Orthopaedic Occupational Therapy Assistant Practitioner

PREVIOUS APPLICANTS NEED NOT APPLY

We have an exciting opportunity to join our dynamic Orthopedic Occupational Therapy team here at UHL.

This is a fixed term post to cover maternity leave to end August 2026.

The post holder will have the chance to carry a caseload of elective hip and knee patients. Working closely with the ward physiotherapists, you will be expected to take patients from admission through to discharge.

At UHL, there is a strong emphasis on learning and development, with a rolling training program for all band 3 and band 4 staff.

PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to offer sponsorship for this post. Being a car driver is essential.

The post holder will be responsible for running a weekly Hip and Knee group alongside the Orthopaedic Physiotherapists.

You will be working autonomously with a caseload of elective hip and knee patients. You will be responsible for identifying adaptive equipment to aid in your patients recovery and making referrals to community teams post discharge. Support and guidance will be provided by the Occupational Therapists in your team, as well as the ward Physiotherapists.

PREVIOUS APPLICANTS NEED NOT APPLY

Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:

Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development

Widening access (anchor institution) and employability

Improving the experience of staff with disability

Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development

Making equalities mainstream

Job Summary:

This position is accountable to Head of Therapy. It will provide therapy in hospital setting or in the patient's home. The position contributes to the discharge pathway and will support initiatives to shorten patients' stay in hospital and maximise clinical outcome.

The Therapy Assistant Practitioner will work under the supervision of qualified therapy staff, providing assessment and treatment programmes for patients in the hospital and community setting

The Therapy Assistant Practitioner is able to carry out a full episode of care from

assessment to discharge, for a specified and designated clinical caseload identified

by a qualified clinician.

The post holder will assist in the administration and clerical duties for the team and

department.

Key Result Areas & Performance:

• To undertake all aspects of clinical duties and to carry a full caseload of patients under the supervision, direct and indirect, of a therapist
• Assess and provide for equipment needs
• Review patients to assess function
• Progress patients to maximise their function and independence as designated from qualified therapist
• To provide information, teaching and instruction to relatives, carers, other

disciplines and agencies.

• To promote understanding on the aims of Therapy and to ensure continuation of the treatment programme.
• Contributes to advice and education sessions for relevant patient groups
• To participate in multidisciplinary / multi-agency team meetings and case conferences to ensure the co-ordination of patient care. This may include the review of patient progress, and discharge planning.
• To employ appropriate skills such as persuasion, motivation and negotiation to gain co-operation in the continuation of the agreed treatment programme.
• Maintain accurate clinical records of all interventions
• To produce patient related reports for other disciplines or agencies relating to assessment findings and/or treatment outcomes
• Input to databases as required
• Referring to the qualified practitioner when necessary, to work independently with a specified client group to manage equipment provision and functional assessment and rehabilitation.
• Deliver and install simple aids and equipment in the patient's home and instruct patients and carers in use of this equipment as appropriate
• To carry out home visits and access visits, with or without a therapist, as required
• To manage own day to day workload and maintain level of service within the pathway at the local site, and assist other members of the team to make appropriate prioritisation choices. To ensure the effective exchange of information across the pathway team and co-ordination of service delivery.
• Participate in weekend working if required.

Work force

• To provide guidance and teaching to therapy assistants working for Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust
• To be proactive with feedback on patients' progress to therapy and nursing staff , immediately highlighting any clinical concerns
• To participate in supervision and appraisal with designated senior therapist
• To attend staff meetings
• To contribute to the clinical induction of therapy staff
• To be able to independently progress patients' exercise programme and mobility, including issuing walking aids, for the specified patient group

Financial

• Ensure adequate activities of daily living equipment is available and accessible, and work with Transferring Community Equipment Services (TCES) agenda

Partnerships

Communications and Relationships

• To communicate directly with ward staff any relevant information for patient care and discharge facilitation
• To provide information and instruction to other disciplines to ensure a consistent approach to patient care
• To educate patients / relatives/ carers regarding the nature of the condition and the aims of Therapy intervention

General

• To maintain accurate computer and written records that meet professional Trust standards
• To undertake general administrative tasks as required including filing, appointment booking, processing referrals, answering the telephone, and other duties as required
• To drive a lease car to visit patients' homes, with or without passengers
• To be able to work flexibly between community and hospital, depending on demand, and be able to prioritise and organise own workload to facilitate discharges