Therapy Assistant - Fixed Term (Part time)

Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of patients and their families? St Michaels Hospice is seeking a dedicated Therapy Assistant to join our Patient Services team. Main duties of the job The main duties of the Therapy Assistant role at St Michael's Hospice include : Clinical Work : Supporting qualified Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists in assessing and re-assessing patient needs.Assisting in providing therapy, treatment, and advice to maximize patient independence and align with rehabilitative palliative care philosophy. Conducting basic assessments and delivering delegated therapy programs under guidance.Advising patients, families, and carers on treatment and equipment use, ensuring safety and understanding. Liaising with external health and social care professionals.Performing risk assessments and prioritizing daily workloads based on patient needs. Maintaining and managing equipment levels and accurate patient records. Training and Development : Sharing knowledge with hospice staff and contributing to rehabilitative palliative care training and philosophy.Attending mandatory training and engaging in professional development through supervision, portfolio maintenance, and skills development. Participating in user feedback and audits to improve service delivery., Job Purpose : The Therapy Assistant will be part of the multi-disciplinary team, providing in-patient and day service therapy, treatment, support, and advice for patients and their families. Responsibility Areas : Clinical Work Support the qualified Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists in the assessment and ongoing re-assessment of the clients needs, maximising their independence and promoting the rehabilitative palliative care philosophy. The post holder will be a valued member of the Therapy Team, working under the guidance and supervision of the qualified Therapists. They will assist staff in providing an efficient and effective service; ensuring patients receive the highest standard of care. Carry out basic assessments where appropriate and competent, giving advice and treatment on an ongoing basis. Deliver delegated therapy programmes devised by the Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapists empowering users and families to participate in the management of their illness. Advise, educate, give and adapt treatment, under the guidance of the Therapists, and using the ability to empathise, motivate, negotiate, persuade and communicate sensitively and reassuringly to those you are working with. Liaise with external health and social care professionals and AHPs within the community and hospital setting. Undertake detailed risk assessments before and during clinical interventions to ensure the safety of patients and yourself. Fully involve the patient and liaise with other staff involved in the patients care, as well as the family and carers, in the planning, coordination, delivery and follow-up of the intervention. Instruct patients, relatives and carers in the use of recommended equipment including the Health and Safety and Manual handling aspects of its use. Prioritise daily workload, some of which may be on going according to the needs of the caseload or service. Check and maintain adequate levels of equipment for the service and input care data for the team. Maintain up to date accurate clinical and statistical records, by written and electronic means, as required by the service. Training and Development Share knowledge base with other hospice staff, including being an integral part of the rehabilitative palliative care training, development and philosophy. Attend mandatory training. Take responsibility for Continuing Professional Development by accepting clinical supervision, maintaining a personal portfolio and attending mandatory training as well as developing and maintain own knowledge and skills in palliative care. Be involved in user feedback and audit. To work alongside the wider multidisciplinary team in promoting the Rehabilitative Palliative Care approach enabling people to live fully until they die. Equal Opportunities Statement At St Michaels Hospice we are committed to an equal opportunities approach in everything we do. This means that we seek to ensure anyone connected with St Michaels, from patients and families through to donors, supporters, volunteers and staff are treated fairly, appropriately and with dignity and respect. Person Specification Person Specifications and Special Requirements

The role requires reliability, effective communication, teamwork, organizational skills, and adherence to the hospice's values of respect, dignity, compassion, transparency, and collaboration.,

• 1) Specialist Knowledge and Experience Essential Working knowledge of OT / Physiotherapy team and experience of working with patients with physical impairment Experience of rehabilitation and using and fitting adaptive equipment Experience of Risk Assessment Knowledge of core Occupational Therapy skills Knowledge of core Physiotherapy skills Experience of multi-disciplinary assessments and record keeping B Tec or NVQ 2 in Care or equivalent Desirable Experience of work within Palliative care
• 2) Skills and Behaviours Reliability : Is reliable, and able to follow direction from qualified therapists, respecting policies and procedures.
Is able to report any concerns / changes in the patients condition to qualified therapists. Communication : Confident and clear communication skills and able to explain equipment or exercises in an easy to understand manner. Interpersonal skills : Good teamwork ability and able to take direction from senior therapists. Interacts with others in an effective way and quickly builds relationships Team working : Develops effective and supportive relationships with colleagues. Organisation : Organises own time effectively and creates own work schedules. Able to accurately document clinical work in both paper notes and electronic systems and set realistic time-scales.

As a valued member of our multi-disciplinary team, you will work under the guidance of qualified Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists to deliver therapy, treatment, and support. You'll help empower patients to maximize their independence through the philosophy of rehabilitative palliative care. At St Michaels Hospice, we place people at the heart of everything we do. We offer a supportive, respectful, and compassionate working environment where your contributions truly matter.