Are you a registered occupational therapist, physiotherapist, or nurse? Have you ever thought of working in a wheelchair service? Are you keen to make a difference to service users and develop your wheelchair knowledge and skills?We are looking for a wheelchair therapist to join our specialist team of therapists, rehabilitation engineers, assistants and administration staff to provide a comprehensive service to people of all ages living with a wide range of disabilities.This maternity cover role includes assessing clients both jointly and on an individual basis either at the Bognor Wheelchair Service clinic or in the community.

You will need to have relevant transferable skills, but do not need to have wheelchair experience to apply, as training and support will be provided through our local induction programme, supervision, internal and external training opportunities. You will need experience of working with people with mobility needs and have an appreciation of the challenges faced by wheelchair users and wheelchair services. An organised, practical and motivated approach is required to meet the needs of the service users, as well as excellent communication skills in liaising with service users, their families and carers, professionals and suppliers. Applicants must hold a full valid driving licence. Please see the job description and person specification for more details.

Main duties of the job

You will be working as part of a teamin providing and facilitating a high standard of assessment, provision of wheelchairs and associated equipment to clients under the guidance of a Specialist Wheelchair Therapist and Rehabilitation Engineer. You will use your clinical reasoning and practical skills towork within a variety of clinical and community settings. With support from senior colleagues, analyse assessment results, evaluate risks and use problem solving and clinical reasoning skills to decide on the products required to enable a client's optimum mobility and / or posture, considering cost effectiveness of the prescription and utilising stock held by the service where possible. Takingaccount of the presenting needs of the client, their carers and service's eligibility criteria in the planning and implementation of client centred interventions.

About us

We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex. Our 6,000 staff serve a population of 1.3 million providing essential medical, nursing, and therapeutic care to adults and children.

Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community, helping people plan, manage, adapt to changes in their health, supporting avoidable hospital admissions and reducing hospital stay times.

We have opportunities for everyone across our wide variety of services including medical, clinical, support and corporate services.

Why work for us?

• Positive 2023 NHS Staff Survey results, scoring highly in compassionate culture & leadership, and staff wellbeing support
• Variety of working environments across the community, in patients' homes, within our community hospitals and bases across the county
• Supportive flexible working patterns such as: part time, flexi time, annualised hours, and flexi retirement options
• Excellent training and development opportunities
• Research opportunities
• Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove and Brighton
• Thriving BAME, Disability and Wellbeing, LGBT+ and Religion and Belief staff networks
• Level 3 accredited Disability Confident Leader, committed to creating inclusive workplaces
• Veteran Aware Trust, achieving accreditation from Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA)
• Located in stunning Sussex, with easy access to the South Downs and the coast
• Access to a wide range of benefits and discounts for NHS staff

Job description

Job responsibilities

Work effectively as a team member in providing and facilitating a high standard of assessment, provision of wheelchairs and associated equipment to clients under the guidance of a Specialist Wheelchair Therapist and Rehabilitation Engineer

Assess and treat own caseload of clients and maintain own records as an autonomous practitioner as allocated by team lead based on competency level.

Participate in the timely assessment of clients from referral to the provision of equipment.

Demonstrate clinical reasoning and practical skills to work within a variety of clinical and community settings.

Be aware of relevant wider services to ensure appropriate onward referrals where needed.

With support from senior colleagues, analyse assessment results, evaluate risks and use problem solving and clinical reasoning skills to decide on the products required to enable a clients optimum mobility and / or posture, considering cost effectiveness of the prescription and utilising stock held by the service where possible.

Take account of the presenting needs of the client, their carers and services eligibility criteria and to be responsible for the planning and implementation of client centred interventions.

Modify and alter standard seating systems to suit a clients changing needs and in accordance with the manufacturers instructions, with support from the Wheelchair Therapy Technician and Rehabilitation Engineer.

Ensure the safe moving and handling of clients which can include long term immobile and bariatric clients. This may take place in a variety of settings, including clinic rooms, hospital wards, the home and school environment.

Manage clinical risk within own client caseload and working environment under the supervision of the clinical supervisor.

Maintain accurate and comprehensive client intervention records in line with service standards and the relevant professional bodys standards of practice.

Maintain an awareness of best practice principles within occupational therapy/ physiotherapy/ nursing and changing trends in postural and mobility services.

Be responsible when working in the community as a lone practitioner for personal safety, abiding by the Trust and departmental lone working policy.

Maintain a professional portfolio for CPD and demonstrate ongoing reflective practice. Attend and contribute to service relevant meetings and groups.

Manage clinical risk within own client case load and recognise potential risks to others, complying at all times with the requirements of health and safety regulations.

Person Specification

Qualifications and/or professional registration

Essential

• Degree/diploma in OT/Physiotherapy/General Nursing or equivalent from abroad
• Current registration with relevant professional body

Desirable

• Experience of using IT systems eg, patient information systems

other requirements

Essential

• A full valid car driver's license

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working with adults and children with multiple and complex disabilities
• Experience of working in multi-disciplinary team and appreciation of the contribution of different professions to Health & Social Care.

Desirable

• Relevant postgraduate or undergraduate experience in the clinical field

Skills and knowledge

Essential

• Experience of management, prioritisation and delegation of a diverse and busy caseload with supervision and support.
• Promotes choice and independence in undertaking client care.
• Ability to communicate highly sensitive and clinically relevant information both written and verbally.
• Uses a range of communication skills, with an awareness of barriers to communication.
• Good numeracy, literacy and IT skills
• Knowledge of national policies and procedures relevant to the clinical setting
• Knowledge of clinical governance, clinical audit, risk management and clinical supervision
• Knowledge of Professional code of conduct
• Awareness of own level of competency and ability to ask for help appropriately.
• Demonstrate ability to reflect and learn from situations
• Physical ability to manage clients with a physical disability and move wheelchair equipment
• Demonstrate co-operative team working and awareness of the roles of other professionals
• Demonstrates a commitment to learning and development with documented evidence of CPD

Desirable

• Assessment of adults and children with mobility needs to prescribe suitable equipment with in the referral to treatment time scale based on the priority. Caseload allocated by team lead based on competency level.

Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Richard Hotham Unit, Bognor War Memorial Hospital

Shripney Road

Bognor Regis

PO22 9PP

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

150-KB1315-CSS