Assistant Practitioner SLT/ DT

This is an exciting opportunity to join a multidisciplinary team in a split SLT and Dietetic post, cover ICU, cardiothoracics and Cardiology Specialities at The Royal Brompton Hospital.

The successful post holder will support the assessment and management of patients with communication, swallowing and nutritional needs and will collaboratively with the wider MDT to provide high quality, patient centered care.

1. The post holder will assist in the provision of care to patients, supported and supervised by senior therapists.

2. The post holder will carry out clinical tasks to support the dietetics, speech therapists and occupational therapists therapy team such as supervision of daily individual rehabilitation and developmental sessions and also speech therapy and dietary reviews, delegated by qualified staff, requiring a wide range of technical ability, as well as an excellent level of interpersonal skills.

3. The post holder will carry out clinical assessments independently, within their Assistant Practitioner competency framework. They will assist in the initial therapy assessment of referrals to the adult heart therapy team.

4. They will provide a key role in the management of stable adult in-patients on oral nutritional support and inpatients with food allergy. This will include initial assessment and screening, with regular reassessment and monitoring during the hospital stay. This will also include organising discharge follow-up with local GP and community services.

5. They will also act as lead for the distribution of dietary products, this will include liaison with the catering department and various nutritional product companies. In addition to these regular roles, undertake teaching on health promotion and audit work across the therapy services.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK’s best known hospitals – Guy’s, St Thomas’, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield – as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation.

We are among the UK’s busiest, most successful foundation trusts. We provide specialist care for patients including heart and lung, cancer and renal services.

Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals joined Guy’s and St Thomas’ in February 2021 and is the largest specialist heart and lung centre in the UK and among the largest in Europe. We provide treatment for people with heart and lung disease, including rare and complex conditions, offering some of the most sophisticated treatment that is available anywhere in the world.

Our integrated approach to caring for patients from before birth, through childhood, adolescence and into adulthood and old age has been replicated around the world and has gained Royal Brompton and Harefield an international reputation as a leader in heart and lung diagnosis, treatment and research.

We are working in partnership with King’s Health Partners, to deliver our vision of creating a new centre of excellence, which will be the global leader in the research into and treatment of heart and lung disease, in patients from pre-birth to old age.

Patient care objectives

1. To work as a core member of the Heart Therapy Team.

2. To work effectively within the Multidisciplinary Team and commit to providing quality care and service development by participating in, and contributing to, quality improvement initiatives.

3. To perform complex aspects of patient care in the hospital, with direct and indirect supervision such as carrying out daily supervised patient rehabilitation/developmental sessions.

4. To perform complex aspects of assessment and patient care this may be in the hospital or out-patient clinics.

5. To use appropriate and safe manual handling techniques with patients requiring neuro rehabilitation and therapeutic facilitation to achieve set goals.

6. To be responsible for performing given tasks and reporting any concerns to the Specialist Therapists or appropriate member of the clinical team through daily feedback.

7. To be aware of and adhere to the Trust policies and procedures, including infection control.

8. The postholder will support the Therapy Team team in managing electronic referrals and liaising with the appropriate senior therapist.

9. The postholder will accept in-patients referred for oral nutritional support (according to MUST score) and food allergy, and manage these via set protocols as their own caseload.

10. To treat patients according to relevant allied health professional standards e.g. treat patients according to set dietetic standards and protocols for oral nutritional support and food allergy, monitoring and modifying care plans as required

11. To be aware of and adhere to local policies and procedures.

12. To use assessments made during a treatment session, along side patient feedback and liaison with a Specialist/Senior Therapist, to change and progress treatment sessions in the future.

13. Maintain accurate, comprehensive and up to date patient records and mandatory statistical information to reflect care provided. To participate in audits as required.

Educational objectives

To gain the required knowledge and skills in the relevant technical and clinical procedures, and to maintain those skills working under the Assistant Practitioner Competency programme under the supervision of Specialist/Senior Therapists.

To develop and maintain knowledge of rehabilitation, cardiology and cardio-thoracics

To attend and participate in department in-service training.

To continue to gain practical knowledge that will support the delivery of care to this particular group of patients.

To support the day-to-day running of specialist rehabilitation from the therapy team and occasionally cover tasks outside of normal day to day responsibility at an appropriate level to this banding.

To maintain awareness of safe practise and the need for onward referral and communication with relevant services, particularly when lone working.

Organisational and management objectives

To take responsibility for the organisation and provision of Therapy equipment, ensuring patients have appropriate equipment and up to date guidance regarding cleaning and infection control, as well as stock taking and annual servicing.

To undertake patient related administration tasks for the therapy team

Manage and prioritise own clinical caseload as delegated by the Senior Therapist.

To assist in the development of information for patients and their families, particularly around rehabilitation

To maintain an efficient and accurate record system.

To keep accurate and up to date clinical records in line with Trust and department standards.

To use IT skills, collating input, maintaining patient database and accessing patient data as required.

Adhere to directorate procedures for the use of supplies and equipment in order to promote the effective and efficient use of resources. Assist in the restocking of supplies and maintenance of equipment as directed by a Senior Therapists.

Participate in the Trust’s appraisal and personal development plan schemes by meeting with the manager regularly and continually working towards set objectives.

Communication

Demonstrate a courteous and helpful approach to patients and their families, ensuring patients feel reassured and supported.

Carry out assigned administrative tasks as directed by a Senior Therapists.

Take patient phone calls and seek advice from Specialist Therapists when appropriate, and to use reassurance skills that require tact and persuasion on occasions.

Report untoward incidents and any other relevant information to a Specialist Therapist immediately.

Inform a Therapist if asked to carry out a task that the individual does not have the training or capacity to do.

Promote the corporate image of the Trust to all individuals, groups and organisations, both within the Trust and externally to the community at large.

Participate fully as a team member, sharing knowledge and information and supporting colleagues, to promote a cohesive team.

Information management

To participate in research, audit, and quality improvement programmes for the Therapy team.

Undertake relevant training for electronic information systems in place and under development.

To maintain strict confidentiality regarding patient information, adhering to trust policies and procedures.

To be responsible for managing and maintaining personal diary and to organise time autonomously and effectively.