Therapy Assistant Practitioner - POPS & EOC in Canterbury

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Therapy Assistant Practitioner to work part-time between our nationally recognised POPS Team and our GIRFT accredited elective orthopaedic team at Kent and Canterbury Hospital. This Band 4 post will play an integral role within the therapy team and, by working closely alongside both Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists, they will help to ensure an optimum patient journey for patients within the POPS service and on the orthopaedic wards. This varied role will include community, outpatient, inpatient and day surgery work and will involve some independent work for our protocol driven pathways with oversight from our qualified team.

Main duties of the job:

• The post holder will review patients within the EOC pre and post operatively and be expected to assess and treat patients following set protocols.
• They will also be able to effectively discharge plan and ensure the correct follow up is in place for patients on their discharge from hospital.
• From a POPS perspective, they will be expected to assist with out-patient classes and work with patients within their home environment to carry out prescribed exercise regimes or equipment provision.
• The post holder will also be responsible for monitoring the POPS waiting list and highlighting when they are allocated an operation date.
• As a therapy team, we are constantly involved in service development and the post holder will be involved alongside the therapy team in new projects, service developments and initiatives to ensure best practice at all times.

Regular supervision is available. There is regular in-service training provided by both therapies and other MDT members. There is an opportunity to enrol on the apprenticeship scheme to develop your clinical skills further. External training opportunities may also be applied for as appropriate.

Person specification:

• Qualifications and Training: NVQ 3 or equivalent. Previous experience of working as a band 3 therapy/rehabilitation assistant within an NHS setting or equivalent experience with transferrable skills. Completion of Trusted Assessor Training.
• Personal/Professional Attributes: Able to listen and develop a rapport with patients and relatives. Reliable and trustworthy. Polite and respectful. Confident and friendly. Effective Team Player. Willingness to work flexibly. Awareness of own limitations. Sets and maintains personal and professional boundaries.
• Governance: Understands issues of confidentiality and information governance.
• Clinical Skills and Experience: Ability to follow prescribed programmes of treatment. Able to use and take initiative to seek additional work to assist the team as a whole (e.g. team administration tasks). Works independently, manages caseload and carries out directed tasks with patients. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Clinical moving and handling skills. Facilitating therapy groups with Allied Health Professionals. Previous experience of working with patients within an in-patient or out-patient setting. Working with members of the multi-disciplinary team. Experience of working with vascular patients/amputees.

Other Requirements:

• To be aware of and adhere to the Trust’s Vision, Mission and Values.
• Car driver with access to own transport so able to visit patient home environments, and go between Trust hospital sites.

The Trust is committed to supporting flexible working to fulfil our pledge as part of The Trust’s People Strategy to help staff to achieve a healthy work/life balance. Please speak with your Recruiting Manager for further information on how this can be managed alongside department expectations and requirements.

The ability to converse easily and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for all customer facing roles. Most positions require a Disclosure and Barring check and will be exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Posts working regularly or unsupervised with children or vulnerable adults require an enhanced check.