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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To assist qualified allied health professionals, including occupational therapists and physiotherapists in the delivery of neurological rehabilitation in a variety of settings.
• To work without direct supervision, but under the direction of the qualified staff in the performance of specific tasks for an individual or group, as part of their treatment and rehabilitation programmes. This may be in a community setting such as the patient’s own home, local shops or in a sports and leisure or day care setting as a lone worker or with a qualified professional. It will include both individual one to one sessions and group sessions.
• To undertake routine assessment of people with neurological presentations using investigative and analytical skill, under guidance of a qualified allied health professional.
• To pre-screen patients including gathering of information and performing delegated objective and outcome measurement testing
• To formulate and deliver a standard individual management and or treatment programme, under guidance of a qualified therapist.
• To use assistive devices and technology, as designated and appropriate, for assessment, treatment and evaluation purposes.
• To teach the use of walking aids, exercise equipment and aids and adaptations, including assessment and teaching of safety factors.
• To undertake routine wheelchair assessments and referrals, under the direction of a qualified member of staff.
• To carry out access visits into service user`s homes and collate and communicate relevant information and measurements back to the therapy team.
• To accompany service users on home visits prior to discharge and communicate with relatives and carers regarding continuation of treatment at home.
• To transport service users and equipment in the wheelchair accessible vehicle for the purposes of home and community visits.
• To evaluate clinical progress and alter treatment programmes if required, in liaison with a qualified allied health professional.
• To contribute to the discharge planning process in collaboration with the service users and other members of the multidisciplinary team; to ensure safe and effective discharge.
• Initiate and process referrals to voluntary sector organisations and support groups.
• To be responsible for regular safety checks of equipment as delegated. To undertake duties on own initiative contributing to the cleanliness and tidiness and maintenance of the department contributing to a high level of hygiene with infection control protocols.
• To be aware of the health and safety aspects of working and implement any policies which may be required to improve the safety of the work area, including the prompt recording and reporting of accidents to senior staff, and ensuring that equipment used is safe.
• To comply with the organisational and department policies and procedures and to be involved in the reviewing and updating as appropriate.

• To assist in delegated data collection and audits.
• To contribute to health promotion and awareness events.
• To attend organised training sessions, including all mandatory trust training and any appropriate in-service training arranged by the service or identified in the appraisal process.
• To maintain own continuing professional development (CPD) by developing and maintaining current knowledge and experience at professional level, through experience, competency training and formal qualifications. To maintain a portfolio which reflects this.
• To make suggestions of ways to improve service delivery and contribute to relevant research and service development projects.

• To be involved in the training, development and supervision of therapy and rehabilitation support staff including therapy students.
• To teach other rehabilitation assistants in your skilled areas of rehabilitation and be an active member of peer support meetings and training programmes.
• To take responsibility for delegated areas of support work including monitoring and feeding back to qualified staff, and assist in the co-ordination and management of these tasks with the other rehabilitation assistants within the team . These may include:
  • Stock monitoring and ordering
  • Equipment and environmental safety and infection control checks
  • Up to date information packs and leaflets for patients and carers
  • Food hygiene safety checks

• To communicate effectively and appropriately to patients, family, carers, doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, dietitians, speech and language therapists, clinical psychologists, adult care services, voluntary sector organisations and volunteers, Hertfordshire wheelchair service and Hertfordshire Equipment Service.
• To provide advice, teaching and instruction to patients, relatives, carers and other professionals, to promote understanding of the aims of neurological rehabilitation and self-management, and to ensure a coordinated and holistic approach to patient care.
• To communicate with relevant medical and nursing staff, social workers and other health care professionals, and patients’ relatives and carers who may be in direct contact with the post holder with regard to patient care.
• Communicate with the other members of the multi-professional team, regarding changes in the patient’s condition or any other useful information.
• To identify barriers to effective communication which will include cognitive impairment, expressive and receptive communication difficulties, embarrassment, anxiety, pain, fear, visual/hearing impairment and English not being their first language.  To implement effective strategies to overcome these barriers.
• To communicate effectively with relatives and carers regarding patient care, progress and discharge plans, with consent of the patient involved.
• To communicate effectively with service users in both one to one and group sessions.
• To actively participate in keeping up to date with trust and department communication bulletins and messages via e-mail, intranet, social media and  staff meetings.
• To be able to explain and promote the role of Hertfordshire Neurological Rehabilitation Service to department visitors and the public. 

• To maintain accurate and timely assessment and treatment records in line with legal, departmental and Trust requirements, and communicate assessment and treatment outcomes appropriately in the form of letters and reports using professional terminology.
• To input appropriate, timely and accurate information onto the SystmOne electronic patient record programme.
• To have a working knowledge of IT systems including Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel spreadsheets and be able to navigate the internet. To achieve and maintain a level of information technology relevant to all areas of work.
• To collate and input designated data collection as part of the department`s quality targets, service review and audit processes.

Word versions of documents are available if needed to allow for any adaptations to be made i.e. font, colour, background, convert to Read Aloud.