Job overview

The post holder is responsible for the coordination of the activities programme and overseeing its operational management in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team.  He or she should promote the development and maintenance of a creative and stimulating environment for older people with frailty and dementia who are recovering from illness or adapting to disability through the provision of appropriate activities.

The post holder will be responsible for planning, designing, and running recreational activities for inpatients from multiple wards across Northwick Park and Ealing Hospital. The role includes facilitating activity groups to meet inpatients’ leisure needs and interests. 

The post holder must have a robust knowledge of the management of patients with dementia. Moreover, the post holder must have a strong understanding of safeguarding, including the ability to identify signs of abuse and neglect, and take appropriate action by referring or escalating concerns in line with safeguarding policies and procedures

Main duties of the job

• ·         Identify and carry out creative activities to engage, occupy and motivate patients
• ·         Plan, organise and coordinate activities to meet patients at individual needs
• ·         Plan, organise and coordinate appropriate activities with groups of patients to encourage socialisation
• ·         Coordinate social dining on the ward during lunchtimes
• ·         Work in partnership with nurses, medical staff, patients and relatives
• ·         To assess and make recommendations for individual patients who may benefit from activities on ward basis
• ·         Liaise with multidisciplinary team to identify patients that most require engaging in activity e.g. patients who are high falls risk, confused, low mood, distressed
• ·         Liaise with patients and relatives to identify preferred and appropriate activities to carry out individually and in group sessions
• ·         Direct any enquiries to the nurse in charge and report information accurately
• ·         Be aware of patient’s individual needs and report any problems
• ·         Help patients with toileting as required during activity sessions
• ·         Mobilise patients to the toilet and to activity/dining areas
• ·         Assist patients when ordering food, help serve meals and feed patients when necessary
• ·         To implement and maintain high standards of care for all users and carers.

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Working for our organisation

London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH) cares for the people of Brent, Ealing, Harrow and beyond.

Our team of more than 8,200 clinical and support staff serve a diverse population of almost one million people.

We run major acute services at:

• Northwick Park Hospital: home to one of the busiest emergency departments (A&E) in the country. The hospital provides a full range of services including the country’s top-rated hyper-acute stroke unit and one of only three hyper-acute rehabilitation units in the UK
• St Mark’s Hospital: an internationally renowned specialist centre for bowel disease
• Ealing Hospital: a busy district general hospital providing a range of clinical services, as well as 24/7 emergency department and urgent care centre, and specialist care at Meadow House Hospice
• Central Middlesex Hospital: our planned care site, hosting a range of surgical and outpatient services and collocated with an urgent care centre.  

We are a university teaching NHS trust, in recognition of the important role we play in training clinicians of the future and bringing the benefits of research to the public.