Independence Assistant Coordinator - S02

· An integral part of the IIT, working with the range of health and social care professionals within the team to develop individualised care packages and rehabilitative care plans for service users, to enable daily living within a person's own home · Coordinate the work of a team of Independence Assistants (IA), enabling them to deliver a quality care provision, which meets service users' needs, across an allocated area of the Borough. · Ensure high levels of care and support are implemented effectively by the team, focussing on rehabilitation, promoting independence and ensuring the individuals' safety and wellbeing. · Work in a way that is flexible and able to adapt to the changes and competing demands of the service. · The post-holder will be required to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service, including the possibility of weekend working and evening working as part of a standby on call system · Act as a front line point of contact for the service, communicating with service users, carers, relatives, and other professionals including inreach onto wards, supporting decision making and completing quality assurance visits. · Respond to daily changes in demand and make decisions on service provision that will impact on staff and service users KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES 1. Coordinate the work of a team of IAs, allocating care hours and resources, to ensure high quality care is provided and that care plans and services are delivered as required. 2. Coordinate the teams daily work allocation via an electronic rostering system, managing rotas and team attendance, arranging cover where required, including booking agency staff. 3. Ensure cost effective management of care packages, monitoring the available resources and budget and how these are used. 4. Conduct quality assurance visits when necessary with service users and complete assessment reports, to ensure appropriate care is being provided. 5. Ensure all statutory and professional requirements are met, within the care provision. 6. Use judgement to make independent and timely decision on how best to allocate staffing resources in response to daily changes in demand 7. Use judgement when making decisions on resource allocation in situations where client need has changed 8. Conduct risk assessments, when necessary, on service users' needs and care packages, identifying appropriate measures to ensure service users independence is achieved wherever possible. 9. Communicate appropriately with service users and carers, recognising the needs of relatives/carers, taking account of beliefs and values. Ensure that service users are involved in the planning of their care through effective communication. 10. Deal with potentially distressing or emotional situations. These may include abuse from services users or relatives, challenging behaviour, giving or receiving unwelcome news 11. Ensure diverse, flexible and appropriate care services are made available, which meet the needs of all people, cultures and groups, wherever possible, respecting the principles of equality of opportunity. 12. Maintain written accurate legible, concise records in accordance with policy and procedures and produce accurate high quality reports on the activity of the team and progress with care provision. 13. To provide written reports and statistical data as required. 14. As part of a matrix management structure, jointly provide required management to IAs, by ensuring regular staff supervision, training and development needs assessment and performance appraisal. 15. Coordinate the feedback between Therapists and IAs, ensuring appropriate action is taken by the relevant individuals, where any changes are needed to care plans 16. Attend and contribute to team and multidisciplinary meetings, to provide feedback, discuss client's progress, and agree future goals as previously discussed with the client. Attend case conferences as appropriate to discuss the future care of clients. 17. Input in to the supervision of IAs, providing feedback to the lead Therapists. 18. Participate in the induction of staff and to conduct first level of performance management processes including the extension of staff probation. 19. To ensure effective implementation of the Council's code of conduct and frameworks including Level 1 sickness, absence, disciplinary and grievance. 20. To manage any formal complaints from families or other professionals and make pragmatic changes to practice if necessary in conjunction with and under the direction of the allocated therapist. 21. To ensure that complaints concerning service provision are investigated and acted upon within the Council's relevant framework and to raise alerts and update the Service Manager on the volume of complaints received and managed. 22. Liaise closely with the Long Term services and Social Workers to handover service users' cases when appropriate. 23. Maintain own professional development and use this knowledge to contribute to policy, guidance and best practice improvements within the team. 24. Work in collaboration with and maintain good working relationships with Physiotherapists/ Occupational Therapists, Nurses, Carers, Social Workers and other agencies/professionals involved in the care of the service user, demonstrating an understanding of their professional and service remits in order to facilitate clients to regain skills for independent living. 25. Act as a "Champion" for the service, by actively promoting good practise and assisting in the training of other team members in areas relating to personal experience and expertise. 26. Report any suspicion of physical, emotional, sexual or financial abuse of clients to the Manager immediately and treat any complaint from a client or carer seriously and report it to the Manager, and if required, to assist with the initial investigation into the complaint at the informal stage. 27. Participate in the evening back up 'on call' rota system which will require cover up until 21.00hrs. 28. To be willing to travel across Hackney Borough to perform duties of the role. POLICY & SERVICE DEVELOPMENT - Comment on development proposals or policies upon request - Plan and prioritise own workload, under the management of the Home Treatment and Reablement Therapies Lead RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT - Maintain and update research knowledge and skills. - Implement service related and/or academic research projects, clinical audit and survey projects under supervision. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY - Record and report on personally-generated clinical information. - Enter clinical information as required into local electronic information systems. - Maintain databases for the service and advise on and implement developments to those databases - Use relevant statistical packages to analyse recorded data. - Expected to maintain the complete confidentiality of all material and information to which they have access and process. - Process records or information in a fair and lawful way. Hold and use data only for the specified, registered purposes for which it was obtained and disclose data only to authorised persons or organisations. OTHER DUTIES - The above is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. The job holder will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by their line manager. - The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an on-going basis in accordance with the changing needs of the Department and the Organisation. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE - The post holder must, at all times, act honestly and openly and comply with relevant corporate governance requirements, employment legislation, standards of business conduct, codes of openness and accountability. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES - The post holder must comply with and promote Equal Opportunities and accordingly must avoid any behaviour which discriminates against colleagues, potential employees, patients or clients on the grounds of sex, marital status, sexual orientation, age, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion, political opinion, trade union membership or disability HEALTH AND SAFETY - Under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974), it is the responsibility of individual employees at every level to take care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts at work. This includes co-operating with the organisation and colleagues in complying with health and safety obligations to maintain a safe environment and particularly by reporting promptly any defects, risks or potential hazards. FLEXIBILITY - The Trust is currently working in a climate of great change within the NHS. It is therefore expected that all staff will develop flexible working practices to be able to meet the challenges and opportunities of working within the new NHS. KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS - Head of Service IIT - All IIT Multidisciplinary Team members e.g. Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Nurses, Social Workers - Outside agencies such as patient advocacy service. The Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and London Borough of Hackney sit in the middle of one of the most diverse locations in the world. To this end we are committed to and champion equality and diversity in all aspects of our employment practice and service delivery. All employees are expected to understand and respect this commitment and work with us to promote equality and diversity in the course of their work. Employees, in line with the Trust's commitment to the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Previously known as the 'Hygiene Code'), improving infection control and health and safety are individually required to ensure that they make every effort to contribute to making the working environment a clean and safe environment within which to work and receive care. All employees of the Trust and council are required to observe legislation, policies, standards and guidelines relating to Health and Safety, Infection Control, Health and Social Care Act 2008, Risk Management, Safeguarding Children, Safeguarding Adults, Equal Opportunities, Confidentiality, Data Protection, Freedom of Information and the Trust Code of Behaviour. All staff have a responsibility to prevent and control infection within their working environment. This includes ensuring personal and team compliance with the Hygiene Code and all relevant policies including Hand Hygiene, Dress Code and MRSA screening. It is the responsibility of leaders of both organisations to demonstrate and foster a commitment to environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility by acting as a role model and enabling others. It is the responsibility of all staff to minimise environmental impact by recycling wherever possible, switching off lights, computers, monitors and equipment when not in use, minimising water wastage and reporting faults promptly.,

• An integral part of the IIT, working with the range of health and social care professionals within the team to develop individualised reablement packages and rehabilitative care plans for service users, to enable daily living within a person's own home
• Coordinate the work of a team of Independence Assistants (IA), enabling them to deliver a quality care provision, which meets service users' needs, across an allocated area of the Borough.
• Ensure high levels of care and support are implemented effectively by the team, focussing on rehabilitation, promoting independence and ensuring the individuals' safety and wellbeing.
• Work in a way that is flexible and able to adapt to the changes and competing demands of the service.
• The post-holder will be required to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service, including the possibility of weekend working and evening working as part of a standby on call system
• Act as a front line point of contact for the service, communicating with service users, carers, relatives, and other professionals including inreach onto wards, supporting decision making and completing quality assurance visits.
• Respond to daily changes in demand and make decisions on service provision that will impact on staff and service users
Must be competent in Excel and have experience of scheduling rotas. KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES - please note 'IA' refers to our Independence Assistants - who deliver the reablement intervention to our service users. 1. Coordinate the work of a team of IAs, allocating care hours and resources, to ensure high quality care is provided and that care plans and services are delivered as required. 2. Coordinate the teams daily work allocation via an electronic rostering system, managing rotas and team attendance, arranging cover where required, including booking agency staff. 3. Ensure cost effective management of care packages, monitoring the available resources and budget and how these are used. 4. Conduct quality assurance visits when necessary with service users and complete assessment reports, to ensure appropriate care is being provided. 5. Ensure all statutory and professional requirements are met, within the care provision. 6. Use judgement to make independent and timely decision on how best to allocate staffing resources in response to daily changes in demand 7. Use judgement when making decisions on resource allocation in situations where client need has changed 8. Conduct risk assessments, when necessary, on service users' needs and care packages, identifying appropriate measures to ensure service users independence is achieved wherever possible. 9. Communicate appropriately with service users and carers, recognising the needs of relatives/carers, taking account of beliefs and values. Ensure that service users are involved in the planning of their care through effective communication. 10. Deal with potentially distressing or emotional situations. These may include abuse from services users or relatives, challenging behaviour, giving or receiving unwelcome news 11. Ensure diverse, flexible and appropriate care services are made available, which meet the needs of all people, cultures and groups, wherever possible, respecting the principles of equality of opportunity. 12. Maintain written accurate legible, concise records in accordance with policy and procedures and produce accurate high quality reports on the activity of the team and progress with care provision. 13. To provide written reports and statistical data as required. 14. As part of a matrix management structure, jointly provide required management to IAs, by ensuring regular staff supervision, training and development needs assessment and performance appraisal. 15. Coordinate the feedback between Therapists and IAs, ensuring appropriate action is taken by the relevant individuals, where any changes are needed to care plans 16. Attend and contribute to team and multidisciplinary meetings, to provide feedback, discuss client's progress, and agree future goals as previously discussed with the client. Attend case conferences as appropriate to discuss the future care of clients. 17. Input in to the supervision of IAs, providing feedback to the lead Therapists. 18. Participate in the induction of staff and to conduct first level of performance management processes including the extension of staff probation. 19. To ensure effective implementation of the Council's code of conduct and frameworks including Level 1 sickness, absence, disciplinary and grievance. 20. To manage any formal complaints from families or other professionals and make pragmatic changes to practice if necessary in conjunction with and under the direction of the allocated therapist. 21. To ensure that complaints concerning service provision are investigated and acted upon within the Council's relevant framework and to raise alerts and update the Service Manager on the volume of complaints received and managed. 22. Liaise closely with the Long Term services and Social Workers to handover service users' cases when appropriate. 23. Maintain own professional development and use this knowledge to contribute to policy, guidance and best practice improvements within the team. 24. Work in collaboration with and maintain good working relationships with Physiotherapists/ Occupational Therapists, Nurses, Carers, Social Workers and other agencies/professionals involved in the care of the service user, demonstrating an understanding of their professional and service remits in order to facilitate clients to regain skills for independent living. 25. Act as a "Champion" for the service, by actively promoting good practise and assisting in the training of other team members in areas relating to personal experience and expertise. 26. Report any suspicion of physical, emotional, sexual or financial abuse of clients to the Manager immediately and treat any complaint from a client or carer seriously and report it to the Manager, and if required, to assist with the initial investigation into the complaint at the informal stage.

· To be able to produce support plans for appropriate cases, in a range of settings, mapping out the financial implications · To be able to deliver high standards of support planning and allocation of resources · To be able to manage the delivery of support plans through a team of enablers, addressing any areas of concern · Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing, with a range of audiences · To be able to converse with and listen to the view of service users and their families · Ability to conduct risk assessments and effectively report findings · Ability to observe Health and Safety regulations · To be able to respect the cultural, racial and religious diversity of service users and identify appropriate support needs · Ability to work on own initiative and work unsupervised, prioritising own workload · To be able to work in a busy environment where demands change regularly · To be able to make decisions autonomously, seeking support where necessary. · To be able to maintain accurate records · To be able to work as part of a team · The ability to solve problems · To be able to recognise the needs of client/relatives and carers · Experience of team management/leadership · Experience within a NHS/public sector care environment · Experience of development, implementing and evaluating individual support plans · Sound experience of I.T. systems · Experience of undertaking risk assessments · Experience of reviewing service provision and contributing to service improvement · Knowledge of statutory legislations, e.g. Community Care Act, Health and Safety Risk Assessment · An understanding of NHS and Social Care, especially community based services · An understanding of the role of other professions within the team: social work, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, nursing, medicine, psychotherapy · Able to handle, maintain and appreciate confidentiality issues · Knowledge of promoting independence · Ability to remain calm in stressful situations · Ability to deal with exposure to distressing/emotional circumstances · Ability to manage verbal aggression from service users, families and risk of physical aggression effectively · Able to maintain a respectful approach to service users, families, carers, colleagues and other professionals. Willing to negotiate and handle confrontation effectively. Qualifications · NVQ level 3 in Healthcare or equivalent (including experience of working at this level) Other Requirements · Commitment to Equal Opportunities · Commitment to the delivery of a person centred service · Able to participate in a weekend and out of hours rota · Satisfactory Enhanced Criminal Records Disclosure - DBS · Individual must have insurance cover to use their own vehicle for business use in their motor vehicle policy.

The Integrated Independence Team (IIT) is an integrated health and social care service provided jointly by the Homerton University Hospital Foundation Trust and the London Borough of Hackney. The service places the user at the heart of the care planning process, and aims to promote independence, deliver outcome focused care, and provide a seamless journey through the care system. The service has a single point of access and use a multi-disciplinary assessment and care planning framework. The service responds swiftly to service user need and, where possible, treats people in their own home or normal place of residence.