Job summary
Employer heading
Assistant Practitioner - Nutrition and Speech & Language Therapy
NHS AfC: Band 4
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) provides a full range of general acute, outpatient and diagnostic services at The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, the Herts and Essex Hospital in Bishop’s Stortford, and St Margaret’s Hospital in Epping.
Our values
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) promise to our patients, as identified by our three values which will contribute to improving our patients’ experiences, is:
Patient at heart – Always holding the patient and their wellbeing at the centre of our thoughts and efforts.
Everyday excellence – Sharing and celebrating our successes, being honest when we get it wrong, giving us the ability to learn from both.
Creative collaboration – Knowing strength comes from diversity, we combine our experiences, skills and talents, working together to find new and better ways to care.
Job overview
The Therapies department is looking for an enthusiastic and motivated individual with Speech and Language Therapy or Dietetic experience to join our team of integrated therapists working within our OPAL unit. This is a post creates a huge opportunity for the new candidate to extend existing knowledge and skills within the Princess Alexandra Hospital.
You will utilise the knowledge and skills gained through your Foundation degree and/or equivalent work experience to support in the assessment and implementation of Speech and Language Therapy/Dietetic intervention with patients referred to the service.
The OPAL team includes Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy staff from all levels and this post will provide a great opportunity for the development of your inter-professional skills, working closely with other disciplines and community partners.
If successful, you will work flexibly across the 2 professions, led by the needs of each patient. You will be supported with yearly appraisals, weekly in-service training and regular supervision from more senior staff.
Main duties of the job
To provide routine, and some non-routine, clinical and non-clinical support to OPAL unit, following guidelines which have been agreed and set by the Dietitian and SLTs to assess and manage patients with nutritional, communication and swallowing needs.
To accept new patients from OPAL / Dietitians / SLTs and treat according to protocols and guidelines, monitoring patient progression and making minor alterations to patient treatment programs as required
To be able to work with direct or indirect supervision dependent on the complexity of patient/task and recognise limitations of practice and appropriately feedback to the Therapy team. To maintain close communication with the Therapy team to facilitate patient care.
To carry out other duties deemed necessary by the OPAL Ward Manager/Therapy Team in discussion with the post holder to ensure adequate provision of service
To help facilitate a safe and timely discharge of patients receiving Dietetic and SLT care from hospital, and to be involved with the organisation and safe discharge of Patients to community
To hold responsibility for own caseload with access to and support from a qualified Therapist.
To demonstrate own duties to other support workers, students and to provide practical training and education to staff, patients, carers and external agencies.
To use the Trust values at all times as a framework for own behaviour and encourage others to do likewise, ensuring the values underpin all that is done by the Therapy teams.
Working for our organisation
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust is a District General Hospital providing acute services to the people of West Essex and East Hertfordshire and has a positive and successful approach to developing and delivering health care.
The Hospital is conveniently located in Harlow, Essex just 25 minutes drive to London Stansted Airport and 25 minutes train ride to London Liverpool Street. Harlow also has excellent road connections across England, with the M11, M25, A10, M1 and A1 all on its doorstep.
This is an exciting time for the Trust. Over the next 5 years we are on a digital transformation journey, leading us to our brand new hospital.
It's never been a better time to join us.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For further details, please refer to the attached job description and job specification for the role
Person specification
Skills
Essential criteria
- Good communication skills - both written and verbal
- Knowledge of medical conditions found in a frail population
- Awareness of the roles of other professionals within the multi-disciplinary team e.g. OTs, physios, consultants, nurses etc
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- NVQ Level 3 / Foundation Degree / Maths & English
Experience
Essential criteria
- Therapy assistant experience within Dietetics and/or SLT
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Katie Silk
- Job title
- Head of Therapies
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01279 978564
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