Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Therapy Assistant Practitioner to work for Norfolk Community Health and Care and join the adult Community Learning Disabilities Service. The post is based with the West Norfolk Community Learning Disability Team (Kings Lynn)supporting Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech & Language Therapy.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for enthusiastic, creative and compassionate individuals with an interest in working with adults with learning disabilities. You will assist the work of qualified therapists from our Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Speech and Language Therapy Teams, and will be required to carry out individual and joint visits. Under the supervision and direction of the qualified therapists, you will be expected to hold an appropriate caseload, follow clinical pathways to implement individual care plans, monitor and/or review progress, provide advice and informal training for carers, and contribute to the wider multidisciplinary team objectives when required.
Applicants should have excellent communication skills, good organisational skills and the ability to work as a member of a multidisciplinary team.
You will have access to a range of supervision opportunities to support your development, and progression with competencies in this role across multiple clinical disciplines.
About us
There are five adult Community Learning Disability Teams in Norfolk, co-located with Norfolk County Council Social Care Teams, offering a multidisciplinary service. The teams are supportive, friendly and passionate about their work with adults with learning disabilities. You will have the opportunity to work collaboratively with a range of professionals and in a variety of settings that include, day services, residential services, supported living and in peoples own homes.
Apply now to join an organisation that has been awarded an Outstanding rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the highest possible rating and the first stand-alone NHS community trust in the country to be awarded the title.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical
- Assess patients with straightforward requirements based on predetermined department protocols.
- Prepare for, carry out and monitor assessments and treatments in specified clinical areas, and discharge in line with predetermined department protocols.
- Apply competency-based treatment techniques/care to adults with learning disabilities under the supervision of a qualified practitioner, following a prescribed treatment/care plan.
- Modify and progress intervention / treatment using own clinical reasoning in conjunction with a registered therapist.
- Monitor patients and promptly alert a qualified practitioner when there are changes.
- Plan and prioritise own visits to allocated patients, and in accordance with local procedures i.e. lone worker.
- To use highly developed verbal and non-verbal skills to gain rapport with adults with learning disabilities who may have complex communication difficulties, profound physical disabilities and/or challenging behaviour, sensory processing difficulties, dysphagia, mental health difficulties or a combination of these.
- Liaise with providers, families and other agencies to ensure identified needs are met and care co-ordinated appropriately.
- Establish and maintain appropriate working relationships with patients, providers, families, other agencies and health and social care professionals.
- Be responsible for ensuring equipment is used safely, following appropriate training, and that it is maintained appropriately.
- Contribute to the requisitioning of supplies and equipment through electronic ordering systems.
- Work with registered therapists with group work/clinics as required.
- To assess patient capacity, gain valid informed consent and have the ability to work within a legal framework in line with the Mental Capacity Act.
- Share responsibility for indirect patient contact tasks such as, answering telephones, arranging appointments, processing referrals, making resources and inputting activity data.
- May be exposed to bodily fluids, infected material, blood products, therefore must utilise universal precautions and adhere to infection control policies.
Professional
- Attend and contribute to team meetings, therapy meetings and other meetings where appropriate.
- Attend in-house and competency training as required to develop current job role.
- May be required to demonstrate own duties to students, new starters and/or less experienced staff; and be involved in induction programmes for new staff / students as required.
- Work predominantly independently on specified tasks, with regular clinical support and supervision by a registered therapist.
- Be aware of limitations of own scope of practice and competency, and when to involve a more senior clinician, both in daily practice and in emergency situations.
- Acknowledge and recognise peoples expressed beliefs, preferences and choices.
- Demonstrate an awareness of clinical governance and risk management and apply to work situation.
- To provide peer support to other practitioners, demonstrating leadership skills to own competency.
- Identify and explore own contribution to team working and reflect on own practice.
- Actively contribute to the working of the team and express ideas on improving services for users and the team.
Organisational
- Be actively involved in the collection of appropriate data and statistics as designated by the registered therapists.
- Follow trust policies, departmental and local procedures.
- Undertake mandatory training as required.
- Participate in the Personal Development Review process
- Be aware of Trusts Behaviour Framework and ensure behaviours are embedded in role.
- Ensure absence reporting is undertaken as determined by Team Leader and Trust policy.
- Contribute to clinical audit as required.
- Complete the staff survey as required.
- Complete risk assessments and incident forms as required.
- Take part in clinical supervision as per Trust policy.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical
- Assess patients with straightforward requirements based on predetermined department protocols.
- Prepare for, carry out and monitor assessments and treatments in specified clinical areas, and discharge in line with predetermined department protocols.
- Apply competency-based treatment techniques/care to adults with learning disabilities under the supervision of a qualified practitioner, following a prescribed treatment/care plan.
- Modify and progress intervention / treatment using own clinical reasoning in conjunction with a registered therapist.
- Monitor patients and promptly alert a qualified practitioner when there are changes.
- Plan and prioritise own visits to allocated patients, and in accordance with local procedures i.e. lone worker.
- To use highly developed verbal and non-verbal skills to gain rapport with adults with learning disabilities who may have complex communication difficulties, profound physical disabilities and/or challenging behaviour, sensory processing difficulties, dysphagia, mental health difficulties or a combination of these.
- Liaise with providers, families and other agencies to ensure identified needs are met and care co-ordinated appropriately.
- Establish and maintain appropriate working relationships with patients, providers, families, other agencies and health and social care professionals.
- Be responsible for ensuring equipment is used safely, following appropriate training, and that it is maintained appropriately.
- Contribute to the requisitioning of supplies and equipment through electronic ordering systems.
- Work with registered therapists with group work/clinics as required.
- To assess patient capacity, gain valid informed consent and have the ability to work within a legal framework in line with the Mental Capacity Act.
- Share responsibility for indirect patient contact tasks such as, answering telephones, arranging appointments, processing referrals, making resources and inputting activity data.
- May be exposed to bodily fluids, infected material, blood products, therefore must utilise universal precautions and adhere to infection control policies.
Professional
- Attend and contribute to team meetings, therapy meetings and other meetings where appropriate.
- Attend in-house and competency training as required to develop current job role.
- May be required to demonstrate own duties to students, new starters and/or less experienced staff; and be involved in induction programmes for new staff / students as required.
- Work predominantly independently on specified tasks, with regular clinical support and supervision by a registered therapist.
- Be aware of limitations of own scope of practice and competency, and when to involve a more senior clinician, both in daily practice and in emergency situations.
- Acknowledge and recognise peoples expressed beliefs, preferences and choices.
- Demonstrate an awareness of clinical governance and risk management and apply to work situation.
- To provide peer support to other practitioners, demonstrating leadership skills to own competency.
- Identify and explore own contribution to team working and reflect on own practice.
- Actively contribute to the working of the team and express ideas on improving services for users and the team.
Organisational
- Be actively involved in the collection of appropriate data and statistics as designated by the registered therapists.
- Follow trust policies, departmental and local procedures.
- Undertake mandatory training as required.
- Participate in the Personal Development Review process
- Be aware of Trusts Behaviour Framework and ensure behaviours are embedded in role.
- Ensure absence reporting is undertaken as determined by Team Leader and Trust policy.
- Contribute to clinical audit as required.
- Complete the staff survey as required.
- Complete risk assessments and incident forms as required.
- Take part in clinical supervision as per Trust policy.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Minimum of Foundation degree qualification or equivalent
- GCSE's Grade C or above in Maths and English, or equivalent
Desirable
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a health or social care setting
Desirable
- Learning disability experience
Skills, Abilities and Knowledge
Essential
- Evidence of a higher level of skills and knowledge of practice.
- Previous experience of team working
- Ability to use own initiative
- Good observational and reporting skills
- Have basic IT and standard keyboard skills
- Be able to manoeuvre patients using handling aids
Desirable
- Awareness of Assistive Technology
Communication
Essential
- Awareness of Assistive Technology
Other
Essential
- Must hold full and valid driving licence and have access to a vehicle (if applicable)
Skills, Abilities and knowledge
Essential
- Good interpersonal skills
Skills, Abilities and knowledge
Essential
Skills, Abilities and knowledge
Essential
- oAble to provide high standards of care
- oTact and diplomacy
- oEmpathy and sensitivity
Skills, Abilities and Knowledge
Essential
- oAbility to manage stressful situations
- oLeadership skills
- oWork flexibly to accommodate patient / service needs
- oBe able to kneel, bend & stoop, and work in cramped environments
- oBe able to manoeuvre limbs of around 5-6kg
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Minimum of Foundation degree qualification or equivalent
- GCSE's Grade C or above in Maths and English, or equivalent
Desirable
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a health or social care setting
Desirable
- Learning disability experience
Skills, Abilities and Knowledge
Essential
- Evidence of a higher level of skills and knowledge of practice.
- Previous experience of team working
- Ability to use own initiative
- Good observational and reporting skills
- Have basic IT and standard keyboard skills
- Be able to manoeuvre patients using handling aids
Desirable
- Awareness of Assistive Technology
Communication
Essential
- Awareness of Assistive Technology
Other
Essential
- Must hold full and valid driving licence and have access to a vehicle (if applicable)
Skills, Abilities and knowledge
Essential
- Good interpersonal skills
Skills, Abilities and knowledge
Essential
Skills, Abilities and knowledge
Essential
- oAble to provide high standards of care
- oTact and diplomacy
- oEmpathy and sensitivity
Skills, Abilities and Knowledge
Essential
- oAbility to manage stressful situations
- oLeadership skills
- oWork flexibly to accommodate patient / service needs
- oBe able to kneel, bend & stoop, and work in cramped environments
- oBe able to manoeuvre limbs of around 5-6kg
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
