Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated, organised and reliable individual to work closely with occupational therapists and physiotherapists who provide a wide range of rehabilitation programmes for people with complex chronic musculoskeletal pain problems, hypermobility and rheumatological conditions.

This post will support you to complete all required modules of study, and undertake clinical placements within different services in order to gain a range of clinical experience across different health and social care settings through the university of Hertfordshire.

An Apprentice Occupational Therapist is a developmental role within the Therapies Directorate at the RNOH. Your job will be to support the Pain Management & Chronic Pain team with the delivery of the service whilst completing a Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship qualification to become a registered Occupational Therapist

You will contribute to the assessment and treatment of highly complex patients and the day-to-day running of the therapy environment. Including:

  • Carrying out and documenting group and individual activity sessions.
  • Organising and running sport and swimming sessions
  • Setting up and using rehabilitation equipment inc. Alter G treadmill.
  • Planning and running functional based rehabilitation
  • Many of the patients seen will be deconditioned and fearful of movement so strong emphasis is placed on teaching and practicing skills like relaxation, pacing and goal setting.

    • Main duties of the job

    Applicants must be able to demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills in order to communicate effectively and appropriately with patients, relatives and staff, as well as a good standard of written English, mathematics and an ability to use IT/technical systems.

    The post holder will provide sessions at both the RNOH Stanmore site

    To support Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapist in the assessment and treatment of highly complex patients and the day-to-day running of the therapy environment.

    To accept patients referred by therapists and carry as own patient caseload. Treat patients according to treatment protocols, and competencies applying appropriate treatments and progression of treatments including exercises on land and in water, and using investigative and analytical skills make alterations (within protocols and scope of practice) to patient treatment programmes as required.

    To use clinical reasoning, and use a range of assessment and treatment skills and options to formulate treatment programmes.

    Assess routine non-complex patients as 1st point of contact within agreed patient pathways including hydrotherapy & water based therapy.

    To deliver individual consultations to identify barriers to leading an active lifestyle (for example, associated medical conditions, lack of access to affordable opportunities for physical activity, lack of information or resources) and facilitating an individual to set realistic goals.

    About us

    The RNOH is a national centre of excellence with an international reputation for diagnosis, assessment and treatment of neuro-musculoskeletal conditions. This ranges from the most acute spinal cord injury, bone tumour and complex joint reconstruction to orthopaedic and specialist rehabilitation. It offers an integrated range of clinical, teaching and research services unique within the UK and in partnership with University College London.

    An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and motivated person to join the Therapy Department at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust (RNOH).

    You will be supporting Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists who provide a wide range of rehabilitation programmes for people with complex chronic musculoskeletal pain problems, hypermobility and rheumatological conditions.

    Date posted

    25 November 2022

    Pay scheme

    Agenda for change

    Band

    Band 4

    Salary

    £28,057 to £30,390 a year pa inc HCAS

    Contract

    Permanent

    Working pattern

    Full-time

    Reference number

    392-RNOH-220

    Job locations

    Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital

    Stanmore

    HA7 4LP

    Job description

    Job responsibilities

    To support and actively contribute to improving the physical and functional wellbeing of patients living with chronic pain and long-term health conditions.

    To liaise with the therapist as necessary regarding patient care highlighting, any variations to expected outcomes from treatment programmes you deliver.

    To support patients, carers, staff and relatives by providing education and advice as appropriate under the instruction of therapists.

    To participate in & provide clinical treatment & activity based rehabilitation sessions, following professional assessment and guidance.

    To fully participate in the inter-professional evaluation of the rehabilitation programme to ensure patients meet their ongoing health & wellbeing needs.

    To demonstrate an understanding of the physiological concepts underpinning the prescribed treatment programmes to enable you to instruct, advise and guide patients.

    To make the appropriate adjustments independently and can communicate any changes to patients and prescribing staff. This may include areas of work requiring physical effort or intense concentration, regarding risk, health & safety.

    To maintain timely and accurate signed records and statistical information as required, this includes using paper records and entering information on to electronic databases.

    Contribute to development of patient care by attending relevant team, departmental or clinical / Multi-disciplinary team meetings and comment on recommended changes to clinical care or service provision.

    Working within department protocols, to allocate work to keep the department tidy, ensure that used / returned equipment is stored and collected in line with equipment loan store procedures.

    Be responsible for the administrative arrangements in the area they work e.g. booking out of equipment/ rooms in conjunction with other members.

    To encourage patients and their carers in an active approach to regaining and maintaining independence and an active lifestyle. This requires empathy, sensitivity, and good interpersonal skills and may require motivational skills with some patients.

    To assist in the training of newly appointed Therapy Assistants and Technical Instructors. Instructing in basic elements of patient care, safety, and inducting them into the department.

    To support the development of Therapy students and people considering Therapy as a career e.g. work experience and access students.

    To take part in the Trust appraisal and performance review programme as an appraisee.

    To use the provided Personal Development Plan to support your own learning and development, including gathering evidence of Continual Professional Development to keep up to date on professional issues by participating in In-Service Training, and other training activities as agreed through the appraisal process.

    To actively participate in the delivery of in-service training.

    To undertake teaching regarding the post holders role and core skills to Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists as required.

    To be an active participant within departmental audits and research as deemed appropriate to the area of work.

    To undertake any other duties that might be considered appropriate by the Lead Therapists (Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy).

    Job description

    Job responsibilities

    To support and actively contribute to improving the physical and functional wellbeing of patients living with chronic pain and long-term health conditions.

    To liaise with the therapist as necessary regarding patient care highlighting, any variations to expected outcomes from treatment programmes you deliver.

    To support patients, carers, staff and relatives by providing education and advice as appropriate under the instruction of therapists.

    To participate in & provide clinical treatment & activity based rehabilitation sessions, following professional assessment and guidance.

    To fully participate in the inter-professional evaluation of the rehabilitation programme to ensure patients meet their ongoing health & wellbeing needs.

    To demonstrate an understanding of the physiological concepts underpinning the prescribed treatment programmes to enable you to instruct, advise and guide patients.

    To make the appropriate adjustments independently and can communicate any changes to patients and prescribing staff. This may include areas of work requiring physical effort or intense concentration, regarding risk, health & safety.

    To maintain timely and accurate signed records and statistical information as required, this includes using paper records and entering information on to electronic databases.

    Contribute to development of patient care by attending relevant team, departmental or clinical / Multi-disciplinary team meetings and comment on recommended changes to clinical care or service provision.

    Working within department protocols, to allocate work to keep the department tidy, ensure that used / returned equipment is stored and collected in line with equipment loan store procedures.

    Be responsible for the administrative arrangements in the area they work e.g. booking out of equipment/ rooms in conjunction with other members.

    To encourage patients and their carers in an active approach to regaining and maintaining independence and an active lifestyle. This requires empathy, sensitivity, and good interpersonal skills and may require motivational skills with some patients.

    To assist in the training of newly appointed Therapy Assistants and Technical Instructors. Instructing in basic elements of patient care, safety, and inducting them into the department.

    To support the development of Therapy students and people considering Therapy as a career e.g. work experience and access students.

    To take part in the Trust appraisal and performance review programme as an appraisee.

    To use the provided Personal Development Plan to support your own learning and development, including gathering evidence of Continual Professional Development to keep up to date on professional issues by participating in In-Service Training, and other training activities as agreed through the appraisal process.

    To actively participate in the delivery of in-service training.

    To undertake teaching regarding the post holders role and core skills to Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists as required.

    To be an active participant within departmental audits and research as deemed appropriate to the area of work.

    To undertake any other duties that might be considered appropriate by the Lead Therapists (Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy).

    Person Specification

    Qualifications

    Essential

  • Good general level of education up to GCSE Equivalent (Minimum GCSE Maths/ English or equivalent)

    • Desirable

  • NVQ Level lll or BTEC national diploma in an appropriate area or health related degree
  • Level 4 Health and Fitness Instructor

    • Experience

    Essential

  • Experience of working directly with people in a hospital, fitness or leisure environment
  • Experience of delivering exercise or health educational programmes with an adult population
  • Experience working directly with a wide range of adults
  • Experience of working as a Therapy assistant/ Rehab technician in a hospital setting
  • Knowledge of the role of a therapy technician.
  • Awareness of the needs of injured and disabled people.
  • Has worked as part of a team.

    • Desirable

  • Experience working at Band 4 in a Therapy Department.
  • Awareness of role of OT/Physio.
  • Awareness of current government legislation
  • Any other relevant training e.g. Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi, First Aid

    • Skills

    Essential

  • Effective communication, verbal and non-verbal, to communicate treatment programmes to patients some of whom may have barriers to understanding or communication, e.g. blind, deaf, dysphasic or who do not have English as a first language.
  • To be an effective team member, respecting the work of others and representing the profession suitably at all times.
  • Sensitive to individual’s needs and wishes, acknowledging and respecting their rights, individual values, cultural and religious diversity at all times.
  • Reflective & keen to learn.
  • Appreciation of appropriate staff/patient boundaries.
  • Able to communicate clearly, succinctly and logically in verbal and written formats.
  • Ability to work as part of a team.
  • Skills/ working with people with psychological needs
  • Ability to manage group treatment sessions.
  • Good organisational skills

    • Desirable

  • Can demonstrate good team working.
  • Coaching or teaching skills Experience of demonstrating, structuring and explaining tasks to others.
  • Experiencing of leading a group.
  • Experience of teaching and demonstrating exercise and lifestyle modification
  • Skilled in use of relevant equipment and materials.

    • Person Specification

    Qualifications

    Essential

  • Good general level of education up to GCSE Equivalent (Minimum GCSE Maths/ English or equivalent)

    • Desirable

  • NVQ Level lll or BTEC national diploma in an appropriate area or health related degree
  • Level 4 Health and Fitness Instructor

    • Experience

    Essential

  • Experience of working directly with people in a hospital, fitness or leisure environment
  • Experience of delivering exercise or health educational programmes with an adult population
  • Experience working directly with a wide range of adults
  • Experience of working as a Therapy assistant/ Rehab technician in a hospital setting
  • Knowledge of the role of a therapy technician.
  • Awareness of the needs of injured and disabled people.
  • Has worked as part of a team.

    • Desirable

  • Experience working at Band 4 in a Therapy Department.
  • Awareness of role of OT/Physio.
  • Awareness of current government legislation
  • Any other relevant training e.g. Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi, First Aid

    • Skills

    Essential

  • Effective communication, verbal and non-verbal, to communicate treatment programmes to patients some of whom may have barriers to understanding or communication, e.g. blind, deaf, dysphasic or who do not have English as a first language.
  • To be an effective team member, respecting the work of others and representing the profession suitably at all times.
  • Sensitive to individual’s needs and wishes, acknowledging and respecting their rights, individual values, cultural and religious diversity at all times.
  • Reflective & keen to learn.
  • Appreciation of appropriate staff/patient boundaries.
  • Able to communicate clearly, succinctly and logically in verbal and written formats.
  • Ability to work as part of a team.
  • Skills/ working with people with psychological needs
  • Ability to manage group treatment sessions.
  • Good organisational skills

    • Desirable

  • Can demonstrate good team working.
  • Coaching or teaching skills Experience of demonstrating, structuring and explaining tasks to others.
  • Experiencing of leading a group.
  • Experience of teaching and demonstrating exercise and lifestyle modification
  • Skilled in use of relevant equipment and materials.

    • Disclosure and Barring Service Check

    This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

    Certificate of Sponsorship

    Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

    From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

    Additional information

    Disclosure and Barring Service Check

    This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

    Certificate of Sponsorship

    Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

    From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).