Therapy Assistant

Job summary

INTEGRATED INDEPENDENCE TEAM (IIT)

The Integrated Independence Team (IIT) is an integrated health care service provided by Homerton Healthcare. The service places the user at the heart of the care planning process, and aims to promote independence, deliver outcome focused care, and provide a seamless journey and experience for the patient following a period of illness, injury or reduced independence. The service responds swiftly to service user need and, where possible, will treat people in their own home or normal place of residence. Various teams sit under the umbrella of IIT, including Rehab at Home.

Main duties of the job

• The Therapy Assistants are an integral part of the Independent Integrated Team, providing specialist therapeutic intervention under the direction of therapy & nursing staff in order to improve a person's function, promote independence and ensuring the individuals' safety and wellbeing.
• To provide planned programmes of support to enable daily living within a person's own home, focussing on the aim of improving a person's function through enablement and rehabilitation, promoting independence and ensuring the individuals' safety and wellbeing.
• Work alone or jointly within the community under the supervision of the team therapists working closely with staff from various teams following the assessment of adults who have experienced a recent decline in independence.
• Implement therapy programmes, contribute to goal setting and discharge planning, contacting other community services, discussing issues with other team members and training enablers & carers in specific techniques as required
• Promote independence for service users, enabling them to live in the least restrictive environment whilst ensuring they receive the necessary care and treatment

About us

Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a high performing and flourishing organisation serving the population of Hackney, East London, The City and beyond.

We are extremely proud of the fact that Homerton Hospital has recently attained the highest possible rating of "Outstanding" from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Our integrated Trust provides comprehensive hospital and community health services for its local population and a range of specialist services for a wider group of patients. In addition, the Trust manages services out of St Leonard's Hospital and the Mary Seacole Nursing Home.

Homerton aims to ensure equality and value diversity, and we are committed to inclusion for all of our staff. This is reflected in our policies, procedures and People Plan. All of our staff are expected to embody our Trust values at all times.

We are also committed, through our Fair Recruitment Standards, to ensuring all applicants are treated fairly.

Homerton has a proud tradition of supporting and developing its staff, including its well-regarded and valued nursing community, and all staff are able to take advantage of a great range of benefits.

Homerton is proud to have been included on the HSJ & Nursing Times Best Places to Work list.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical & Professional

1. Deliver therapeutic programmes to clients at home under therapist supervision.
2. Support adults to regain independence in daily living tasks (washing, dressing, shopping, etc.).
3. Coordinate therapy programmes and liaise with families and professionals.
4. Follow and document goal-based intervention plans and maintain accurate records.
5. Identify and report safeguarding concerns in line with policy.
6. Participate in multidisciplinary meetings and case reviews.
7. Conduct risk assessments (including manual handling) to ensure safety.
8. Report changes in client condition or environment and respond to emergencies.
9. Work collaboratively with therapists to adapt programmes based on client progress.

Communication & Relationships

1. Use tact and encouragement to support client engagement in rehabilitation.
2. Communicate effectively with clients, families, and healthcare professionals.
3. Adapt communication for individuals with impairments or language barriers.
4. Maintain clear, consistent communication across care teams.
5. Direct enquiries to appropriate team members when needed.
6. Support a positive, open, person-centred team culture.
7. Contribute to complaint handling and service improvement.
8. Build strong working relationships across multidisciplinary teams.
9. Provide advice and updates through various channels (phone, email, in person).
10. Recognise and raise concerns about carers or relatives involvement.

Educational

1. Engage in reflective practice for continuous improvement.
2. Identify personal learning needs and pursue development opportunities.
3. Maintain a professional development portfolio.
4. Participate in supervision and annual appraisals.
5. Share knowledge and best practices with colleagues.
6. Support training and development of other staff.
7. Demonstrate commitment to lifelong learning.
8. Attend internal (in-service) training sessions.
9. Attend relevant external training courses.
10. Contribute to building team knowledge and skills.

Information Management

1. Maintain accurate, confidential, and up-to-date client records.
2. Ensure documentation includes clear management plans.
3. Support data collection and service reporting.
4. Assist in analysing and sharing service information.
5. Help maintain systems for monitoring service quality.
6. Understand and contribute to performance measures.
7. Ensure records are meaningful, realistic, and accessible.
8. Follow correct storage and retrieval processes for data.
9. Support interpretation of service-related information.
10. Promote high standards of record-keeping across the team.

General Responsibilities

1. Actively participate in team meetings and service planning.
2. Maintain strong working relationships across the team.
3. Contribute to service improvements and policy changes.
4. Follow professional standards and Trust Code of Behaviour.
5. Promote equality, diversity, and respectful care.
6. Maintain confidentiality at all times.
7. Work within Trust policies to ensure safe patient care.
8. Promote best practice and support staff training.
9. Assist with administrative and equipment-related tasks.

Person Specification

Education / Qualifications

Essential

• NVQ level 3 in Healthcare or equivalent experience
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Skills/ Abilities

Essential

• Ability to demonstrate Trust values
• Demonstrate an understanding of why Risk Assessments should be incorporated into service delivery
• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with a range of people and be able to modify style of communication to suit the needs of the situation/person
• Work on own initiative and work unsupervised
• Follow written and verbal instructions as according to rehabilitation plan developed by the treating therapist/s
• Demonstrate awareness of own competency level and how to seek appropriate help
• Maintain accurate records
• Observe and report the condition of the client
• Work as part of a team
• Use initiative to work through difficult problems with support
• Assess risks and potential hazards before undertaking tasks
• Observe Health & Safety regulations
• Work alone under pressure in stressful and difficult situations
• Respect the cultural, racial and religious diversity of service users
• Recognise the needs of client/relatives carers
• Travel across the Hackney Borough to undertake role

Desirable

• Developed rehabilitation treatment skills
• Provide rehabilitative care for individuals in a range of settings

Experience

Essential

• Experience of work in the NHS or Local Authority or experience in an equivalent health care provider
• Experience of working in a client centred, goal orientated way and experience of physical rehabilitation
• Experience of working in a multi disciplinary team

Desirable

• Experience of working with people with physical challenges
• Experience of working with people with rehabilitation needs
• Experience of working with therapists
• Experience of working in an intermediate care team

Knowledge

Essential

• An understanding of the NHS and Social Care, especially community based services
• Knowledge/understanding of confidentiality issues
• Knowledge of and understanding of promoting independence
• Knowledge of physical rehabilitation

Other Requirements

Essential

• Self motivated and enthusiastic
• Able to remain calm under pressure
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Able to deal with exposure to distressing/emotional circumstances
• Able to manage effectively verbal aggression from service users, families and the risk of physical aggression adhering to policies
• Respectful approach to service users, families, carers, colleagues and other professionals.
• Sufficiently physically fit to assist, move and handle service users, push wheelchairs, carry small items of equipment and climb stairs etc
• Commitment to Equal Opportunities
• Commitment to delivering a person centred service
• Satisfactory Enhanced Criminal Records Disclosure (DBS)

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

IIT, 50-52

Clifton Road

London

E5 0JL

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.homerton.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

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