University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) is one of the most complex NHS trusts in the UK, serving a large and diverse population. In July 2004, we were one of the first NHS trusts to achieve Foundation Trust status.
We provide academically-led acute and specialist services, to people from the local area, from throughout the United Kingdom and overseas.
Our vision is to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education and world-class research. We provide first-class acute and specialist services across eight sites:
• University College Hospital (incorporating the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing)
• National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
• Eastman Dental Hospital
• Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital
• Heart Hospital
• Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine
• University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre
• The Hospital for Tropical Diseases
• Grafton Way Hospital
We are dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of many complex illnesses. UCLH specialises in women’s health and the treatment of cancer, cardiac, infection, neurological, gastrointestinal and oral disease. It has world class support services including critical care, imaging, nuclear medicine and pathology.
Job Summary
The post-holder is responsible for providing both clinical and administrative support to qualified staff in the Westmoreland St therapy team. The post-holder will be responsible for managing their own delegated caseload. The post-holder works without direct supervision, within the specified clinical area, undertaking tasks delegated by a qualified therapist.
Job Purpose
• The post holder will provide therapy interventions to patients as delegated to them by a qualified therapist.
• The post holder shows initiative, motivation and excellent organisational ability working closely with therapy staff to develop administrative support and systems for the therapy team
• The post-holder is flexible in their approach to work and provides cover for other Therapy assistants and instructors across the service in periods of leave or absence
• The post-holder will be expected, after appropriate training, to perform manual handling tasks
• They will be required to demonstrate time management & prioritisation skills
• They will be required to work with their team on service development and quality assurance projects
• To participate in 7-day services rota where appropriate.
Key Working Relationships
The post holder will work closely with all members of the MDT. The post holder will also form close working relationships within the wider Acute Therapy Service at UCLH.
Key Results Areas
Communication
• To use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with patients to progress rehabilitation and treatment programmes and to support patients in self-management of their condition.
• The communication skills of motivation, explanation, demonstration and education will be used with a wide variety of patients to gain informed consent.
• To utilise a variety of effective communication skills to address specific problems such as cognitive impairment, expressive and receptive communication difficulties, embarrassment, anxiety, pain, fear, visual/hearing impairment, language and cultural diversity issues.
• To ensure that relevant information is communicated in a timely manner to other members of the therapy service, across all relevant sites, other agencies and other departments and NHS trusts as necessary. This will include telephone conversations, e-mails, faxes, report writing and multi-disciplinary team meetings.
• To liaise with other relevant organisations eg Social Services and Interserve to ensure patient care and smooth running of the team.
• To achieve and maintain a level of information technology relevant to all areas of work including the use of electronic patient records and power point presentations.
• To ensure that all information is communicated in a professional, effective and diplomatic way, to staff, patients and relatives including prognosis of physiotherapy treatment, difficult feedback and complaints.
• To ensure that written and electronic patient records are updated immediately after treatment.
• To record stats in accordance with Departmental and Trust standards.
• To ensure patient confidentiality is maintained in all communication.
Patient Care and Clinical Duties
• To work without direct supervision, but under the direction of a qualified staff member, in the performance of specific tasks for an individual or group/class as part of the treatment and rehabilitation programme. Duties may include:
o Implementation and progression of treatment plans delegated by qualified staff or protocol lead.
o To complete graded, indoor/outdoor functional mobility programmes with patients.
o Teaching and progressing the use of walking aids.
o Providing group/individual sessions as required.
o Providing non-complex interventions for complex patients.
o Discharging patients under supervision of qualified staff.
o Performing home visits and access visits as requested by qualified staff.
o Teaching and progressing the independent use of wheelchairs.
o Cleaning of re-usable equipment as required per trust policies.
o To reinforces the qualified therapist's advice and patient education.
• To accurately assess risk when working in unfamiliar surroundings with unpredictable loads e.g. practising transfers with heavily dependent patients.
• To carry out assessment and treatments, with moderate to intense physical effort on a daily basis. This will include positioning dependent patients, supporting patients’ limbs in asymmetrical postures during exercising and supporting patients in walking and transferring.
• To work in an environment where work patterns are often interrupted by demands from patients, carers and other clinical staff, including responding to phone and bleep queries. To be able to carry out concurrent activities and multitasking and work in an unpredictable working pattern.
• To comply with the Trust Manual handling Policy and Local Therapeutic Guidelines when moving equipment patients.
• To sensitively deal with distressing or emotional circumstances including the care of terminally ill patients.
• To deal with patient suffering from various degrees of pain that may lead to anxiety or aggressive behaviour.
• This job involves frequent exposure to unpleasant working conditions on a daily basis e.g. bodily fluid including sputum, blood, vomit, urine, faeces as well as unpleasant smells and some infections and occasional exposure to verbal and physical aggression.
• Prioritises own patient caseload and liaises with qualified therapists for support when resources are limited.
Bank Partners is an employment agency/employment business (as defined by the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003) and is acting on behalf of its client in relation to this vacancy.