Associate practitioner

at  Medway Community Healthcare CIC

Are you a skilled associate practitioner with excellent interpersonal skills and sound clinical assessment skills?
Do you have the confidence to work alone, putting the patient at the heart of what you do; and get involved within a multi-disciplinary team?
Are you enthusiastic, have excellent communication skills and the ability to work flexibly to provide high quality holistic care ?
If you answered yes, we’ve got the perfect role for you!
This is an opportunity for an experienced associate practitioner (AP) with a varied physical rehabilitation background, to join this well-established multi-disciplinary team. This team provides short-term (around six weeks) intermediate care in a patient’s own home, with the focus on returning patients to their maximum potential of independence.
To be an active member of the clinical team, providing and assisting team members to deliver rehabilitation intervention to patients referred to the team.
To carry out rehabilitation activities, including day-to-day assessment, administering/ordering of mobility aids and equipment and the supervision/instruction of patient’s activities relating to their treatment programme.
To work primarily with Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists.
To treat patients according to protocol, assessing patient progress and, within set parameters, set by the Physiotherapist/Occupational Therapist, make relevant alterations to existing treatment or move a patient’s treatment onto a different stage.
Support admin staff.
Main aims of the role – To work as a highly skilled practitioner without the direct supervision or presence of a professionally qualified member of the team.
So what else?
This is your chance to join a progressive and innovative service in a social enterprise that is patient and staff focused - you’ll even have the opportunity to become an MCH shareholder.
We encourage staff to get involved in exploring new ways of working and service development.
We’ll provide well established, in-service training, one to one supervision, and appraisals with regular support.
You’ll be able to develop your skills in a friendly and supportive team.
Previous applicants need not apply
Would you like to work flexibly? In the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important life is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement which will not mean sacrificing time for personal interests or family commitments. We aim to support you to work flexibly in a way that will suit you and us.
The small print
Informal visits can be arranged on request.
We will offer you the choice of two pension schemes; the NHS Pension scheme and the scottish widows group pension scheme.
MCH encourages all staff to be double COVID vaccinated to protect themselves, their colleagues, their family and their patients.
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
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
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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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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 attache

Please refer the Job description for details