Choose Well - Choose WWL
Job overview
We require support workers for the Community Assessment Unit, based at Royal Albert Edward Infirmary. The unit supports individuals who are requiring assessments to enable a safe discharge. It supports individuals to achieve specific goals which enable safe discharge back into the community or their own home.
There are various hours on offer, working across Monday to Sunday role with day and night shifts.
Note the following essential requirements:
1. Experience in a UK healthcare/NHS role
2. Level 2 Health & Social Care NVQ Level 2 or NHS accredited Care Certificate (we cannot accept certificates from the short online courses as these are not NVQs)
An Enhanced DBS with Adults' Barred List checks will be obtained during pre-employment checks.
This vacancy will close once we receive sufficient quality applications.
Main duties of the job
3. To assist and work under the direction of Registered Nurses, Chartered Physiotherapists and State Registered Occupational Therapists
4. To assist in the administration and clerical duties of the unit
5. To administer and monitor the stock of aids for independence and other departmental equipment
6. To work flexibly when required, which will involve covering a 7 day 24hr service
Working for our organisation
Choose Well – Choose WWL
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust are the proud providers of acute hospital and community services to the people of the Wigan Borough and surrounding areas. At WWL, we value our staff believing that ‘happy staff, makes for happy patients’.
WWL are committed to placing the patient at the heart of everything we do, and in the provision of safe, effective care that acknowledges and ensures dignity. With this in mind we are seeking to recruit people who share our values and beliefs.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Duties and Responsibilities
Clinical
7. To assist Nurses, Therapists and other team members in the rehabilitation of patients using a range of delegated appropriate treatment techniques. This includes following nursing and therapy care plans.
8. Post holders are required to work independently with regard to routine, delegated tasks, following established good practice and refer non-routine tasks appropriately. Work is supervised and evaluated on a routine basis. This will include undertaking specifically delegated initial patient interviews and functional screening to assess for, measure and teach safe use of aids and appliances such as walking aids.
9. To follow treatment plans as prescribed by nurses/physios and therapists and identify select activities that meet treatment goals.
10. Encourage individuals to maintain optimum independence in accordance with the agreed activity plan by carrying out therapeutic activity utilizing empathy, sensitivity and good interpersonal skills
11. To manage the reablement of patients as delegated by the physiotherapists and occupational therapists, reporting back progress or adverse reactions appropriately.
12. To be responsible for the selection, fitting, adjusting and checking of equipment following a broad prescription from an Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist.
13. To communicate with patients and/or carers to provide reassurance and promote understanding
14. To assist in information collection from patients/ relatives as requested by trained staff.
15. To use communication tools (verbal and non-verbal) to gain informed consent with patients where there will often be barriers to effective communication e.g., loss of hearing, altered perception, expressive and receptive dysphasia, pain, fear etc.
16. To assess capacity, gain valid consent and have the ability to work within a legal framework with patients who lack consent to treatment.
17. To priorities tasks allocated and adjust as necessary.
18. To ensure that documentation is completed in accordance with Trust and departmental requirements.
19. To be responsible for some degree of housekeeping and stock control on the Unit
20. To be competent in phlebotomy and simple dressings
21. To participate in simple additional tasks such as swallowing assessments/foot screening and nutritional reviews and referring to specialities as appropriate
Professional
22. To attend any in-service training programmes as appropriate
23. To take part in the individual appraisal and performance review programme and to actively participate in supervision.
24. To maintain own continuing professional development (CPD) by keeping up to date any developments and incorporate them as necessary into your work.
25. To respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of patients.
26. To exercise good time management, punctuality and consistent and reliable attendance.
27. To assist JHRU staff in the induction and training of new staff
Planning and Organisational Duties
28. To be aware of Health and Safety aspects of your work and implement any policies, which may be required to improve the safety of your work area, including your prompt recording and reporting of accidents to senior stage and ensuring that equipment use if safe.
29. To maintain accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date documentation, in line with legal and departmental requirements.
30. To comply with the organisational and departmental policies and procedures.
31. To undertake departmental administrative duties, as required.
32. To undertake any other duties that might be considered appropriate by the relevant registered nurse/Team Leader, or Community Therapy Services Lead.
Communications and Key Working Relationships
33. To report back to Nursing and Therapy staff on all treatment activities, either verbally or in writing as requested
34. To work as a member of the team and communicate relevant information to team members
35. To be able to communicate effectively in a variety of ways with patients/carers to gain co-operation and understanding of treatment programmes
36. To maintain good working relationships
37. To establish therapeutic relationships using negotiating and reasoning skills in order to complete treatment activities.
Responsibility for Finance
38. To identify deficits in resources required to carry out the job and bring to the attention of the Team Leader
39. To be responsible for the monitoring of materials and equipment and bring defects for deficits to the attention of the Team Leader
40. Adhere to financial policies.
Responsibility for Human Resources
41. To attend regular meetings e.g., staff meeting, support and development groups
42. To participate in in-service training.
Responsibility for Health & Safety
Compliance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 – the post holder is required to fulfil a proactive role towards the management of risk in all of their actions. This entails the risk assessment of all situations, the taking of appropriate actions and reporting of all incidents, near misses and hazards, and a statutory duty of care for their own personal safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.
Responsibility for Teaching
43. To assist JHRU staff in induction and training of new staff
44. The range of duties and responsibilities outlined above are indicative only and are intended to give an overview of the range and type of duties that will be allocated. They are subject to modification in the light of changing service demands and the development requirements of the postholder.
Work Circumstances & on-call
45. 36 hours per week over 7 days.
46. Shift patterns to be agreed on appointment.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
47. NVQ Health & Social Care Level 2 or NHS Care Certificate
Experience
Essential criteria
48. Experience in a relevant healthcare field (NHS or UK)
Skills
Essential criteria
49. Good basic numeracy and literacy skills
50. Life skills gained through work or personal experience
51. Able to teach practical skills
52. Able to work single-handed with groups or individuals
53. Observational skills
54. Good level of personal organisation
55. Able to problem solve
56. Able to work as part of a team
57. Good written, verbal and non-verbal communication skills
58. Motivational skills
59. Able to recognise and work within own personal limitations
Knowledge
Essential criteria
60. Awareness of illness and disability
61. Basic understanding of Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Nursing Care
62. Knowledge of confidentiality and professional conduct
63. Demonstrate knowledge of Health and Safety as well as risk awareness
Additional
Essential criteria
64. Must be able to assist with aspects of personal care
65. Be willing to undertake within 3 months of appointment training on basic IT, group skills and clinical competencies;
66. Demonstrate commitment to lifelong learning;
67. Willing to work flexibly in line with service need;
68. Speak English to appropriate standard