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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1. Communication and relationship skills

• To be able to communicate effectively, using appropriate methods, both verbal and non-verbal to patients who may have barriers to understanding (eg: blind, deaf, or English not first language)
• Using empathy, sensitivity and good interpersonal skills to encourage patients, families and carers in an active approach to regaining and maintaining personal independence and well-being
• Internal – Members of hospital and community-based colleagues; administrative, support and data staff
• External – Patients, relatives and carers: general practitioners; consultants; external and voluntary agencies; other NHS staff

2. Knowledge, training and experience

 Good general education (to GCSE or equivalent) NVQ 3 or equivilent

• Substantial experience working as an assistant with people who have had a sudden change in health and social care needs or with those who have a long-term condition
• Experience of taking and leading group work
• Experience of documenting and evidence learning
• Good knowledge of commonly encountered orthopaedic, neurological and musculo-skeletal conditions
• Understanding of basic principles of holistic health and social care assessment being competent in functional assessment
• Able to demonstrate a holistic approach to patient management
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Awareness of limitations, personal strengths and areas of development
• Flexible, reliable and organised
• Good written and verbal communication skills and IT skills
• Ability to work on own initiative and to manage own caseload
• Ability to travel to dispersed sites in the community in a timely manner

3. Analytical and judgement skills

• To assess and review patients with their consent, informed or complied consent
• To undertake highly skilled support work - eg: initial interviews and reporting findings to the therapists
• To assess patient’s progress within the parameters set by the therapists. This requires a range of practical skills and a good level of knowledge about common medical conditions and their rehabilitation.
• To assess for, request and review appropriate use of mobility aids, ensuring the safe use of equipment by others through teaching, training and supervision practice
• Identify any potential or actual clinical and non-clinical risk within own role according to team protocols and highlight to relevant senior
• Using good communication skills, discuss with community teams the needs of the patient
• To handle written and verbal enquiries in a professional manner and to deal with them promptly and effectively

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4. Planning and organisational skills

• Have initial discussions with therapists to identify the patient’s needs
• To manage and prioritise own patient caseload delegated by the therapist, including the booking of patient visits
• To plan time to allow participation in general duties within the team – eg: answering the telephone, communicating messages and keeping the working environment tidy
• To collect and submit all data and statistics as required in a timely and accurate manner
• Maintain clear verbal, written and electronic communication systems for all members of the team, ensuring that communication is clear and effective and cascaded to everyone within the team
• Decision-making and acceptance of personal accountability for one’s own actions

5. Physical skills

• To assist the therapists in the moving and handling of complex high-risk patients in preparation for assessment and review as identified
• To carry out interventions with patients/carers referred to the team, independently or under the guidance of qualified practitioners
• To carry out basic day-to-day assessments (eg: mobility/transfers, response to treatment activities, etc) using judgement and analysis skills and to decide on appropriate action to be taken. Activities may include home exercise programmes, practice of ADL tasks, practice of mobility and transfers and manual handling techniques, with guidance assessment for and provision of walking aids/ADL equipment, basic cognitive assessments
• Competency shown in physiotherapy, occupational therapy
• Good IT skills

6. Responsibility for patient/client care

• To maintain patient’s dignity, privacy and confidentiality at all times
• Ensure own practice and staff you may be responsible for meet the required, legal organisation, team and professional standards
• Have a working knowledge of the processes and responsibilities of safeguarding for adults and children including the Mental Capacity Act 2000. Participate in case conferences and transfer of care planning as necessary
• To undertake triage and assessment of patients with a wide variety of presentations and conditions: using clinical reasoning skills and assessment techniques without supervision, discussing your findings with the relevant team staff member
• To assess functional needs of patients as delegated by therapists
• Undertake the care of patients, as appropriate ensuring individual needs are met through the use of evidence-based practice
• Review patients individually without direct supervision or presence of a therapist and manage own patient caseload, liaising with relevant team member of staff
• Manage the rehabilitation of patients as delegated by the therapists, working without direct supervision, across community care settings as required
• To work autonomously as well as together with the main team
• To undertake skilled and specific support work to patient’s journey to discharge
• Using empathy, sensitivity and good interpersonal skills to encourage patients and their carers in an active approach to regaining and maintaining personal independence
• To use effective communication tools, verbal and non-verbal to communicate treatment programmes to patients who may have barriers to understanding or communication – eg: blind, deaf, dysphasic or who may not have English as their first language

7. Responsibility for policy and service development implementation

• To adhere to the organisation’s policies in relation to health and safety, including Working Alone policy, and Safeguarding Vulnerable Children and Adult policies
• Identify any problems, which may interfere with the smooth running of the team and put forward suggestions and ideas to the discharge facilitator for consideration and encourage others to do the same
• Complies with organisational operational policies and procedures
• To be proactively aware of health and safety aspects of your work (area) and implement any policies, which may be required to improve the safety of your work (area), including your prompt recording and reporting of (near miss) accidents or concerns

8. Responsibilities for financial and physical resources

• The post holder will be required to comply with the organisation’s standing orders and standing financial instructions and, at all times, deal honestly with colleagues and all those who have dealings with the organisation including patients, relatives and suppliers
• To be responsible for the safe usage of equipment and aids by patients, complying with the organisation’s Infection Control Policy
• To be aware of health and safety aspects of work, to implement any policies and to record and report any accidents, incidents or concerns
• To ensure that all resources are used appropriately to provide quality care

9. Responsibilities for human resources (HR)

• To undertake relevant CPD activities to maintain and develop skills and abilities. To keep a CPD portfolio to demonstrate CPD
• To actively participate in the organisation’s appraisal system identifying personal development needs and plans to ensure that the team’s key performance indicators are met
• To attend and actively participate in in-service training as required
• To attend mandatory and statutory training according to organisation schedules
• Take part in orientation and induction programmes for new staff
• The post holder is expected to act in ways that support equality and value diversity, in accordance with legislation and national local policies
• To maintain NVQ level knowledge and competencies by reading clinical/professional literature and research

10. Responsibilities for information resources

• Expected to ensure correct use of conditional information and sensitive information in line with information governance and Caldicott guidance
• To be responsible for maintaining accurate and prompt records of all own clinical interventions in line with legal requirements and local and national standards, including the writing of discharge summaries as required
• To collect and submit all data and statistics as required in a timely and accurate manner
• Record and submit accurate, timely data and information to inform caseload management and service development

11. Responsibilities for research and development (R&D)

• To participate in the ongoing development and evaluation of the team
• To provide information as required to support service delivery to patients/carers and other users of the Community and Intermediate Care services
• To participate in audits as required ensuring a high standard of care delivery

12. Freedom to act

• To assist the therapists in the facilitation and co-ordination of patients on the discharge pathway
• To triage, assess, review and treat patients individually, or in a group, without direct supervision or presence of a therapist in accordance with set protocols and procedures
• The ability to plan and organise own workload without direct supervision; with regular progress reports to team staff on progress and any issues
• The post holder will be required to observe local health and safety arrangements and take reasonable care of him/herself and persons that may be affected by his/her work
• To support team colleagues when undertaking patient assessments, using initiative

Full JD is attached