Main area Assistant Practitioner Intermediate Care Grade Band 4 Contract Permanent Hours
* Full time
* Part time
* Flexible working
35.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday) Job ref 839-7315026-AB
Employer Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust Employer type NHS Site St James Clinic Town Kings Lynn Salary £26,530 - £29,114 per annum pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 11/08/2025 23:59 Interview date 18/08/2025
Community Assistant Practitioner - Therapy
Band 4
NCH&C is proud to be the first standalone NHS community trust in the UK to achieve an ‘Outstanding’ rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Our focus is on continually improving the quality of care we offer to local people and on improving access to that care, helping people to move seamlessly from one service to another. Praising NCH&C’s “compassionate, inclusive and effective leadership at all levels”, the CQC observed that our staff are well supported to make positive changes and innovations.
Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust is committed to continuing to create a modern and inclusive work environment. As part of this commitment we actively promote flexible working opportunities where possible, to meet the needs and wishes of our workforce to maintain and improve their wellbeing. The trust offers a range of flexibility, including flexible working patterns, and we would encourage you to discuss this with the recruiting manager before or during the application process if this would interest you.
We welcome applications from people who share our values and can help us deliver outstanding care in our local community.
Job overview
As part of the growth and development of The Intermediate Care team, we have an exciting opportunity to recruit additional Community Assistant Practitioners, working out of St James Clinic serving the Intermediate Care beds in the Kings Lynn area .
The role as an autonomous practitioner involves patient assessment, goal setting, implementation of therapy treatment plans with guidance from qualified OT and Physiotherapist. The team cover a wide variety of conditions within a intermediate care setting, a current UK driving licence and access to a vehicle will be essential for this role.
Opportunities to be involved in Home visits and contribute to discharge planning is a key aspect of this role along with delivering rehabilitation programs.
Main duties of the job
Key Areas of Responsibility
* To contribute to the delivery of care packages for patients with long term conditions, palliative care and rehabilitation needs for example, to achieve quality of life and independence where possible.
* To work within the integrated team to facilitate early discharge from hospital
* To work within the integrated team to prevent unnecessary admission to hospital
* To work with all health care professionals, and statutory/non statutory agencies to provide a seamless, integrated service to our service users.
* To liaise and communicate with the general public, other health care professionals, and multi-agencies on a daily basis.
Working for our organisation
Supervision will be provided by Band 6 Occupational Therapist or Band 7 Clinical Lead Physiotherapist. We offer the opportunity to work in an experienced and supportive team with opportunities for on-going professional development.
Apply now to join an organisation that has been awarded an 'Outstanding' rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the highest possible rating and the first stand-alone NHS community trust in the country to be awarded the title.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Clinical
The post holder will:
* Assess patients with straightforward requirements based on predetermined department protocols.
* Prepare for, carry out and monitor assessments and treatments in specified clinical areas, and discharge in line with predetermined department protocols.
* Apply competency-based treatment techniques/care to patients with specific conditions under the supervision of a qualified practitioner.
* Modify and progress intervention / treatment using own clinical reasoning, notifying a qualified practitioner accordingly.
* Prepare for and develop individual/group activities to meet defined intervention needs.
* Monitor patients and promptly alert a qualified practitioner when there are unexpected changes.
* Demonstrate problem solving, and contribute to the solution, working with colleagues.
* Make basic judgements on patients’ response to prescribed treatment, and report findings to a qualified practitioner.
* Plan and prioritise own visits to delegated patients, and ensure these are documented in personal work diary.
* Ensure patient held records are completed for each visit, and that SystmOne inputting is completed on a daily basis.
* Where there are barriers to understanding, such as hearing impairment, mental capacity impairment and other difficulties in comprehension, explanations require adjustments in order to gain understanding, consent and concordance.
* Be required to use tact and persuasive skills in order to gain the patient’s co-operation in their treatment/care/management plan.
* Liaise with GPs, Social Services, inpatient teams, other allied health care professionals and the voluntary sector to ensure identified needs are met and care co-ordinated appropriately.
* To participate in multi-disciplinary/multi-agency meetings as appropriate, e.g. Gold Standard Framework.
* Communicate with patients/carers by exchanging factual information, reassurance, tact and empathy.
* Establish and maintain appropriate working relationships with colleagues, patients, carers and other health care professionals.
* Demonstrate dexterity and coordination when undertaking treatment of patients where accuracy is important, e.g. taking blood sugars, venepuncture, supervising transfers, passive exercises.
* Be responsible for ensuring equipment is used safely, following appropriate training, and that it is maintained appropriately.
* Contribute to the requisitioning of supplies and equipment through electronic ordering systems.
* Work predominantly independently on specified tasks, with regular clinical support and supervision by a qualified practitioner.
* Work with qualified practitioners with group work/clinics as required.
* Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of consent, and gain consent as appropriate following department policy.
* Share responsibility for maintaining store cupboards, pool cars, cleaning specialist equipment and general house keeping tasks.
* Share responsibility for indirect patient contact tasks, such as, answering telephones, arranging appointments, processing referrals and inputting activity data.
* Will be exposed to bodily fluids, infected material, blood products on a daily basis, therefore must utilise universal precautions and adhere to infection control policies.
* Demonstrate basic IT and standard keyboard skills.
Person specification
Qualifications
* NVQ 3, or equivalent knowledge and experience
* Foundation degree programme, or equivalent demonstrable knowledge and skills acquired through training and experience
* Experience of working in a health or social care setting
Experience
* Experience of working with people, in the statutory/voluntary/private sector.
* Experience of working with people at the End of life
* Evidence of ongoing learning
* Experience of working in people’s homes.
Skills, Abilities and Knowledge
* Knowledge of additional specialist areas through in-house training & short courses
* Highly motivated
* Knowledge of multi-disciplinary team roles.
* Experience of working in a community setting.
Communication
* Tact & diplomacy
* Empathy & sensitivity
* Ability to use own initiative
* Able to communicate effectively using the English language in both verbal and written forms
Personal and People Development
* Ability to manage stressful situations
* A team player
* Awareness of own limitations
* Good organisational skills
* Open to change and development
Personal Attributes / Behaviours (linked to the Trust’s Behaviour Framework)
* Able to identify with the Trust’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults
* Able to work alone
Other
* Professional appearance
* Be able to: Kneel, bend & stoop, and work in cramped environments.
* Be able to: Manoeuvre limbs of around 5-6kg
* Be able to: Manoeuvre patients using handling aids
* Be able to: Be reliable
* Must have a full UK driving license and have access to a vehicle
Equal Opportunities - We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome all applications irrespective of age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, race or religion. Additionally, people with disabilities that fall under the Disability Confident Scheme will be offered an interview providing they meet the minimum criteria for the post (outlined in the Person Specification). All sites are Smoke Free.
If you need this application in an offline format, please let us know.
Immigration Status- Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust is a diverse employer and welcomes all job applications. However, potential applicants should note that although the Trust is registered with the Home Office as a sponsor organisation for migrant workers, sponsorship can only be offered against Skilled Worker visas. If you are an applicant from outside the UK and do not already hold a self-gained right to work, we recommend you check the Home Office eligibility requirements before making an application.
Please note: Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for some job roles, and this will be identified through filtering questions at the start of any job application on the Trac recruitment system.
Redeployment - Please note that in the first instance priority for this vacancy will be given to NCH&C staff who are on the Trusts Redeployment Register.
DBS - If this post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and you are not a current employee of Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust or being recruited as an Apprentice then the cost of the DBS check will be automatically removed from your first month’s salary. However if you are registered with the update service this may not be required.
Closing and Interview Dates -This vacancy may close early if sufficient applicants are received.
Data Protection -A privacy notice detailing how we will handle your data is attached to this advert as a document. Your application will be transferred to our recruitment management system (Trac) once the advert has closed and you will receive notification then detailing how Trac will handle your data.
On April 1st 2025, the Boards of Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust and Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust will come together to deliver services as a group, with a singular board operating across both organisations. Both trusts are high performing specialist community health and care providers working in the East of England. Both have a strong track record, with the highest ratings from the Care Quality Commission, best in class NHS staff survey outcomes, and a decade of experience in innovation and clinical development.
The group model provides health and care services to a population of 3.2 million in their homes and neighbourhoods. We provide care that supports people from the very beginning to the very end of their lives.
We will remain two separate employers until further notice, and this role being advertised will be employed by Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Name Philip Ward Job title Clinical Lead Physiotherapist Email address philip.ward@nchc.nhs.uk Telephone number 07710393647 Additional information
All enquiries, and potential applicants are encouraged to make contact to discuss the role.
If you have problems applying, contact
Address Room 218, Norwich Community Hospital
Bowthorpe Road
Norwich
NR2 3TU
Telephone 01603 272489
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