Supportive care practitioner

Hospiscare

The closing date is 01 December 2024

Job summary

The role purpose is to provide approved complementary therapies to patients and carers in a variety of settings across Exeter, Mid and East Devon; to work within a clinical multi-discilinary team to deliver a high standard of evidence-based holistic specialist palliative care and to contribute to the development of complementary therapy in palliative care within Hospiscare and to the growth of the wider Supportive Care team.

Main duties of the job

As a Supportive care practitioner (Complementary Therapist) on our Supportive Care Team, you will provide appropriate approved therapies across different Hospiscare settings. You will develop and maintain positive working relationships within the Hospiscare multi-disciplinary team. In this role, you will also cooperate with regular audits and evaluations of Hospiscare’s Supportive Care provision.

About us

Hospiscare has been supporting people in Exeter, Mid and East Devon with terminal illnesses for over 40 years. Our services include support at home, a specialist palliative care ward, out-patients clinics, and supportive therapies.

We support close to 2,200 local people each year, in some of the hardest times possible. As a local charity, we raise around £10 million each year to continue to provide our care. Our staff, volunteers and supporters help us to care for people when they're most in need, no matter what their individual circumstances may be.

We're proud to be rated as 'five star' by patients and families and as 'outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission, to have been awarded a Mind Bronze Award for wellbeing at work and to be a Disability Confident employer.

Date posted

12 November 2024

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£29,970 to £36,483 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

DV1189422ExeSCP

Job locations

Searle house

Dryden Road

Exeter

Devon

EX2 5JJ


Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Description

1. JOB DETAILS

Job Title: Supportive Care Team Practitioner

Band: 5

Location: Searle House, Exeter EX2 5JJ and throughout Exeter, Mid and East Devon

Hours: 22.5/week over 3 days, Monday to Friday

Responsible To: Spiritual and Supportive Care Team Leader

Responsible For: N/A

Accountable to: Head of Community and Supportive Care Services

2. JOB PURPOSE

To provide approved complementary therapies to patients and carers in a variety of settings across Exeter, Mid and East Devon.

To work within a clinical multi-discilinary team to deliver a high standard of evidence-based holistic specialist palliative care.

To contribute to the development of complementary therapy in palliative care within Hospiscare and to the growth of the wider Supportive Care team.

3. KEY RESULT AREAS/PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

3.1 Main responsibilities

Provide appropriate approved therapies across different Hospiscare settings, after assessing the needs of referred patients and carers, in order to contribute to the continuity of the service.

Liaise with referring health professionals to maintain an understanding of the referred patient/carer needs, reporting back any concerns to ensure issues are addressed appropriately.

Develop and maintain positive working relationships within the Hospiscare multi-disciplinary team, including contributing to patient review meetings when necessary, to ensure full information is available and considered.

Complete appropriate electronic treatment records, maintaining confidentiality at all times, to provide full and accurate information on all patients in line with Hospiscare policy and data protection laws.

Assist with the co-ordination of Supportive Care services across the Hospiscare area, including triaging new referrals to the team, to ensure effectiveness and continuity of provision.

Cooperate with regular audit and evaluation of Hospiscares Supportive Care provision to ensure continued effectiveness and improvement of the service.

Contribute to induction, training and supervision of volunteers within the Supportive Care team to ensure the delivery of an effective service that meets the needs of patients and carers.

Infection Prevention and Control

Maintaining a safe environment for patients, visitors and employees is everyones responsibility. All staff are required to adhere to Hospiscares Infection Prevention and Control Policy and make every effort to maintain high standards of infection prevention and control at all times. This includes ensuring personal and team compliance with all relevant policies and procedures, and acting upon or reporting any identified risks.

Disclosure and Barring Service

This role requires a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced level check with Adults and Children Barred Lists.

3.2 Key Contacts

Internal

Supportive Care team

Spiritual and Supportive Care Team Leader

Community Cluster Team Leaders and Community teams

Head of Community and Supportive Care Services

Clinical Coordination Centre Call Handlers

Ward Manager and Inpatient Unit team

Medical team

Clinical Administration

Learning & Development team

People team (Volunteering)

External

Patients and those close to them

Local charities eg Force, Exeter

3.3 Health & Safety

Ensure that Health and Safety guidelines and fire regulations are strictly adhered to

Comply with safe working practices as defined by Hospiscare

Complete online training as and when required

Take reasonable care for your own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by acts or omissions at work

Report any accidents, incidents or near misses as soon as reasonably practicable

Manage own work life balance and general wellbeing, including any relevant pressures in respect of lone working, travel, difficult environments and challenging situations

3.4 General

Be aware of and adhere to Hospiscare policies, procedures and protocols at all times

Take part in progress/performance reviews throughout the year

Cooperate with other Hospiscare departments

Attend training courses and complete online training modules as required to meet the requirements of the post

Participate in regular clinical supervision

Take responsibility for own personal development, seeking out opportunities to learn new skills

Undertake any other duties as requested by management which are reasonably deemed to be within the scope of the role

3.5 Other

Apply the Hospiscare values and behaviours to every aspect of the role at all times

Promote and maintain the brand standards of Hospiscare

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Description

1. JOB DETAILS

Job Title: Supportive Care Team Practitioner

Band: 5

Location: Searle House, Exeter EX2 5JJ and throughout Exeter, Mid and East Devon

Hours: 22.5/week over 3 days, Monday to Friday

Responsible To: Spiritual and Supportive Care Team Leader

Responsible For: N/A

Accountable to: Head of Community and Supportive Care Services

2. JOB PURPOSE

To provide approved complementary therapies to patients and carers in a variety of settings across Exeter, Mid and East Devon.

To work within a clinical multi-discilinary team to deliver a high standard of evidence-based holistic specialist palliative care.

To contribute to the development of complementary therapy in palliative care within Hospiscare and to the growth of the wider Supportive Care team.

3. KEY RESULT AREAS/PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

3.1 Main responsibilities

Provide appropriate approved therapies across different Hospiscare settings, after assessing the needs of referred patients and carers, in order to contribute to the continuity of the service.

Liaise with referring health professionals to maintain an understanding of the referred patient/carer needs, reporting back any concerns to ensure issues are addressed appropriately.

Develop and maintain positive working relationships within the Hospiscare multi-disciplinary team, including contributing to patient review meetings when necessary, to ensure full information is available and considered.

Complete appropriate electronic treatment records, maintaining confidentiality at all times, to provide full and accurate information on all patients in line with Hospiscare policy and data protection laws.

Assist with the co-ordination of Supportive Care services across the Hospiscare area, including triaging new referrals to the team, to ensure effectiveness and continuity of provision.

Cooperate with regular audit and evaluation of Hospiscares Supportive Care provision to ensure continued effectiveness and improvement of the service.

Contribute to induction, training and supervision of volunteers within the Supportive Care team to ensure the delivery of an effective service that meets the needs of patients and carers.

Infection Prevention and Control

Maintaining a safe environment for patients, visitors and employees is everyones responsibility. All staff are required to adhere to Hospiscares Infection Prevention and Control Policy and make every effort to maintain high standards of infection prevention and control at all times. This includes ensuring personal and team compliance with all relevant policies and procedures, and acting upon or reporting any identified risks.

Disclosure and Barring Service

This role requires a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced level check with Adults and Children Barred Lists.

3.2 Key Contacts

Internal

Supportive Care team

Spiritual and Supportive Care Team Leader

Community Cluster Team Leaders and Community teams

Head of Community and Supportive Care Services

Clinical Coordination Centre Call Handlers

Ward Manager and Inpatient Unit team

Medical team

Clinical Administration

Learning & Development team

People team (Volunteering)

External

Patients and those close to them

Local charities eg Force, Exeter

3.3 Health & Safety

Ensure that Health and Safety guidelines and fire regulations are strictly adhered to

Comply with safe working practices as defined by Hospiscare

Complete online training as and when required

Take reasonable care for your own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by acts or omissions at work

Report any accidents, incidents or near misses as soon as reasonably practicable

Manage own work life balance and general wellbeing, including any relevant pressures in respect of lone working, travel, difficult environments and challenging situations

3.4 General

Be aware of and adhere to Hospiscare policies, procedures and protocols at all times

Take part in progress/performance reviews throughout the year

Cooperate with other Hospiscare departments

Attend training courses and complete online training modules as required to meet the requirements of the post

Participate in regular clinical supervision

Take responsibility for own personal development, seeking out opportunities to learn new skills

Undertake any other duties as requested by management which are reasonably deemed to be within the scope of the role

3.5 Other

Apply the Hospiscare values and behaviours to every aspect of the role at all times

Promote and maintain the brand standards of Hospiscare

Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

  • Advanced knowledge of treatment delivery and techniques
  • Understanding of the complexities of working with individuals at times of distress and conflict
  • Awareness of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requirements

Desirable

  • Awareness of audit processes

Skills

Essential

  • Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills
  • Developed planning and organising skills
  • Developed skills in recognising and responding to the changing physical, emotional, spiritual and social needs of palliative care patients and those close to them
  • Developed IT skills

Personal attributes

Essential

  • Ability to work autonomously and act on own initiative, seeking advice/escalating issues when appropriate
  • Flexible and adaptable with the ability to respond positively in a rapidly changing environment.
  • Commitment to continuing professional development.
  • Practises effective self-care
  • Team player
  • Awareness of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in all aspects of work.

Additional requirements

Essential

  • Able to travel around the area covered by Hospiscare
  • Able to fulfil the physical and manual handling requirements of the role
  • Able and willing to be flexible and adapt to working in different teams across Hospiscare when required, eg Clinical Coordination Centre

Desirable

  • Driver and car owner

Experience

Essential

  • Demonstrable experience of delivering safe and effective complementary therapy, working within the ethical code(s) of the appropriate professional body
  • Demonstrable experience of adapting treatments to meet the needs of patients/carers
  • Demonstrable experience of working within boundaries/policies
  • Demonstrable experience of prioritising workload, and delivering therapy in a variety of settings

Desirable

  • Experience of delivering complementary therapy within palliative care/oncology setting
  • Experience of training delivery

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered with appropriate UK body
  • Recognised qualifications and experience in aromatherapy/massage and reflexology

Desirable

  • Recognised training in working with people with life limiting illnesses
  • Recognised qualifications in health/social care
  • Recognised qualification in Indian Head Massage and reiki
Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

  • Advanced knowledge of treatment delivery and techniques
  • Understanding of the complexities of working with individuals at times of distress and conflict
  • Awareness of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requirements

Desirable

  • Awareness of audit processes

Skills

Essential

  • Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills
  • Developed planning and organising skills
  • Developed skills in recognising and responding to the changing physical, emotional, spiritual and social needs of palliative care patients and those close to them
  • Developed IT skills

Personal attributes

Essential

  • Ability to work autonomously and act on own initiative, seeking advice/escalating issues when appropriate
  • Flexible and adaptable with the ability to respond positively in a rapidly changing environment.
  • Commitment to continuing professional development.
  • Practises effective self-care
  • Team player
  • Awareness of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in all aspects of work.

Additional requirements

Essential

  • Able to travel around the area covered by Hospiscare
  • Able to fulfil the physical and manual handling requirements of the role
  • Able and willing to be flexible and adapt to working in different teams across Hospiscare when required, eg Clinical Coordination Centre

Desirable

  • Driver and car owner

Experience

Essential

  • Demonstrable experience of delivering safe and effective complementary therapy, working within the ethical code(s) of the appropriate professional body
  • Demonstrable experience of adapting treatments to meet the needs of patients/carers
  • Demonstrable experience of working within boundaries/policies
  • Demonstrable experience of prioritising workload, and delivering therapy in a variety of settings

Desirable

  • Experience of delivering complementary therapy within palliative care/oncology setting
  • Experience of training delivery

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered with appropriate UK body
  • Recognised qualifications and experience in aromatherapy/massage and reflexology

Desirable

  • Recognised training in working with people with life limiting illnesses
  • Recognised qualifications in health/social care
  • Recognised qualification in Indian Head Massage and reiki

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Hospiscare

Address

Searle house

Dryden Road

Exeter

Devon

EX2 5JJ


Employer's website

https://www.hospiscare.co.uk (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Hospiscare

Address

Searle house

Dryden Road

Exeter

Devon

EX2 5JJ


Employer's website

https://www.hospiscare.co.uk (Opens in a new tab)


For questions about the job, contact:

Supportive and Spiritual Care Team Leader

Lucyann Ashdown

l.ashdown@hospiscare.co.uk

01392688000

Date posted

12 November 2024

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£29,970 to £36,483 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

DV1189422ExeSCP

Job locations

Searle house

Dryden Road

Exeter

Devon

EX2 5JJ


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Hospiscare's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)