Patient Care To work under the supervision of the physiotherapists within your team. To be able to prioritise and time manage you.....
Patient Care To work under the supervision of the physiotherapists within your team. To be able to prioritise and time manage your own caseload. To undertake skilled support work to aid the rehabilitation patients. This will include an initial assessment of patients within set parameters and implementation of rehabilitation programmes in order to facilitate patients to reach their optimum level of independence and social integration. To carry out initial assessments (within scope of practice) and therapy regimes following assessment by qualified physiotherapy therapy staff and to be responsible for the monitoring of these care programmes. To assist with the care of patients as required in preparation for their treatment programme. To manage the rehabilitation of own caseload of patients. To provide treatment to patients in line with established treatment programmes, utilising a variety of basic therapeutic techniques such as assisting a patient to walk with an appropriate aid, to assist a patient to carryout activities of daily living or with completing specific exercises To provide appropriate equipment, including walking aids and orthotics, and complete onward referrals, liaising with qualified members of the team where necessary. To be able to recognise change in the condition of a patient and manage in accordance with local procedures and reporting to the appropriate senior physiotherapist. To monitor patients physical and cognitive function whilst undertaking a range of activities and report changes to the relevant therapist. To be able to assess patients using objective markers such as range of movement, and utilise appropriate outcome measures to inform practice (under the guidance of a qualified therapist) To assess the safety of patients on stairs in line with agreed protocol. To supply, educate and progress patients with appropriate walking aids in line with local procedure. To assess the safety of patients completing activities of daily living in line with agreed protocol, documenting in patients clinical notes. To complete routine discharge planning, seeking advice when appropriate. To accurately record clinical interventions within the patients clinical records, in line with Therapy and Trust standards for documentation. Communication To ensure communication with the therapist regarding the treatment and progress of individual patients. Communicate with appropriate MDT regarding patient on individual basis or in appropriate forum. To be able to motivate and persuade patients through effective communication skills as appropriate. To independently explain the purpose of physiotherapy to patients and answer their queries appropriately. To refer to a qualified member of staff when unable to answer queries directly, recognising when outside of usual scope of practice and knowledge To tailor communication to a patients/carers level of comprehension or cognition e.g. adapting instructions, using interpreters and using communication aids. To liaise appropriately with health care professionals and therapists on a day-to-day basis in clinical area of work. To liaise with managers, other administrative and support staff as necessary to ensure the smooth running of the department. To maintain confidentiality of patient information at all times in line with Trust and departmental policies. Information Management To maintain accurate and timely patient notes and activity records in accordance with departmental policy and to ensure the safekeeping and confidentiality of these records. To use departmental/trust software as appropriate. To input data to facilitate service evaluation and clinical audit. Human resources To undertake non-clinical induction of assistants and students as required. To be an active team member by supporting other members, by offering assistance, being flexible and approachable, particularly during changing service demands and staffing levels across sites. Physical resources To be responsible for competent use, location and maintenance of all equipment used in line with local procedures. To report defects in equipment in a timely manner to the appropriate therapist and locate missing items. To understand the function and use of departmental equipment and be able to use safely, both jointly with therapy staff or independently with own patients. To understand the use and application of adaptive equipment and be able to safely use these with patients. To be responsible for the cleanliness and safety of the departments equipment and clinical environment. To undertake routine light cleaning/tidying of clinical equipment e.g. wheelchairs in line with local protocols. To undertake administrative tasks as required. To collect, unpack and store new supplies. To be responsible for stock control in line with local procedure. Service Development To follow therapy department and Trust policies. To comment on changes to departmental policies, procedures and service development as required. To participate in service development projects as required. To identify service improvements as appropriate. To participate in and document relevant information to facilitate clinical audit. Training, Education and Research To demonstrate capability in therapy assistant practitioner skills, by completing probation and Band 4 competencies. To complete all Trust mandatory training including an annual Appraisal as required via LEAP To undertake in-service training to improve patient care and for personal development and organise programme. General To be aware at all times of the limitations of own knowledge, skills and job responsibility, referring to qualified therapist as necessary. To participate in team, assistant and departmental meetings To take an active part in assistant meetings. To undertake Therapy Manual Handling training as required To undertake any other duties commensurate with grade as requested by the Therapy Managers or Clinical Lead/Senior Therapists To be aware of own Health and Safety responsibilities including contributing to the infection control and cleanliness of the hospital by ensuring cleanliness of own equipment, undertaking mandatory training, abiding by the hand washing policy and other policies related to barrier nursing. To report all complaints and accidents, immediately to a member of the therapy staff. The post holder has a general duty of care for their own health, safety and well being and that of work colleagues, visitors and patients within the hospital, in addition to any specific risk management or clinical governance accountabilities associated with this post. Staff may be required to work across multiple sites dependent upon the needs of the service. To observe the rules, policies, procedures and BOLD standards of Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust together with all relevant statutory and professional obligations. To observe and maintain strict confidentiality of personal information relating to patients and staff. This job description is intended as a guide to the general scope of duties and is not intended to be definitive or restrictive. It is expected that some of the duties will change over time and this description will be subject to review in consultation with the post holder. All employees must hold an 'nhs.net' email account which will be the Trust's formal route for email communication. You are therefore required to check this regularly and to deal with such communication promptly. This post requires a flexible approach to working and may require the post holder to work as part of a rotad seven day working pattern as necessary. Infection Control Statement The post holder has an important responsibility for and contribution to make to infection control and must be familiar with the infection control and hygiene requirements of this role. These requirements are set out in the National Code of Practice on Infection Control and in local policies and procedures which will be made clear during your induction and subsequent refresher training. These standards must be strictly complied with at all times. Therapy Assistant Practitioners are not qualified; they work under the direction of qualified Physiotherapists.
