Rehabilitation Assistant

Job summary

*Previous Applicants need not apply*

**Must be a car driver and have access to a vehicle for work**

We are seeking to appoint a rehabilitation assistant to join our Rapid Response Therapy Team, with a focus on the delivery of Pulmonary Rehabilitation. The pulmonary rehab team offer prehab and rehab programmes delivered across a number of community venues within Gateshead providing advice information and rehabilitation to support patients to effectively self manage their respiratory condition.

The rapid response team provides multi-professional input for patients living within the Gateshead locality providing support to maintain patients at home where possible, maximising independence, avoiding the need for hospital or long term care and supporting earlier hospital discharge where required

We are looking for individuals with a positive, enthusiastic, proactive approach to support developments within the service.

Successful applicants will need to have effective communication skills and demonstrate a positive flexible, team working approach

The team provides short term interventions for a range of patients with physical health problems. We aim to deliver an integrated approach working in partnership with other services and agencies.

You will receive regular support to develop you both your clinical and professional skills and will have opportunities to contribute to the learning and development of others.

Main duties of the job

You will be based at Bensham Hospital and will be required to work as part of a rota.

The service is part of the Rapid Response team and operates between am and pm 7 days per week with a requirement to cover some shifts Monday to Friday - This post will predominantly support the delivery of pulmonary rehabilitation in the community.

Y ou will be required to drive to a number of community locations as part of this role.

Ideally you will have community experience and experience of working in a rehab environment managing patients with a range of physical health problems.

About us

Based in the North East of England we provide a range of hospital and community health services from our leading facilities including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon urgent care centre and Bensham Hospital, all within Gateshead. Established in 2005, we were one of the first foundation trusts in the country and since then have consistently achieved the highest levels of care for patients. As a group we employ around 4,200 staff and currently provide 600 hospital beds across Gateshead. Our primary focus is on providing excellent general health services to our local community.

In the annual survey for NHS staff, we consistently rate highly as a place people would recommend others to work. In the most recent survey, 72% of our staff said they would recommend working at Gateshead.

We aim to attract and retain a talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.

Please note the Trust is not able to offer Skilled Worker Sponsorship for this role as it does not meet the UKVI threshold requirements. You are requested to consider this when making your applic ation. Please visit for further information.

Job description

Job responsibilities

This post is a Band 3 Rehabilitation Assistant, working within in Rapid Response multi-professional team within Gateshead.

The post holder will work effectively within a multi-disciplinary/agency team attending to patients identified as requiring an urgent or rapid intervention to prevent their health and wellbeing deterioration. In addition, there will be planned activity to provide hands on care and holistic assessment to prevent avoidable admission to hospital, and/or long-term care and to maximise patient independence.

This post is designed to support the Rapid Response Team Lead fulfil their objectives, ensuring the fundamentals of care are provided at the point of contact and will ensure delivery of a range of appropriate interventions to be able to meet the needs of the patients health and wellbeing, within the community setting. Patients accessing the service will have complex needs and potentially numerous co-morbidities including frailty, palliative and EOL care needs.

This post will contribute to the safe delivery of a Rapid Response Service working flexibly over 7 days per week. The post holder will support the Senior Team in the safe and effective delivery of their role in unscheduled, intermediate care, palliative and EOL care environment.

Dimensions

To provide support and appropriate interventions to patients in the community setting to improve their health and maximise their level of independence.

To work closely with the nursing, physiotherapist and occupational therapists to support programmes of rehabilitation, reablement, recovery and health promotion thereby reducing the need for unnecessary hospital admission/ attendance and long-term care.

To ensure optimum health and wellbeing by encouraging nutrition, hydration and medical compliance of patients and maintain daily records according to Trust policy.

To ensure that the highest level of patient care is achieved at all times in the most effective manner

The duties will be carried out in the community setting under the supervision and guidance of a Therapist/Nurse however the post holder will be expected to work alone with access to professional advice and guidance when required.

To carry an allocated patient caseload under the supervision of qualified staff and Supervise/motivate patients in activities relating to agreed treatment protocols.

The post holder will provide vital support to the Rapid Response Team with integrated seamless services within community settings working in partnership with local authorities, other health care providers, GP practices and the acute Trust,

The post holder will work with the Rapid Response Team Lead, and the multidisciplinary team, they will also liaise with multiple stakeholders in order to ensure that the day to day co-ordination and delivery of service is in a timely and professional manner.

The post holder will play a key role in supporting the Rapid Response Team, there will be a need to understand and undertake administration and co-ordination of tasks within the Rapid Response Team as and when required.

The post holder will need to demonstrate the ability to use initiative, utilise IT systems and ensure effective and timely in a professional manner

To work single-handed in the community to follow up/monitor identified clients. Undertake delegated tasks to contribute to the safe and smooth running of the service. Support the Rapid Response Team with the day to day delivery of a range of therapy interventions to patients within the community setting. To support the point of contact ensuring patients receive care at the right time, right place, by staff with the right skills. Support the Rapid Response team lead in the development of any new ways if working that will ultimately improve patient care as and when required. Support the development and delivery of the community transformation Project including the implementation of robust working practices processes, audit and lessons learned.

The post will be based in Gateshead. The post holder will be expected to travel to patients living within the borough of Gateshead and locally, if the patient is registered with a Gateshead GP.

The post holder will be expected to work flexibly over 7 days to deliver service needs

General Professional Duties:

To support training and development. To maintain personal professional competency and appropriate development. To carry out the duties and responsibilities of the post in accordance with Trust policies. Required to comply with all relevant national and local statutory and

mandatory requirements including Health & Safety and Infection Control

The post will involve regular travel locally and the post holder will be required to work flexibly to support theRapid Response Team. This job description is not an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities. The post holder will be asked to carry out other duties which are appropriate to the skills of the post holder and grade of the post as the priorities of the service change.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

GCSE at grade c/4 or above in Maths and English full drivers license NVQ level 3 in health or social care or equivalent

knowledge and skills

Essential

basic IT skills good verbal and written communication skills organisational and time management skills problem solving skills understanding of rehab and the needs of people with physical problems flexible team worker able to work on own initiative able to identify and appropriately minimise risk

Desirable

understanding of assistive equipment

Experience

Essential

experience of working with older people to support rehab needs experience with adults with long term conditions or falls experience of team working experience of working in a healthcare/social care environment

Desirable

experience of working in the NHS experience of delivering therapy/rehab in a hospital or community setting.

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