Active Recovery Practitioner

at  Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

We are seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic, patient-focused colleague who is passionate about older people and rehabilitation to fulfil this exciting role of Active Recovery Practitioner in the Older Persons’ Active Recovery Service (OPARS). The OPARS is a new and emerging service which seeks to minimise the adverse physical and cognitive impact of hospitalisation of patients through the application of an early and active recovery model. As a member of our large, friendly therapy team, you will work under the supervision and guidance of qualified physiotherapists and occupational therapists to complete assessments, tasks, and interventions throughout the patient’s journey, from admission to discharge. You must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and well as a caring, compassionate approach to patient care. This post would suit those who thrive as part of a team, but who can work alone with the guidance and support of others.

• To work as a member of the Therapy Service team
• To assist the therapist with a range of duties.
• Plan and provide programmes of therapeutic activity for patients, within the framework laid down by the therapists.
• Implement and evaluate basic therapy interventions for patients in activities relating to their treatment programme
• To record patient information including in electronic notes.
• To maintain rehab equipment in the department.
• To input patient data onto the IT system.
• To support active recovery practitioners and therapy assistants informally.

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research.
The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.
Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence. These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel .
Communication and relationship skills
To participate in regular meetings with other members of the Therapy team
and Multidisciplinary team
To provide and receive routine information to staff, patients, and carers.
To communicate factual information to patients.
To persuade 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 be able to maintain records and documentation required by work settings in accordance with local policies and Therapy specifications.
On an informal bases, to promote the profile of Therapies in the Trust.
To be able to work flexibly under pressure at a fast pace.
Service management and development
To work with therapists to implement policies within the team and the
department.
To assist the therapists to actively participate in the fieldwork education of
therapy students seconded to the service.
To participate actively in sharing and receiving in-service training and
development to ensure continuous professional development, as appropriate to grade and experience.
To be aware of and promote cross-site links.
To work with other therapy staff to adhere to policies/protocols for the service,
as appropriate.
To demonstrate duties to new starters.
To provide general support for less experienced staff.
To follow policies (Trust and Departmental) in own role.
Active involvement in audits and quality initiative projects under guidance of
therapists.
To help collect data for informal and formal clinical research activities,
underpinned by appropriate methodology and documentation
To identify training needs and facilitate learning of self.
To be willing to take on extra responsibilities to develop the service e.g. Back
Care Facilitator, First Aider, Fire Monitor.
To assist therapists with inducting new staff to the department.
To assist therapist with training new therapy assistant to the department.
Clinical skills
To implement treatment plans established by therapists.
To assess and formulate treatment plans for routine patients as guided by
therapists.
To assist therapist to carry out identified home assessments in accordance
with the Occupational Therapy Service guidelines.
To assess patients’ mobility and issue appropriate equipment under guidance
of therapists.
To provide advice to patients/carers on safe use and care of prescribed
equipment.
To assess patients’ stamina/understanding during treatment sessions.
To update patient’s goals appropriately and in a timely manner.
To ensure appropriate liaison and follow-up at community level prior to
patient’s discharge including family members.
Cleaning, storage and maintenance of therapies-owned equipment and
equipment for loaning
Assist in the transporting and re-stocking of therapies equipment stores
Arrange for ongoing servicing of chairs as appropriate.
To have a holistic understanding of patient and their condition as well as
psychosocial dynamics as they impact the patient’s function.
To plan and provide programmes of therapeutic activity within framework
established by therapists.
To assess patient’s response to activities and decides on appropriate action,
e.g. advise therapist, summon assistance, or cease treatment.
3.15 To work flexibly and be able to adjust to constant changing ward demands.
Planning and Organisational Skills
To manage own day to day work tasks and prioritise with reference to therapist
To work with other therapists across the Trust to support speciality groups.
To assist therapists in arranging in-service training, study days etc.
To assist the therapists in ensuring working conditions are kept optimal, or where not, raised and dealt with appropriately.
5. Information and Resource Management
To record personally generated clinical observations.
To compile and collate statistics in a timely and accurate manner in
accordance with the Therapies guidelines and the need of the service.
To use the Trust Intranet, Electronic Patient Records, SEND 2, ORBIT and
databases as appropriate for the speciality.
To be competent in ordering equipment for patients’ discharge.
To be able to use email and MS Teams for communications across the sites,
and to use the Therapies IT system for sharing/using information.
To ensure all equipment is used appropriately and safely, according to the
service guidelines.
To observe a personal duty of care when using equipment.
To maintain stock levels of equipment.
To work with therapists to ensure working within financial limits and referring
on to other agencies as necessary.
To be aware of criteria for provision of equipment from other organisations in
Oxfordshire, and to help the team abide within these criteria.
Working conditions and required effort
To be able to undertake episodes of moderate physical effort for several short periods during a shift.
To be able to frequently lift equipment, using appropriate methods alongside a well-developed risk assessment.
To be able to risk assess and move a patient safely, manoeuvre wheelchair, hoist, etc as required, alongside risk assessments and in line with local policies.
To be able to effectively maintain concentration at work despite frequent interruptions and, at times, an unpredictable working pattern.
To tolerate and manage frequent exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances and maintain a high level of professionalism.
To tolerate and professionally manage frequent exposure to unpleasant working conditions, such as exposure to bodily fluids and offensive odours

• To work as a member of the Therapy Service team
• To assist the therapist with a range of duties.
• Plan and provide programmes of therapeutic activity for patients, within the framework laid down by the therapists.
• Implement and evaluate basic therapy interventions for patients in activities relating to their treatment programme
• To record patient information including in electronic notes.
• To maintain rehab equipment in the department.
• To input patient data onto the IT system.
• To support active recovery practitioners and therapy assistants informally