Wellbeing and therapy practitioner - band 4

Job description

Job responsibilities

Communication and relationship skills

• Possession of excellent written and verbal communication skills and experience of communicating with patients, families and other professionals in difficult situations.
• Ability to work as an effective member of a multi-professional team.
• Ability to deal with potentially emotional situations demonstrating empathy.
• Ability to motivate and encourage patients to take part in wellbeing & therapy programmes.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality at all times.
• To be able to understand the boundaries of the role, and refer to appropriate members of the team.

Knowledge, training and experience

• Good general education (to GSCE or equivalent)
• Working towards or holding an NVQ III in a related subject
• Previous experience of working with people with palliative care needs and/or long-term conditions.
• Experience of taking and leading a group work
• Good knowledge of commonly encountered neurological, oncology and palliative care conditions.
• Experience and/or understanding of the benefits of a holistic approach to healthcare
• Understanding of the basic principles of the effects of exercise
• Understanding of the safety issues particular to lone working

Analytical and judgement skills

• Ability to demonstrate a holistic approach to patient management
• Ability to work on own initiative and to manage own caseload
• Awareness of own limitations, personal strengths and weaknesses
• Awareness of when to seek the advice of a qualified therapist

Planning and organisational skills

• Ability to manage the wellbeing & therapy timetable, as well as own diary.
• Ability to plan and deliver a range of programmes to suit the need of the Wellbeing & Therapy Centre.
• Ability to travel to dispersed sites across the community in a timely manner
• Ability to triage referrals and take appropriate action.

Physical skills

• Relevant IT skills
• The job holder will provide therapeutic and personal care duties to patients as required
• Responsible for the safe use of equipment and maintaining stock orders within the Wellbeing and Therapy Hub.

To support on-site security of unit and to contribute to activities that ensures the safety of the physical environment of the Hub for staff, patients and visitors

Responsibility for patient / client care

• To carry out initial assessment and outcomes of patients on the Wellbeing & Therapy pathway.
• To monitor and collect relevant data for patients attending the program.
• To run a range of group for patients without direct supervision.
• To undertake highly skilled support work eg initial interviews and reporting findings.
• Using empathy, sensitivity and good interpersonal skills encourage patients and their carers in an active approach to regain and maintain personal independence, as appropriate to their condition
• To maintain patients dignity , privacy and confidentiality at all times
• To use effective communication tools, verbal and non-verbal to communicate treatment programmes to patients who may have barriers to understanding or communicating eg blind, deaf, dysphasic or who do not use English as their first language.

Responsibility for policy and service development implementation

• To be aware of and comply with procedures set out in Service and Trust policies. To implement procedures and propose changes to working practices in own work area.

Responsibilities for financial and physical resources

To use resources responsibly and efficiently.

Responsibilities for human resources (HR)

• To be aware of and comply with procedures and policies set out in Service and Trust policies

Responsibilities for information resources

• To comply with the Data Protection Act 1988 and to ensure all information is dealt with in a confidential and professional manner. To input data as required, using Trust information Management System.

Responsibilities for research and development (R&D)

To assist the service in collection of data and information as required

Freedom to act

• Ability to work on own initiative, primarily alone and within the parameters set by the Therapy Lead.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Good general education (to GCSE or equivalent)
• NVQ Level 3 in related subject or equivalent qualification/experience

Desirable

• Counselling qualification
• Qualification in holistic therapy
• Qualification in art or creative therapy

Experience

Essential

• Previous experience working with patients with a variety of complex needs
• Experience of coordinating activities within a therapeutic environment

Desirable

• Previous experience of working with patients within palliative care needs/long term conditions/life limiting illnesses

Knowledge

Essential

• Good knowledge of commonly encountered palliative care conditions
• Understanding of the safety issues in particular to Lone Working
• Understanding of adult safeguarding procedures
• Supporting statement evidences understanding of and aptitude for the role

Desirable

• Basic awareness of life-limiting illness and its effects
• Understanding of risk factors associated with falls and how to manage these factors
• oBasic awareness of neurological conditions and its effects.

Attitude and Commitment

Essential

• Able to demonstrate a holistic approach to patient management
• Able to demonstrate empathy and be able to motivate and encourage patients to take part in rehabilitation programmes as appropriate
• Ability to work as part of a multi professional team

Desirable

• Ability to adapt to changing situations

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

Medway Community Healthcare

Address

Wisdom Hospice

High Bank

Rochester

ME1 2NU

Employer's website

https://www.medwaycommunityhealthcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)