Senior Therapy Technical Instructor - Urgent Care & Frailty

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Good communication skills, verbal and written, and commitment to team working within a fast-paced environment is essential. As well as recent experience of working in an acute setting and moving and handling of patients.

As a therapy team we are continuously involved in service development and the post holder will be involved alongside the therapy team in new projects, service developments and initiatives to ensure best practice.

This post has some non-clinical responsibilities e.g. ordering and maintaining equipment stock levels, inputting data onto the IT systems and other administrative duties as required.

Regular supervision, competency and performance reviews and continued personal development are actively encouraged. The team also has regular team meetings and in-service teaching programmes.   

Our service is provided over 7 days per week. The successful candidate will be expected to be part of the weekend service rota and the possibility of developing into extended hours. 

To be an integral member of a Therapies team, to assist qualified therapy staff in assessing and carrying out specific therapy interventions for clients with more complex needs. This will include clients who have difficulties understanding and communicating.

Review and implement treatment programmes making necessary modifications prior to reporting back to a qualified therapist in line with the band 4 competency framework.
Provide support and training to other qualified and non-qualified staff within the therapy team.

Manage and prioritise own case load independently, carry out delegated duties and work flexibly and at a fast pace in order to support the smooth running of the therapy department.

Provision of clinical services:
Demonstrate a good understanding of medical conditions within the area of speciality / clinical pathway and the impact of these on the patients’ function and rehabilitation.

To have a holistic understanding of the patient and their condition, as well as the impact of psychosocial dynamics on their function. 

To enable patients to co-operate in their rehabilitation programme using encouragement, reassurance, tact and sensitivity; overcome barriers to understanding with patients whose understanding is impaired.

To identify and implement correct treatment plans within known patient care pathways under the indirect supervision of a qualified therapist. 

To assess and formulate treatment and discharge plans for patients as guided by the agreed treatment framework.

To identify patients that do not fall within care pathway / agreed framework and who need referral to qualified staff.

Using protocols and set processes to assess patients’ mobility and functional abilities and assess for and issue appropriate low level equipment. 

To constantly assess patient’s stamina / understanding during treatment sessions and modify treatment as appropriate.

To work in a flexible and responsive way when under pressure.

To provide and receive complex patient care information with the multi-professional team, patients and carers in board rounds, ward rounds, family meetings and discharge planning meetings and use this information to modify patient care.

To assist / facilitate same day discharges under guidance of therapists.

To provide advice to patients / carers on safe use and care of prescribed equipment.

Maintain accurate and up to date records of clinical interventions, consistent with legal and organisational requirements.

Be responsible for maintaining rehabilitation equipment in the department. 

Improving patient and visitor experiences:
To be a point of contact for patients and relatives in the clinical area.

To communicate factual and sometimes complex information to patients and relatives with patients’ consent.

To contribute to the development and sharing of patient and carer information.

Support with gathering and using patient feedback to help improve and develop services.

Respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of patients and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs.

Be aware of ethical issues which impact on Therapy service provision and work under the guidance of Therapists in relation to this.

Using audit, evaluation and research:
Through guidance from the qualified therapists, be aware of and implement, evidence based practice and outcome measures as appropriate to the clinical area.

Support therapists to implement agreed action plans from both national and local strategies, benchmarking standards and clinical audits as appropriate.

Participate in audit and research projects as required by service leads and collect data as required.

Support therapists to foster a culture which allows innovation and practice development within the clinical area.

Monitor outcomes of patient intervention using outcome measures