Contract - Permanent - 37.5 hours per week
This is an exciting opportunity to join our integrated in-patient Therapy Team at the Whittington Hospital. Therapy Assistants provide essential support to the Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists to ensure we can provide timely, safe and compassionate care to our patients.
The post holder will have the opportunity to rotate across all the work teams to gain the skills, knowledge and experience unique to each setting. You will assist patients to recover and regain their function whilst in the hospital. You will work with members of the wider multi-disciplinary team and community providers towards achieving a safe discharge ensuring the appropriate support is in place for each patient. The Candidates must be IT literate, well organized and ideally have recent previous experience of working with people or in a customer facing role. Previous NHS experience and qualifications in a therapy or healthcare related subject would be desirable.
Please see the Job Description and the Persons Specification for further details about the job role. If you are unable to access the PDF, the details of the job description can also be found in the ‘Detailed Job Description and Main responsibilities’ section.
Working for your organisation should read: Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.
To be responsible for a caseload of patients working to agreed treatment objectives and to assist qualified therapy staff in the treatment of patients who require more than one therapist for safe handling, complex rehabilitation
To provide therapy interventions within an agreed scope of practice to patients identified following assessment by qualified Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy staff on allocated wards.
To maintain associated patient records and statistics.
To support the therapy teams in the administrative duties, particularly those required to ensure efficient delivery of patient care.
Clinical – General
To be responsible for implementing prescribed treatment programmes with an allocated patient caseload through competency based assessment and within agreed scope of practice. This would follow on from an initial screening by a qualified Occupational Therapist / Physiotherapist.
To work with Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and other members of the Multi-disciplinary team (MDT) in planning and facilitating the patient’s progression through the treatment programme, within the protocols set out by the qualified therapists.
To take responsibility for delegated caseload once appropriate level of competency achieved and report outcomes appropriately, including reporting urgent and important information promptly to the appropriate person.
To be responsible for prioritising and planning own daily timetable of work as far as is reasonably practical, whilst acknowledging priorities shift daily and flexibility in the work role is essential.
To review caseload on a regular basis with referring staff and clinical supervisor and report back appropriately when goals achieved/not achieved and if concerns are raised, or new information becomes available which impacts on intervention provided.
To, use your own initiative when responding to unforeseen clinical situations.
To document interventions accurately and promptly using the SOAP format, within Trust/ CSP/BAOT guidelines. Input into local assessment documentation and reports under the guidance of qualified therapy staff.
To provide cross team cover as required within the limits of competencies.
To assist with the development of discharge plans in conjunction with qualified staff and multidisciplinary team members.
To take part in the Orthopaedic mobility or Specialised Therapy and Rapid Treatment (START) Team weekend rota’s.
Orthopaedic weekend rota
This is to treat post-operative patients and orthopaedic patients who may deteriorate without treatment over the weekend and this work will be completed under the guidance of a qualified physiotherapist.
START Team weekend rota
This is to assess and treat patients who may be able to go home from A&E or the acute assessment units. This work will be completed under the guidance of a qualified occupational therapist.

Gathering demographic and medical data to inform assessment.
Supervising and progressing exercise/mobility programmes for referred patients, which may include some who have complex needs
Gait re-education and progression of mobility.
Group work relevant to client group.
Prescribing, supplying, fitting and advising on use of mobility and Activities of Daily Living (ADL) equipment and wheelchairs.
Engage patients on the ward and undertake an enabling approach to maximise rehabilitation potential which may include Activities of Daily Living assessment and transfer assessment and practice with patients and carers.
Undertake home assessments with qualified staff
Specific clinical duties will be outlined at the commencement of the rotation and may include the following:
To gather pre-operative information when appropriate either by phone or face to face interview. This may also be undertaken in a group setting or in the patient’s home when a visit is indicated.
Provide demonstrations, teaching, educational material and advice to patients attending for surgical procedures.
Assisting in the management programme of patients upper limb deficits.
Education of staff of patient specific guidelines e.g. seating, splinting
Competent in the use and fitting of equipment.
Fitting and advising on wheelchairs and pressure relief under supervision of qualified staff.
To run classes which contribute to the rehabilitation of patients in all
settings under guidance of senior staff.
To manage clinical risk, within own patient caseload under the supervision of and with appropriate support from qualified therapy staff.
Under the guidance of qualified staff members, work within CSP/BAOT and Trust clinical guidelines to maintain knowledge of local standards and enable monitoring of own practice.
To comply with Trust manual handling policy and local therapeutic handling guidelines at all times.
To undertake any other duties commensurate with the post
Communication
To gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent to treatment.
To, establish and maintain effective communication with all members of multi-disciplinary team (MDT), therapy department and external agencies to ensure effective and efficient treatment and discharge.
To, communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and other staff when necessary. This may include details regarding the therapeutic treatment programme or discharge arrangements, using tact and empathy.
To communicate effectively where there are barriers to clear understanding, using verbal and non-verbal skills/techniques – i.e. people with communication difficulties, cognitive impairment, memory loss, sensory impairments, mental illness or difficulty coming to terms with a diagnosis.
To communicate effectively where there is language or environmental impediments to clear understanding and exchange i.e. non-English speaking clients, excess noise or lack of privacy.
To use excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills to motivate and persuade patients to co-operate in their treatment, exercises or rehabilitation programme which at times can be painful and tiring.
To, liaise with qualified therapy staff and the MDT with regards to changes in patient status, particularly deterioration and document this information appropriately.
To be able to manage potentially stressful, upsetting or emotional situations in an empathetic manner
To, provide information and health advice to patients and carers on how to optimise their functional abilities.
To deputise for therapist at team and MDT meetings and provide feedback on patient’s progress
To, be aware of and respect the right to patient choice, privacy and dignity and work in accordance with the Trust policies relating to this