handover processes.
• Assist the registered practitioners in the education of others e.g., patient, carers, or other members of staff both informally and in planned programmes.
• Have a flexible approach to work requirements to meet the needs of the patient/carer/service.
• Perform additional procedures and tasks as delegated by the leads or Registered Nurse, in which the post-holder has been trained, has demonstrated competence, and feels confident to undertake.
• Participate in the orientation and induction of new staff.
• Support the work of the volunteers working in the clinical area or in the community.

Person Specification:

• NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care or equivalent.
• English and Maths to GCSE grade A-C (or equivalent).
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office packages and possession of competent IT skills.
• Willing to undertake necessary training to take on responsibility for an extended role.
• To be a reflective practitioner.
• Ability to organise and prioritise own workload and have strategies to achieve this.
• Ability to take initiative.

Working with others:

• Able to work constructively within a multi-professional team and with other services to provide effective end of life care.
• Effective and sensitive communication and listening skills, including written communication.
• Experience of dealing with distressed patients, families and carers.
• Experience of conflict resolution and negotiating skills.
• Experience or understanding of coaching.

Outcome and Results:

• To be experienced at keeping accurate, timely and professional records.
• Experience of assessing patients and analysing this information to formulate a treatment plan and take appropriate action.
• Experience of using an electronic clinical notes system.

Leading in your area:

• Demonstrable experience as a Health Care Assistant in a clinical environment, or an assistant working in physiotherapy or occupational therapy or equivalent.
• Demonstrable experience of working and contributing to a multi-professional team.
• Knowledge of how life-limiting and palliative care conditions may impact on patients and their families.
• Knowledge of the services that the Hospice provides to patients.
• Previous experience in End-of-Life care.
• Experience in rehabilitation.
• Experience of working as an independent practitioner.

Other Requirements:

• Access to own vehicle to be able to travel to various locations across Somerset to see patients in the community.
• Flexible approach to working arrangements.
• Ability to work over a 7-day shift pattern, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
• Physical capabilities to be able to carry out the role required, this will include an element of moving and handling of equipment and periods of standing or walking.
• Reasonable adjustments will be considered in line with the Equality Act 2010 to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the role.

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.