Job summaryWe have an exciting opportunity for a permanent, full-time (37.5 hours per week)Assistant Practitioner (Therapy) post within the Inpatient Therapy Team in the Emergency Medicine and Acute Admissions Team at Watford General Hospital.The successful applicant must have significant experience as a therapy or nursing assistant in the NHS and have a passion for working with patients in the acute setting.They will join a friendly, dedicated therapy team providing high quality care, within a fast paced working environment.The successful candidate may work independently, managing their own caseload and making treatment decisions autonomously for a select group of patients over-viewed/delegated by the qualified Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists on the team.Main duties of the jobThey will be assessing a varied caseload of non-complex patients within the emergency department and acute admissions unit, with the focus to avoid unnecessary admission to hospital and ensure timely and safe discharge.This is a chance to work with our patients to improve their function, help facilitate their discharges from the hospital and enable them to live more independent lives.The role also includes supporting our qualified members of staff to deliver complex treatments to patients and to assist with the running of the department including data collection, referral management and equipment ordering.To enhance your development, you will be line managed, supervised and trained by a tier of Band 6 and 7 Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists within the Emergency Medicine and Acute Admission Team.The successful candidate would have a responsibility in participating in the weekend and Bank Holiday seven day working rotas (1:4 - 1:6 weekend working frequency) that operates on the Watford General Hospital site.About usThere has never been a more exciting time to join West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust!Major redevelopment works are planned as part of the New Hospital Programme. These will be most dramatic at Watford General Hospital where up to 90% of buildings will be new.The trust has recently gained 'teaching hospital' status which reflects the dedicated work of many teams and individuals who have set the standard for delivering high quality training, learning and education at all levels of the workforce.We are a flexible working employerAt West Herts we recognise the importance of a good work life balance and the ability to work flexibly. We are delighted to offer a variety of flexible working options for all staff. Please check out our web page for more information.https://www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/flexibleworking/We encourage and welcome people with disabilities. If you need help, please ask.We reserve the right to close this advert early due to the volume of applicants. Please apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.If you do not hear back within 3 weeks of your application, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.Job descriptionJob responsibilitiesPlease refer to the attached job description and person specification for a full list of duties and details about the role.Person SpecificationEducation and qualificationsEssentialGood general education up to GSCE or equivalentNVQ level 3 in health-related subject or equivalent qualificationNo HCPC required.DesirableEvidence of recent study in field of health care and/or rehabilitation.KnowledgeEssentialUnderstanding of the technical instructor role within rehab and discharge planning.DesirableKnowledge of local services for onward referral.ExperienceEssentialSignificant experience as a therapy or nursing assistant in the NHS.NHS experience in an Acute environment.Experience of managing and prioritising own caseloadDesirableExperience of outcome measures and common rehab techniques.Experience of working with medical patientsDisclosure and Barring Service CheckThis post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.Certificate of SponsorshipApplications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).Employer detailsEmployer nameWest Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustAddressWatford General Hospital64 Vicarage RoadWatfordWD18 0HBEmployer's websitehttp://www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)