Senior Orthopaedic Plaster Technician

South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust

This job is now closed

Job summary

As part of the SWFT Hospital Outpatients Department, the Plaster Room is situated within the Fracture Clinic providing a comprehensive orthopaedic and trauma casting service for the Fracture Clinic, Emergency Department (ED), theatres, therapies and wards.

You will work as a trained and experienced technician within a team of Nurses, Doctors and Allied Health Professional in providing casting and specialised casting and splint making for patients. Liaising with the multi-disciplinary team regarding the most appropriate treatment for patients.

The post holder will be expected to supervise other less experienced staff and communicate effectively with other departments and disciplines. You will have an educational role and develop competencies and skills for the multi-disciplinary team in application of casting within the expectations of Outpatient care setting.

The post holder will have a flexible and proactive approach in ensuring the work of the department is carried out to the required high standards and will contribute to the service improvement and will be required to work to support other clinical work within the outpatient clinics.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work as part of the multidisciplinary team responsible for providing a specialist casting and splinting service while working to deliver a high standard of casting and patient care.

To be the primary point of contact in the Plaster Room, providing technical and professional support within clinical areas, wards and theatres ensuring that patients are not unduly delayed in the discharge process.

You will be forward thinking and foster an innovative and learning environment for Technicians and other multidisciplinary professional staff. In light of this, it is essential the post holder continues with their professional development in line with the BOA guidelines, facilitate learning and contribute to the professional development of medical and nursing staff.

The post holder will participate in audits and research as required, undertake administrative duties incl. stock ordering and control, data collection etc. To assist with the operation of the plaster room services and activity to include daily operational issues.

The post holder needs to be professionally accountable and to work according to the Association of Orthopaedic Practitioners (AOP) and British Orthopaedic Association (BOA) code of professional practice.

About us

Come and join a Trust rated Outstanding by the CQC. South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust have been rated as outstanding following our latest inspection by the CQC and we are recruiting new staff to come and help us improve even further.

We provide services across Warwickshire and beyond ranging from Hospitals in Warwick, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Royal Leamington Spa and Shipston-on Stour to Community Services across the county. We are a progressive, expanding organisation with great ambition around improving quality, integrating pathways and delivering high levels of productivity.

Our values can be summed up in one sentence. We are 'Trusted to provide safe, effective and compassionate care'. Throughout the recruitment process you will be asked to think about how you demonstrate these values and how they impact on your work. It doesn't matter what role you do, whether it is patient facing or not, we are all working in the same way with our values at the core.

Date posted

04 February 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£29,970 to £36,483 a year per annum; dependent on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

203-EL877

Job locations

Outpatients Department - Warwick Hospital

Lakin Road

Warwick

CV34 5BW

Job description

Job responsibilities

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

To hold the BOA British Casting Certificate (BCC) and active registration with the BOA, working within BOA Plaster Room standards.

Carry out casting procedures and practices adhering to BOA and AOP guidelines and standards.

To understand, and be confident with the different casting techniques, be able to construct supports and appliances using various materials and to measure and fit a range of functional braces.

The selection, application, removal, construction and maintenance of casts, splints and braces made of plaster and other materials in the plaster room and other areas of the Trust.

Removal of casts using electric plaster saw, taking into consideration individual patient requirements and circumstances, e.g. anxiety, claustrophobia, origin of cast to be removed, and special handling of very young children in casts.

To remove sutures, dressings, and staples, Denham/Steinman pins and Kirschner wires, observing aseptic techniques at all times.

To provide both basic and complex wound care and removal of sutures and clips without supervision and demonstrate a sound knowledge of the principles of infection control and highest standards when performing aseptic techniques.

Application and modification of customised orthotic bracing and casting eg. knee bracing, hand and finger splints, spinal bracing, humeral bracing, including casting for CTEV (Ponseti) and hip spicas, frog casts and sarmiento.

Have the required knowledge of anatomy to ensure the correct positioning of limbs, to understand the complications that may arise from incorrect limb positioning and casting techniques, and the appropriate action needed when such a complication arises.

Have or be willing to undertake a University accredited Mentorship Module / Certificate.

Implementing teaching programmes in the department in teaching casting, contra-indications and complications to Outpatient and Trust Staff.

Develop and maintain plaster application and care competencies for Clinical Support Workers within the OPD.

To be able to use Insignia X-ray It system and be able to interpret X-Rays.

To be a trainer for other staff in the department, and to be an active participant in the training of plaster trainees within the plaster room in preparation for the Stanmore course.

Measurable Result Areas

To assess patients to determine the most appropriate type of cast or splint required, in line with clinicians instructions.

To ensure safe and appropriate discharge from the department following consultation/ treatment and to provide on-going advice and support to patients in a cast discharged from the plaster room.

To co-ordinate outpatient and inpatient casting requests, and undertake application and modification of casts within the ward and theatre environment when patients are unable to attend the plaster room.

To keep up to date with casting material development, material usage and cost with a view of trialling products to ensure economic use of resources.

To assist on-call orthopaedic teams with application of casts after fracture manipulation/reduction, prior to admission or discharge.

To document fully in the patients case notes information regarding casting details as requested by the referring clinician ensuring any additional relevant observations are clearly noted, signed and dated thus contributing to optimum patient care.

To communicate appropriately with healthcare professionals, patients and carers regarding casting and aftercare, modifying instructions in cases of patients with special needs, or learning difficulties, e.g. children, stroke victims or patients where English is not their first language.

To attend all mandatory training required by the Trust and to participate in the Trust Performance Review Process.

To facilitate appointments for future attendances to the Plaster Room.

To supply and adjust walking aids, slings and splints as required and ensure the patients are educated in their use.

Be responsible for own professional development and be prepared to develop new skills and techniques by attending workshops and conferences.

Communications and Working Relationships

To develop and maintain good working relationships with multidisciplinary teams involved with each patient to ensure an effective and efficient service for patients.

Facilitate patients, relatives and carers understanding of the care given and potential hazards of wearing a cast with the use of both verbal and written instructions.

Act as an effective role model.

To assess, plan, implement and evaluate individualised patient care in conjunction with the multidisciplinary team e.g. discuss treatments with Consultants with a view to altering or suggesting a better treatment.

To assist in the efficient running of the department by being able to prioritise workload daily to ensure that assigned tasks are carried out efficiently between the wards, ED and Clinics, so patients awaiting discharge are not delayed.

To organise and deploy staff in the Plaster Room, according to competencies and workload in order to meet patients needs.

Offer advice and guidance to patients phoning in with a query / concern and those presenting to Plaster Room unannounced with cast problems providing suitable advice and support during fracture management, referring back to the clinician if necessary.

To assist with the reporting of faults and maintenance of equipment and working environment to ensure a safe and secure environment for staff, patients and visitors, in line with Trust Health and Safety Policy.

To endeavour to resolve problems for patients/carers and staff at the point of complaint, where this is not possible to provide information to assist them e.g. PALS, details of Trust Complaints Policies etc.