Job overview
We are recruiting for a Therapy Support Worker - Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy who share our vision to be trusted to provide consistently outstanding care and exemplary service to our patients.
You will be required to undertake therapy support work (for occupational therapy and physiotherapy) to provide treatment and rehabilitation to patients on the orthopaedic wards at the Lister Hospital and to support in the discharge planning of patients.
At the heart of everything we do are our core values: Include, Respect, and Improve. We encourage you to embrace these values throughout the recruitment process and in your role with us.
Main duties of the job
The Therapy Support Worker will undertake specific skilled Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy support work to aid the rehabilitation of patients within the orthopaedic Therapy service. You may also be required to assist other specialities within the Therapy Service at times.
You will be accepting patients being referred by a Physiotherapist or Occupational Therapist and carry your own patient caseload.
The post holder will treat patients according to set protocols, monitoring patient progression and make minor alterations to patient treatment programmes as required in consultation with the qualified therapy team.
You'll also need to work without direct supervision within the Therapy Service undertaking tasks delegated by a qualified therapist.
The successful candidate will be an active member of the multi-disciplinary team to contribute to smooth and effective delivery of the Therapy service.
Working for our organisation
At East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust, we are proud of the range of general & specialist services we provide & our 6,000 or so dedicated staff ensure our patients get the best care. Our ability to be flexible & innovative in the way in which we work and deliver our services to our catchment has never been more important than it is now.
We run the following hospitals:
• The Lister Hospital, Stevenage
• New Queen Elizabeth II (New QEII), Welwyn Garden City
• Hertford County, Hertford
• Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC), Northwood
We have ambitious plans to become an outstanding, patient-led Trust where dedicated staff provide high-quality, compassionate care to our patients. We continue to undergo significant transformation; our staff & patients are at the heart of delivering this ambitious agenda.
We are committed to a positive work life balance for our employees. Employees are entitled to seek to work flexible working patterns & we are committed to listen and consider all requests. Such requests, of course, have to be made & considered formally, & will need to be balanced against service needs, but our starting point will always be to find ways to support making them happen.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification applicant pack for further detailed information regarding this role.
Person specification
Qualifications/Training
Essential criteria
* NVQ Level 3 or equivalent health and social care qualification
Previous Experience
Essential criteria
* Experience of working in a healthcare environment, eg as a Therapy Assistant, Health Care Assistant or equivalent.
* Understanding of the post and its duties
* Basic understanding of professional standard.
Desirable criteria
* Good knowledge of therapeutic Moving and Handling skills.
* Understanding of the roles of the members of the multidisciplinary team.
* Ability to carry out basic therapeutic interventions within the hospital wards and patients’ home as delegated by a qualified member of staff
* Understanding of the need to adhere to policies and procedures
Skills
Essential criteria
* Ability to present information, written and orally, in a clear and concise manner.
* Able to keep legible and accurate patient information and records
* Able to communicate effectively with colleagues and members of the public with sensitivity and empathy.
* Able to communicate effectively within a multidisciplinary setting
Desirable criteria
* Able to instruct patients and carers on a range of therapeutic activities
* Ability to teach patients or colleagues in a group setting
Personal Qualities
Essential criteria
* Flexible and efficient.
* Able to work within a team.
* Ability to cope with a variety of tasks.
* Good organisational skills.
Desirable criteria
* Able to work without direct supervision but under the direction of qualified staff.
Other Requirements
Essential criteria
* Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion
* Role model our Trust values every day
* Ability to travel easily