Specialist Therapy Assistant

Do you really want to make a difference? Do you want to help patients remain living independently in their own homes working within a multi-disciplinary team? Do you want to be part of an innovative Respiratory team offering the highest quality care for patients? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for a dynamic Healthcare Assistant/Physiotherapy Assistant to join our highly specialised and committed respiratory clinicians. The postholder will specialise in the delivery of pulmonary rehabilitation.

The integrated team is working in many innovative and exciting ways to improve quality of life for people with respiratory disease. The Respiratory team works within the community and hospital setting and includes Pulmonary Rehabilitation and a home oxygen service. The service has implemented a newly commissioned “hospital at home” service, where more complex and intensive support will be provided in the patients’ own home as an alternative to acute care. This service will also support early discharge from hospital. Emphasis of this role will be placed upon supporting pulmonary rehabilitation.

This is an ideal opportunity for a Health care Assistant/Therapy assistant, who have an interest in working within Respiratory, who are proactive, self-motivated and keen to be at the forefront of delivering high quality care, to join our team.
- To assist the Community Respiratory Team in the delivery of high quality patient care in Pulmonary rehabilitation, through a range of clinical procedures and clinical observations. This will include health related education, assist in both the assessment process and delivery of pulmonary rehab programmes, perform diagnostic and monitoring investigations i.e. oximetry, spirometry, shuttle test, venepuncture, capillary blood gas measurements. (This list is not exhaustive).
- To be able to use a wide range of specialist equipment and to access the relevant training for all equipment used in delivery of the HCA/Specialist Therapy Assistant role.
- To establish a partnership with patients and carers / relatives, acting as an advocate in order to support them in achieving their goals to enable them to achieve maximum independence and improve quality of life and health status.
- Perform and adhere to individualised plans of care to patients within the community setting receiving care as well as carrying out telephone reviews within agreed protocols as directed by the clinical team
- Be aware of when to recognise and escalate abnormal recordings or signs of change, within designated parameters, in a patients condition to the registered professional.
- Support the education of specific client groups i.e. inhaler technique, care of equipment.
- Promote self management and referral to support services i.e. stop smoking service

At North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust our main priority is, and always be, to provide safe and high quality care to our patients every day; the kind of care we would want for ourselves and our loved ones.

We want our organisation to be the best place to work with the right staff, in the right roles, at the right time, to ensure we deliver exceptional patient care and experience.

We will support staff through providing an inclusive and supportive workplace with health and well-being initiatives, staff benefits and opportunities for personal and professional development. Staff recognition is very important to us; as well as performance reviews and appraisals, we recognise staff through Star and Team of the month, colleague recognition - a note of thanks, Managers Awards, Shining Stars and Service Awards.

We actively encourage staff involvement with staff networking events and staff survey

“Together we are North Tees & Hartlepool”
- To assist the Community Respiratory Team in the delivery of high quality patient care, through a range of clinical procedures and clinical observations. This will include health related education, assist in both the assessment process and delivery of pulmonary rehab programmes, perform diagnostic and monitoring investigations i.e. oximetry, spirometry, shuttle test, venepuncture, capillary blood gas measurements. (This list is not exhaustive). Delivery of patient care will be supported by completion of the competency framework.
- To be able to use a wide range of specialist equipment and to access the relevant training for all equipment used in delivery of the HCA/Specialist Therapy Assistant role.
- To establish a partnership with patients and carers / relatives, acting as an advocate in order to support them in achieving their goals to enable them to achieve maximum independence and improve quality of life and health status; to include providing information and support to facilitate the patient’s own choices regarding care, encouraging rehabilitation and promoting independence and self-care where appropriate; to offer support and to teach patients, relatives and other carers appropriate skills, providing inform