Therapy Assistant – Adult Cancer Therapy Team

A Vacancy at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. We are looking for a dynamic, organised and enthusiastic Therapy Assistant to work closely alongside our Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists on Oncology. You will be expected to work with patients on the ward to optimise their ability to perform activities of daily living and to maximise independence where possible. There are also non-clinical administrative tasks, which include record keeping, data collection and equipment maintenance. You will be required to write directly into electronic medical notes and so a good standard of written work is essential. Due to the busy nature of the wards, you will also need to be resilient and organised. You will be required to work flexibly alongside qualified therapy staff, delivering treatment & support to patients with a wide variety of conditions and illnesses. This is a physically demanding job that requires good communication and interpersonal skills, working with patients with life limiting conditions. Successful applicants will be expected to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principles of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy and the role of a therapy assistant. Ideally you will have experience working in a therapy, hospital or care environment. No professional qualifications are required, and appropriate instruction and support will be provided to work through Band 3 Therapy Assistant Competencies.

Responsibilities

• Provide both clinical and administrative support to the Allied Health Professional staff within the adult inpatient oncology team;
• Show initiative, motivation and excellent organisational ability working closely with therapy staff to develop administrative support and systems for the therapy team;
• Flexible and innovative in their approach to work and provide cover for other Therapy Assistants and Instructors across the service in periods of leave or absence;
• Post-holder will be expected, after appropriate training, to perform manual handling tasks;
• Demonstrate time management & prioritisation skills;
• Required to work with their team on service development and quality assurance projects;
• Participate in 7-day service rota where appropriate;
• Work closely with all members of the Adult Cancer Multi-Disciplinary Team;
• Form close working relationships within the Adult Cancer Therapies Team along with the wider Acute Therapy Service at UCLH;
• Use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with patients, significant others and carers;
• Communicate to the therapists and other members of the multi-professional team changes in the patient's condition, response to intervention and relevant discharge plans;
• Work without direct supervision, but under the direction of a qualified staff member, in the performance of specific tasks for an individual or group/class as part of the treatment & rehabilitation program.

Qualifications

• No professional qualifications are required. Experience working in a therapy, hospital or care environment is desirable.
• Knowledge and understanding of principles of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy, and the role of a therapy assistant, is expected.
• Ability to write in electronic medical notes and demonstrate good written communication.
• Resilience, organisational and interpersonal skills.

University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) is one of the most complex NHS trusts in the UK, serving a large and diverse population. We provide academically led acute and specialist services to people from the local area, throughout the UK and overseas. Our vision is to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education, and world-class research. We provide first-class acute and specialist services across eight sites: University College Hospital (incorporating the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing), National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals, University College Hospital Grafton Way Building, Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine, University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre, The Hospital for Tropical Diseases, University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street. We are committed to sustainability and have pledged to become a carbon net zero health service, embedding sustainable practice throughout UCLH. We have set an ambitious target of net zero for our direct emissions by 2031 and indirect emissions by 2040.