Rehabilitation Assistant

Rehabilitation Assistant
Location: St Peter & St James Hospice, North Common Road, North Chailey, East Sussex, BN8 4ED
Salary: £25,810 - £27,529 Per annum
Hours: 37.5, 5 days a week (Mon - Fri)
Contract: Permanent full-time
Closing Date: 22nd November, interviews will take place on the 26th November.

Are you a compassionate and motivated individual who is passionate about helping people maintain their independence and quality of life?

As our Rehabilitation Assistant, you will work alongside our Therapy Team to support patients across the hospice, community and Living Well services. You'll play a vital role in delivering rehabilitative palliative care, helping patients achieve their individual goals while providing valuable support to families and carers. If you are caring, proactive and enjoy working as part of a multidisciplinary team, we'd love to hear from you.

What you'll be doing

• Support the delivery of rehabilitative palliative care programmes under the guidance of qualified Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists.
• Assist patients to work towards their individual rehabilitation goals, maximising independence, function and quality of life.
• Deliver delegated rehabilitation interventions, including mobility practice, exercise programmes, activities of daily living, breathlessness management and transfer practice.
• Support patients and carers in the safe use of rehabilitation equipment and aids.
• Assist with the planning and delivery of group activities and programmes within our Living Well Centre.
• Undertake home visits, environmental screenings and basic risk assessments in line with agreed procedures.
• Provide compassionate practical and emotional support to patients, families and carers.
• Monitor and report changes in patients' condition, progress or risks to the supervising therapist and wider multidisciplinary team.
• Maintain accurate patient records, outcome measures and risk assessments using agreed systems and documentation standards.
• Manage an allocated workload, including appointment scheduling, equipment ordering and administrative duties.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, volunteers and external healthcare professionals to provide coordinated patient care.
• Participate in multidisciplinary meetings, supervision, training and competency development activities.

What we're looking for

• NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care or relevant experience within a hospice, therapy department or care setting.
• Knowledge and understanding of a care or rehabilitation environment.
• Understanding of the role of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy within patient care.
• Knowledge of palliative care and rehabilitative palliative care principles.
• Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to adapt your approach to meet individual needs.
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office, Outlook and electronic patient record systems.
• Ability to recognise changes in a patient's condition and escalate concerns appropriately.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise a varied workload.
• Ability to work independently within agreed competencies whilst seeking guidance when required.
• A flexible approach to work and commitment to supporting the needs of the wider hospice service.
• Access to your own vehicle for home visits.

The following would be advantageous but are not essential:

• NHS Care Certificate.
• Previous experience working as a Band 3 Rehabilitation or Therapy Assistant.
• Experience supporting patients in group settings.
• Experience using SystmOne.

Why join us?

• The opportunity to make a genuine difference to the lives of patients and their families.
• A rewarding role within an experienced and supportive multidisciplinary team.
• The chance to develop your rehabilitation skills within a specialist palliative care environment.
• Ongoing training, supervision and professional development opportunities.
• A values-led organisation committed to compassion, respect, excellence and teamwork.
• The opportunity to contribute to innovative, person-centred rehabilitative palliative care services.

If you are a caring, enthusiastic and organised individual who is committed to helping people live as well as possible for as long as possible, we would love to hear from you.

Please find the full job description and person specification at the top of the page.

If you have any questions about the role or require any additional support or reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please contact Katie Dimelow Rehabilitation Service Lead by emailing kdimelow@stpjhospice.org.