Job summary
Employer heading
Lymphoedema Assistant
Band 3
Job overview
We are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic and highly motivated Lymphoedema Assistant to join our friendly and dynamic team. The successful applicant will assist the lymphoedema team to deliver assessment and treatment to outpatients with lymphoedema and provide administrative support.
Lymphoedema is a chronic and disabling condition that can affect any part of the body and occur at any age. Lymphoedema requires life-long management including skin care, compression, lymphatic drainage, exercise and weight management. Training in lymphoedema and patient self-management strategies will be provided but applicants should be able to demonstrate a caring attitude, excellent communication skills and the ability to work well with patients and other healthcare professionals.
Main duties of the job
To assist the Lymphoedema Team in the provision of Complex Lymphoedema Therapy
To undertake delegated patient assessment and treatment
To assist in clinic alongside the Lymphoedema Therapists.
Utilising judgemental skills, required to assess and evaluate patient clinical conditions within the parameters set by the lymphoedema service.
Recognise and report clinical changes and signs of deterioration and emotional distress, reporting to appropriate members of the lymphoedema team
To use effective communication skills, verbal and non-verbal to communicate treatment programmes to patients who have barriers to understanding and communicating
To encourage the bariatric patient group to adhere to treatment and to continue with dietary and exercise plans over a long period of time, being aware of the multi-factorial nature of obesity and body image concerns of the patient
To teach skin care to patients, with a view to preventing cellulitis, especially around foot care, nail care and check their compliance on follow up visits.
To carry out limb volume measurements and calculations and be able to present accurate information from results calculated
To be responsible for maintaining accurate written records of patients in line with RCHT documentation guidelines
To answer patient’s telephone / email queries, addressing concerns or passing on as appropriate
To manage discharge letters, including conveying clear prescription details and codes
Working for our organisation
The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) is the main provider of acute and specialist care services in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. We serve a population of around 500,000 people - a figure that can increase significantly with visitors during the busiest times of the year. We employ approximately 6,700 staff and have a budget of approximately £580 million.
We are a teaching hospital in partnership with the University of Exeter Medical School, University of Plymouth School of Nursing and Midwifery, and Peninsula Dental School.
The Knowledge Spa on the Royal Cornwall Hospital site is the base for medical and nursing as well as ongoing education for health professions in clinical and non-clinical roles.
Keeping at the forefront of medical advances, we are continually developing our clinical services as well as our facilities and are committed to maximising the range of specialist care that can be offered locally. Allied to this is a growing reputation for research and innovation.
Sustainability is integral to the Trust achieving the NHS Net Zero target. All staff are therefore actively encouraged and supported to implement new ways of working within their field of expertise.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
PLEASE NOTE: To view the full Job Description and Person Specification, please click the supporting document on the right-hand side.
To be an employee of the NHS you need to successfully complete the following:
- Identity Checks
- Professional registration and qualification checks
- Employment history and reference checks
- Work health assessments
- Criminal record check standards
- Right to work checks
For further information please visit:
www.nhsemployers.org/topics-networks/employment-standards-and-regulation
Many of our staff work flexibly in many different ways. Please talk to us at interview about any flexible working arrangements you would prefer or require. While we may not be able to fully accommodate all requests, such requests will not be referenced during the interview scoring process, and we will fully consider and try to accommodate them for successful applicants.
We reserve the right to close this advert early, or when the allocated number of applications has been reached. Please submit your application at the earliest opportunity.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Good general education up to GCSE or equivalent.
Desirable criteria
- NVQ qualification or equivalent evidence of recent study
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of working with elderly or disabled people.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working in a care environment
Practical & Intellectual Skills
Essential criteria
- Good communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to communicate with patients with impaired communication abilities.
- Computer Skills including Microsoft Excel.
- Able to undertake the physical nature of the post including moving and handling patients and equipment, kneeling, sitting on heels, move inert adult limbs, support patients while walking, manual handling and transfer patients, push wheelchairs, use hoists on a daily basis.
- Good literacy and numeracy skills and ability to keep accurate legible, patient and departmental records.
- Able to maintain confidentiality
- Planning and organisational skills to cope with day-to-day tasks and activities.
- Ability to work single handed with individual patients within established guidelines.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of using RCHT clinical IT programmes such as PAS and Maxims.
DISPOSITION/ ADJUSTMENT/ ATTITUDE
Essential criteria
- Responsible attitude.
- Able to demonstrate empathy, motivate and persuade patients with impaired cognitive abilities or physical senses.
- Able to work as a team member.
- Good organisational skills and able to use initiative.
- Able to undertake the physical nature of the post including moving and handling. patients and equipment, kneeling, sitting on heels, move inert adult limbs, support patients while walking, Manual Handling and transfer patients, push wheelchairs, use hoists on a daily basis
Training
Essential criteria
- Willing to undertake training as required for the post, including assistant competencies and computer training
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
- Emma Underwood
- Job title
- Lymphoedema Specialist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01872 252885
- Additional information
Shelley Johnson Lymphoedema Technician [email protected] 07826935806
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