Job overview
The Therapy Department at Luton and Dunstable Hospital is delighted to offer a rare and exciting opportunity to join our Complex Medicine team as a Band 4 Therapy Assistant Practitioner.
Our team is well known for its supportive, lively, and fun approach to work, and we’ve recently developed team values that reflect this spirit in everything we do.
If you have a solution-focused mindset, enjoy working with people, and are passionate about helping patients reach their potential and return home from hospital, this could be the perfect role for you.
We are currently involved in a number of projects designed to make the patient journey as smooth as possible. One example is our Long Stay Wednesday initiative, which supports patients who have been in hospital longer than expected and helps them reach the safest discharge destination.
We would love to hear from you - please get in touch to find out more or apply today.
Please note: this vacancy may close early if we receive a high volume of applications.
Main duties of the job
1. To accept patients referred to by an Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist and hold responsibility for own caseload, mainly working without direct supervision but with regular liaison with the Therapist. At these times access to advice and support from a Therapist is available if required. All clinical work is routinely evaluated and monitored by an Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist on a regular basis
2. To accept patients referred by the Multi-disciplinary Team and relay all necessary information to the Therapists to allow timely interventions.
3. To treat all patients according to set treatment protocols, monitor progression and make alterations as required, within agreed parameters.
4. To complete all parts of the therapy intervention including discharge planning and onward referrals.
5. To develop and maintain competencies through Continuing Professional development (CPD).
Working for our organisation
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
6. As a highly skilled support worker, assist the Occupational Therapists and/or the Physiotherapists in the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of patients in order to maximise their potential.
7. To carry out individual and group treatment programmes as established and delegated in broad terms by the Therapist, having the ability to teach and demonstrate specific exercises and techniques to patients and assist the patient in regaining independence in respect to activities of daily living.
8. To use clinical reasoning skills to alter / progress treatment within the post holder’s scope of competence and within treatment parameters agreed by the Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist.
Please find attached Job Description and Personal Specification for more information
Person specification
Qualifications & Training
Essential criteria
9. Education to GCSE level or Equivalent to include Grade C in English
10. NVQ Level 3 or Equivalent
Experience
Essential criteria
11. Relevant Experience as a Band 3 technical instructor or therapy assistant
12. Experience and evidence of working in a Multi Disciplinary Team
Desirable criteria
13. Evidence of transferrable skills
14. Relevant care of the elderly and medical ward experience
Knowledge
Essential criteria
15. Working Knowledge of a range of relevant common medical conditions
16. Examples of knowledge of a range of physiotherapy and OT treatment techniques
17. Example of understanding of Safeguarding and Mental Capacity Act
18. Understanding of confidentiality within health care environment
Skills
Essential criteria
19. Description of own good interpersonal skills
20. Evidence of working as a team member and independently
21. Description of own verbal/non verbal communication
22. Example of managing high stress environment
Applicant requirements
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.
If you have problems applying, contact
Address Luton & Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust
Lewsey Road
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU4 0DZ
Telephone 01582 497325