Therapy Assistant Practitioner - Community Paediatrics

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated and dynamic Technical Instructor to join the Community Paediatric Physiotherapy team in Luton.

This role will involves working with children and young people in the community supporting the physiotherapy team. The caseload is varied, comprising a range of ages, abilities and diagnoses.

The post holder will be working in an innovative team which supports service improvement and development of staff. The post holder needs to have knowledge and interest in physiotherapy treatment and rehabilitation techniques and enjoy learning new skills, working in a large team, within a variety of community settings.

The post holder must have the ability to travel between locations.

The post holder should have excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills, be pro-active, practical, and flexible and have good time management skills.

The team is able to offer specific training where required.

Main duties of the job

1) To undertake specific highly skilled support work to assist the physiotherapist in the treatment of children within the community setting.

2) To assist the paediatric physiotherapy team in the delivery of therapy services to children with special needs within the community setting. To hold responsibility for own caseload using clinical skills, working without direct supervision in the school setting and at Redgrave Gardens - liaison with the therapist. There are occasions when access to a therapist is not possible

3) To assist in the general administration support within the department.

4) To treat all children according to set treatment programmes, to monitor progression and make alterations when required within agreed parameters.

5) To undertake home visits to set up Walkers, Standing frames and sleep systems independently without direct supervision from a physiotherapist but with regular liaison with the therapist.

6) To undertake school visits independently. To demonstrate and teach exercise programmes that have been set by the therapist to school staff.

Person specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Education to GCSE standard or equivalent to include grade C in English
• NVQ level 3 or equivalent

Experience

Essential

• Some experience as Band 3 Technical Instructor or Therapy Assistant within relevant specialty
• Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team
• NHS experience

Desirable

• Experience of working with children with a variety of physical and learning needs

Knowledge

Essential

• Working knowledge of a range of common medical conditions relevant to the specific area of work
• Sound working knowledge of a broad range of physiotherapy/ Occupational therapy treatment and rehabilitation techniques
• Sound understanding of the multi-disciplinary team

Desirable

• Understanding of quality issues and their implications for services, including clinical audit

Skills

Essential

• Good interpersonal skills
• Able to work as a team member and also independently.
• Ability to organise own caseload and supervise less experienced staff
• Able to keep accurate and logical patient notes
• Sufficient IT skills

Desirable

• Evidence of participation in clinical audit
• Supporting team meetings
• Experience of systmone
• Driver

Communication

Essential

• Be proactive in overcoming barriers to communication

Desirable

• Basic knowledge of Makaton sign language

About the employer

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.