Assistant Therapy Practitioner

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 13 May 2025

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Assistant Therapy Practitioner (ATP) to join the Dietetic team within the Learning Disability & Forensics team based across Mid and West Essex.

The successful candidate will work as an integral member of a diverse multi-disciplinary team, directly supporting the Dietitians.

You will be motivated to develop your clinical skills working with adults with learning disabilities when gathering relevant information as part of a dietetic assessment or review.

You will also have excellent communication and organisational skills and be enthusiastic about working as part of a dynamic, multi-disciplinary team.

The successful candidate will be supported to develop competencies to show understanding of the varying nutritional needs of adults with learning disabilities and a willingness to undertake further training in these areas.

You will work alongside a supervising Dietitian and feel confident to travel independently within Mid and West Essex, meeting with service users, and supporting them to optimise their health needs. You will be able to demonstrate effective working by using your initiative, and reporting back regularly.

You will receive regular supervision and support from colleagues and will be actively encouraged to participate in continual professional development (CPD).

Main duties of the job

To independently gather relevant information as part of the dietetic assessment and review process

To support service users who present with varying degrees of learning disability, autism and other complex health needs

To work as a member of the multidisciplinary team

To be able to work flexibly across a wide variety of settings within the service

To contribute with assessments and therapeutic interventions, including completing directed observations and delivering bespoke advice or training to carers

To maintain clinical records

To liaise with carers and other professionals as relevant

To exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance

To attend mandatory training and demonstrate application

To undertake relevant activities to meet training objectives identified with yoursupervisor, this may be taught, shadowing of others or through self-directed learning

Demonstrate, in consultation with the Dietitian, the use of initiative to meet specific individual needs of service users

To keep a record of your training and development activities

About us

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is an outstanding organisation with ambitions to match. We are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from the Care Quality Commission, and our aim is to be the leading provider of mental health and specialist learning disability services in the country.

Our family of over 4000 members of staff provide health and social care for over 400,000 people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. We also deliver a range of nationally commissioned specialist services including Tier 4 services for children and young people, perinatal services, plus medium and low secure learning disabilities services.

The care we provide makes a fantastic difference to the lives of our service users, their families and carers - everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:

Our Trust values are:

Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.

These values are at the core of who we are, everything we do, and how we do it!

Would you like to be part of the HPFT family? Would you like work with us to ensure our service users live the fullest lives possible they can? Would you like to be supported in your career to be the best that you can be?

Date posted

29 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£26,530 to £29,114 a year per annum, pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

367-LD&F-9326

Job locations

Tekhnicon House

Springwood Drive

Braintree

CM7 2YN

Job description

Job responsibilities

To undertake assessments, care planning and interventions with individuals, under the supervision of qualified staff

To apply Dietetic observations and interventions for a designated caseload, addressing dietetic needs with appropriate supervision

To accept responsibility for a designated workload, taking an active role in promoting independence and meeting the needs of the individual

To work with service users and carers to identify Dietetic requirements as part of the overall care plan

To have knowledge and understanding of the application of alternative feeding methods

To use technical / creative skills to engage service users in meaningful and appropriate activities to promote independence and well-being

Undertake delegated tasks to contribute to the safe and smooth running of the service

To work in accordance with competencies, recognise own limitations and the need to seek support from other members of the team

To ensure that up to date written and electronic records and activity data are maintained in accordance with Professional and Trust standards

To take part in Risk Assessment and to attend mandatory training sessions

To adhere to the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, the Trusts Code of conduct for non-qualified staff and all other relevant policies and procedures

To work in accordance with the code of conduct for Health Care Support Workers