Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust

Health & Exercise Practitioner - Wotton Lawn

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Job summary

The qualification, training & experience requirements for the role are fully detailed in the Job Description/Person Specification.

An opportunity has arisen for a Health and Exercise Practitioner to join the multidisciplinary team on Montpellier Low Secure Recovery Unit; a 12 bedded male low secure ward within Wotton Lawn Hospital. The unit serves the population within Gloucestershire and works closely with NHS England.

The successful candidate will hold degree level knowledge in health and exercise science and will hold a keen interest in improving the lives of individuals whom experience mental ill health. Experience of working within a mental health/ residential setting is essential. Informal visits to the unit are welcomed and encouraged; to organise please contact Victoria Woodruff, EAP Team Leader/ Occupational Therapist on 0300 421 4807 or email victoria.woodruff@ghc.nhs.uk

Gloucestershire Health & Care NHS Foundation Trustaims to recruit and retain the best possible staff who, through the application of their skills, qualification and experience, will make a positive contribution to our business of providing quality health care services. It is the Trust's view that the costs associated with moving house in order to take up a post with us should not restrict our ability to recruit the excellent people we need, therefore we support staff to relocate with our relocation policy.

Main duties of the job

Job Purpose

To provide Sport, Exercise and Health and Well-Being; assessments, interventions and activities for service users whom experience complex, physical, psychological and mental health needs within a low secure mental health setting.

To educate, facilitate and motivate adults with wide ranging mental health problems to enable them to live more healthily.

To work as an active team member alongside the Engagement, Activity and Physical Health Team (EAP Team) and wider Montpellier Unit multidisciplinary team, leading upon aspects of care delivery and team management as requested.

To work in co-operation with primary and secondary healthcare staff, social services, independent, private and charitable organisations.

Post Dimensions

To work within the Engagement, Activity and Physical Health Team (EAP Team) whom provide both physical health and occupational assessment, intervention and activities across a 7day period between the hours of 09:00hrs- 21:00hrs.

The post-holder will be specifically responsible for the day to day provision, co-ordination and review of sports / exercise / health activities to patients admitted to Montpellier Unit. This will include facilitating specialist activities/sessions and taking part in the provision of health and well-being sessions as per team agenda.

About us

We have in excess of 5000 staff working over 50 sites, providing a diverse range of services. We strive to support an organisational culture that is welcoming, builds and celebrates inclusivity and diversity and provides a sense of belonging and trust.

The annual NHS Staff Survey gives our people the opportunity to tell us about their experience working at the Trust. For the 2023 survey just over 2800 colleagues gave us their views (58.5%). It was great to see from the results that colleagues are saying that:

89.7% believe they are making a positive difference to patients/service users;
73.3% would recommend the organisation as a place to work;
82.4% agree that care of patients and service users is the organisations priority;
76.7% would be happy with the standard of care for a friend or relative

Our results put us as 5th nationally as a Community, Mental Health and Learning Disabilities NHS Employer of Choice and 1st equal amongst all NHS Provider Trusts in the South West. However, we know we have more to do and will continue to drive forward our commitment to making GHC a Great Place to Work.

Date posted

13 January 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£29,970 to £36,483 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

327-25-018

Job locations

Montpellier Low Secure Recovery Unit

Wotton Lawn Hospital, Horton Road

Gloucester

GL1 5WL

Job description

Job responsibilities

To communicate effectively with patients, carers and other professions to maximise treatment potential and to ensure understanding of treatment intervention. To demonstrate a wide range of communication techniques and interpersonal skills in order to enable and support patients who may present with low motivation to take part in Health, Exercise and Activity programmes. Communications skills of persuasion, motivation, explanation and gaining trust and consent are utilised regularly.

To provide spontaneous and planned advice. This will include teaching and instruction to patients, relatives, carers and other professionals to ensure a consistent approach to patient care is achieved.

To communicate and demonstrate knowledge of/ use of exercise equipment, explanation of rules, regulations and fair play for a multitude of sports and exercises.

To understand and cascade contraindications of sports science interventions, plus the effects of exercise on physical and mental health.

To maintain own continued professional development by utilising methods such as supervision, reflective practice and up to date research, evidence based approaches and developments from internal and external sources such as conferences and incorporating them into work as appropriate.

To actively partake in the knowledge and skills framework (KSF), supervision, appraisal and in-service training programmes by attendance and participation within meetings, training sessions and tutorials to ensure maintenance and improvement in knowledge related to physical and mental health and thereby enhance the effectiveness of the Health and Exercise service.

To take part in the training of others including students undertaking Sports Science degrees by acting as a work placement mentor as requested. To be involved in the education of individuals from other disciplines by enabling them to gain experience and knowledge of the role of Health and Exercise professionals.

To provide advice and education on physical activity, healthy eating etc. to patients, carers, families and other health professionals to promote a healthy lifestyle.

To prioritise caseload and co-ordinate/ action any team allocated tasks.

To assess clinical and non-clinical factors individually or jointly with other professionals.

To gain valid consent and advise patients prior to physical activity to enable safe and effective implementation of monitored treatment programmes.

To make onward referral to medical staff for investigations, to Physiotherapy and other multi-disciplinary team members, external agencies and other health care providers dependent on patients needs as identified from assessment.

To assess and manage the physical needs of the individual in the context of other needs that may be complex. To continually evaluate the outcomes and reassess treatment plans and risk assessments as the patient condition changes. Reporting changes in patient condition and treatment plan as appropriate.

To support the patient to move onto services provided by external agencies i.e. those provided by Gloucester City Council or other private based agencies, (i.e. provision of a seamless service). This involves liaison with community based physiotherapy and health & exercise team members, private and external organisations i.e. leisure centres and tennis centres, with other health professionals and colleagues from other agencies.

To provide a variety of interventions such as individual, group and community based activities to enhance effectiveness and enable progression of patient treatment.

To keep accurate and timely notes of assessments, interventions and decisions in both paper and electronic format. To produce letters, reports and discharge summaries as required in line with the Trust Record Keeping Policy, and to report information gained in a timely manner to the multi-disciplinary team.

To be actively involved in ward rounds, multi-agency care planning meetings and case conferences as appropriate, representing the EAP Team/ service and contributing to the care programmes of patients. This will include provision of information concerning progression or changes in physical or mental health as appropriate and giving advice to other multi-disciplinary team staff as required.

To inform and educate other health care professionals of Health and Exercise activities so that appropriate and timely referrals can be made. To share experience with other Trusts to encourage best practice in the field of Health and Exercise and to assist in Service development by methods such as networking with external agencies such as leisure and other healthcare providers.

To collect local activity data as required by local and Trust Policy and to take part in Trustwide and service audit activity and to assist in implementation of any service improvements indicated on a physiotherapy and health and exercise service or care group basis.

Support existing team members in the provision of appraisal and supervision of other team members including induction of junior staff members.

Support existing team members in the planning and delivery of teaching sessions to members of the multidisciplinary team and outside agencies including professions from primary care in order to implement mandatory training or to pass on specialist knowledge and skills.

Contribute to overall service development and quality initiatives in line with local and national policies using audit and policy development.

Undertaking other duties appropriate to the post as requested by management.

Ensure that through competent planning and organisational skills, the post holder allocates sufficient time to provide and receive ongoing clinical and managerial supervision, to include work load management, focusing on improving quality of care and audit in line with the Government Modernisation Programme

Implement risk assessments and management plans on a daily basis working with people with common, severe, and enduring mental health problems who are frequently distressed and emotionally disturbed.

To respond to emergencies as required following training and as described in Trust policies and procedures.

Assess and manage the malnutrition risk of all in-patient admissions to Montpellier Unit. This will include onward referral to other MDT i.e. Dieticians, Eating Disorders, as risk levels change.

To complete further physical health assessment tools including the Health and Lifestyles Assessment/ LESTER tool etc. and lead upon care planning for needs/ intervention provision for this area of My Shared Care Pathway.

To deputise for the EAP Team leader as required.

To act as role of supervisee and undertake regular supervision with junior team members.