Band 4 Rehabilitation Practitioner - Vocational RehabilitationinNorthamptoninNorthamptonPUBLISHED FRI 1 NOV 2024

The Northamptonshire Community Stroke Team (N-CST) has delivered a robust Integrated Community Stroke Service model (ICSS), as per the national guidelines, for over a decade. N-CST continues to see patients within 48 hours of discharge home, for rehabilitation assessment and intensive goal-based rehabilitation. The patients time with the team is needs based and patients can access any of the other services they require, regardless of time post stroke. Rehabilitation is completed by a stroke specialist MDT, that includes Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Nurses, Rehabilitation Practitioners, Rehabilitation Assistants and Admin staff. The team also has face to face exercise groups and six-month reviews.

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• This post involves working within the Community Stroke team in clients' homes and community settings such as their workplace under minimal supervision providing rehabilitation and return to work support.
• Supporting the Occupational Therapist's in the implementation and organisation of rehabilitation, managing the caseload and supporting with timetable planning.
• To carry a caseload of non-complex patients, devising and implementing treatment programmes with reference to a qualified therapist
• To work without direct supervision, undertaking tasks that fall within the remit of the non-complex patient. This can include frontline initial assessments in the community.
• To be involved in data collection for audit purposes and to support with the development of the Community Stroke Team.

About us

Implement and record planned programmes of comprehensive functional and mobility assessments of patients as directed by a therapist.

Assess residual symptoms and potential impact on working ability.

Assess and make recommendations for equipment, home and work adaptations and ongoing rehabilitation, reporting these to a therapist.

Support patients through instruction and guidance in a range of activities, under the direction of a therapist, in the achievement of identified vocational treatment goals.

Independently carry out visits to patients homes planning and prioritising caseload.

Independently carry out visits to the patients workplace or community settings to complete work hardening or work planning sessions.

Adapt treatment programmes through evaluation of patients condition.

Appropriately assess risk through analysing a patients capability against their job specifications and make suitable recommendations.

Assist the team/nurses in the delivery of psychological interventions as directed by the nursing staff.

Provide appropriate advice to patients, their family and carers, teaching and demonstrating the safe use of equipment or other techniques to optimise the patients mobility, functional ability, safety and independence under the management of a therapist in line with vocational goals.

Build professional relationships with patients, their family and carers as well as employers, through use of communication, reasoning and negotiating skills, respecting others views, culture and individuality.

Communicate effectively with patients, carers, members of the multi disciplinary team, therapy services colleagues and other agencies such as employers or occupational health providers.

Advocating for your patients when liaising with Occupational Health providers and Employers.

To identify and employ suitable verbal and non-verbal communication skills with patients who may have difficulties in understanding or communicating e.g. altered perception, expressive and receptive dysphasia and fear or inability to accept diagnosis and implications.

Maintain accurate and up to date records of clinical interventions, consistent with legal and organisational requirements

As part of a team, incorporate up to date therapy, nursing and handling techniques into working practice.

Seek supervision from a Therapist to inform analysis and reasoning when complex patient situations are identified.

Provide effective verbal and written reports to therapists and other multi disciplinary team members or at Multidisciplinary meetings relating to the patients performance and progress in their therapeutic interventions.

Respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of patients and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs.

The post holder will demonstrate skills and knowledge beyond that of a rehabilitation assistant. These skills and knowledge will be gained through specific advanced training, experience or formal qualifications

The post holder will be expected to be involved in the provision of a 7 day service.

The post holder will be required to travel freely across Northamptonshire

The post holder will be lone working in the community

The post holder will be required to work between two bases across the county

Occasional telephone exposure to patients and families who may be distressed

Contribute towards service development activities through participation in team meetings and service development sessions.

Propose changes to processes and procedures carried out within own area of work to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the service.

Participate in the stroke team audit and evaluation as agreed with qualified professionals.

Ensure work areas and equipment are clean, tidy and well maintained, complying with Health & safety guidelines, ensuring the safe use of equipment and storage of materials.

Exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance, submitting accurate records of attendance on monthly timesheets.

Notify the team leader of sick leave as soon as possible in line with Trust policy.

In the absence of colleagues through planned or unplanned leave, work flexibly to meet the prioritised needs of the NGH Stroke service.

Take responsibility for the routine management of designated tasks in conjunction with support worker colleagues e.g. petty cash, management of equipment orders, data collection.

Assist Therapy and Nursing colleagues in the induction, training and education of other staff and students within the NGH Stroke service and give support to train other staff within the team and care staff and carers.

Collect, record and submit accurate clinical and personal statistical data in line with service requirements and guidelines.

Participate in team meetings and in service training sessions.

Regularly attend and participate in staff meetings as agreed by the professional leads.

Identify own learning and development needs with guidance from Therapy and Nursing colleagues, contributing to the production of a Personal Development Plan and compile a record of training and development activities undertaken with their learning outcomes.

Undertake relevant stroke and other training and development activities to meet agreed learning needs.

Plan delegated clinical and non-clinical work tasks, and prioritises duties as appropriate, in conjunction with support worker colleagues under guidance from a therapist or nurse when required.

Comply with the national and Trust policy, protocols and guidelines.

Review and reflect on own practice and actively participates in regular supervision and annual appraisal.

Manages own delegated caseload, duties and travel throughout Northamptonshire, reprioritising as necessary.

As appropriate to level of competence, supports members of multidisciplinary team in planning and managing their own delegated caseload particularly during absence.

Feeds back information on individual clients to the team for planning purposes during caseload meetings.

Prioritises and manages own workload, expecting conflicting demands on time.

Undertake training and work within agreed competencies such as:

Safely undertake moving and positioning of clients using appropriate equipment as part of rehab/care plans adhering to the Trusts Moving and Handling Policy +/- the use of equipment such as hoists, sliding boards and handling belts.

Assisting with all activities of daily living where required using a re-enabling approach

Basic wound care and wound management

Basic catheter care awareness

Blood glucose monitoring

Basic clinical observations such as blood pressure monitoring

Assisting with community re-integration tasks such as going to the local shops, attending appointments etc. with the view of building up to a return to work.

Assist nursing staff in delivering psychological support to stroke patients. Assessing and monitoring risk and feeding this back to nurses where appropriate.

Undertake clinical procedures within own scope of competencies, safely and precisely utilising a variety of clinical interventions and equipment.

Promotes health and wellbeing enabling clients to access information and resources.

Recognises own limitations within agreed level of competence and seeks advice and guidance from multidisciplinary team members responsible for specific clinical or therapeutic intervention.

Undertake relevant stroke and other training and development activities to meet agreed learning needs.

Exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance, submitting accurate records of attendance on monthly timesheets.

Assist with timetabling visits and monitoring rotas in conjunction with Nurse, Therapist or Care manager. Lead and/or support timetabling.

In the absence of colleagues through planned or unplanned leave, work flexibly to meet the prioritised needs of the Community Stroke Service

Assist Therapy and Nursing colleagues in the induction, training and education of other staff and students within the Community Stroke service and give support to train other staff within the team and care staff and carers.

Collect record and submit accurate clinical and personal statistical data in line with departmental requirements and guidelines.

Participate in team meetings and in service training sessions.

Regularly attend and participate in staff meetings as agreed by the professional leads.

Identify own learning and development needs with guidance from Therapy and Nursing colleagues, contributing to the production of a Personal Development Plan and compile a record of training and development activities undertaken with their learning outcomes.

Review and reflect on own practice and actively participates in regular supervision and annual appraisal.

Take responsibility for the routine management of designated tasks in conjunction with support worker colleagues e.g. petty cash, management of equipment orders, data collection.

Comply with the national, Trust and local policy, protocols and guidelines.

Contribute to the Service governance arrangements including attending meetings, completing risk assessments, completing audits and attending mandatory and service specific training.

Contribute towards service development activities through participation in team meetings and service development sessions.

Propose changes to processes and procedures carried out within own area of work to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the service.

Participate occasionally in team audit and evaluation as agreed with qualified Professionals.

Maintains client confidentiality at all times.

Adheres to Trust Values at all times to provide the best possible care for patients.