Job Description

POST: Complementary Therapy Coordinator

HOURS: 30 – 37.5 hours

ACCOUNTABLE TO: Head of Nursing & Quality

REPORTS TO: Day Therapy Clinical Lead

RESPONSIBLE FOR: Volunteer Complementary Therapists JOB PURPOSE

Develop and provide a complementary therapy service that offers holistic and individually tailored care to

patients and carers both within the hospice and in the wider community in line with developing needs.

Ensure that patients are offered appropriate creative and diverse activities within a therapeutic

environment.

Help patients gain increased feelings of self-worth and maximise their potential.

Empower patients to take control over the life they have left in a way that is meaningful for them.

Lead policy, procedure and protocol to ensure the safe delivery of complementary therapies by a team of

volunteer therapists who are trained and supported.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Day Therapy Clinical Lead Ward Clinical Lead Community Clinical Lead Medical Staff Clinical Staff Volunteers MAIN DUTIES

Clinical

Develop existing services to include a full range of complementary therapies which can be delivered to patients in their own homes.

Develop and ensure robust referral, assessment and review system in place to effectively manage the complementary therapy service.

Carry out therapy treatments and provide after care advice and guidance in accordance with local policies, procedures and National Guidance (e.g. NICE Ensure confidentiality is maintained at all times.

Provide care by providing expert clinical assessment, care planning, care delivery, care evaluation and clinical advice.

Prioritise and coordinate complementary therapy referrals, assessing each patient and offering the appropriate therapy intervention.

Liaise and work with hospice day, community and inpatient services.

Set the highest possible standards of care considering the holistic needs of the patient and his/her family/carer.

Assess patients’ needs for the prescription of essential oils following referral from a medical Practitioner, and in discussion with the Multi-professional Team.

Ensure all patient information entered on EMIS is clear, concise, legible and accurate and meets the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998. Ensure the data in inputted correctly to produce relevant reports for the Hospice and commissioners.

Ensure robust procedures are in place to notify the medical, clinical team and relevant professional bodies of any adverse reactions to essential oils.

Adhere to and ensure that CQC requirements are achieved.

Ensure clients have access to up-to-date clinical and service information leaflets.

Participate in the review and update of patient information on an annual basis.

Be proactive in developing external relationships with other organisations and complementary therapy leads in order to develop partnership working.

Attend and participate in discussions during MTD meetings — presenting patients as appropriate.

Ensure appropriate and timely discharge of clients from allocated complementary therapy caseload.

Represent the clinical team within relevant meetings as determined by the Day Therapy Clinical Lead i.e. Clinical Management Team meetings

Coordinate and manage the appropriate introduction of new therapies, such as mindfulness

Report any identified risks as required.

Be professionally accountable for own practice and adhere to Code of Conduct as laid down by relevant professional association

Deliver a choice of therapies based on assessed needs.

Monitor client’s attendance whilst accessing complementary therapies.

Monitor client’s wellbeing whilst receiving therapies.

Ensure all client appointments are used to maximum capacity.

Arrange clinical reviews as necessary.

Ensure adherence to infection control policies when dealing with at risk clients.

Avoid any behaviour which discriminates against your fellow employees or potential employees on grounds of their sex, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, creed, colour, nationality, ethnic origin or disability.

Behave in a manner that ensures the security of hospice property and resources.

Minimise waste when using products.

Monitor and maintain the complementary therapy stock.

Advise on the need for ordering ancillary equipment for the complementary therapy service.

Support staff by ensuring there are therapy sessions available for them to access, either on a 1-1 basis or as groups. Be able to respond to stress and anxiety in staff, and volunteers.

Participate in research and audit, with the prior agreement of the Medical Director and Head of Nursing and Quality. Apply relevant research findings to own practice, ensuring safety and client-centred care at all times.

Professional Development, Education & Audit

To maintain a personal commitment to the expansion and development of professional skills and knowledge in line with relevant professional body & Hospice requirements and those developments related to annual individual performance review, taking ownership for own development needs.

Keep up to date with skills and knowledge through reading journals, research articles and using the hospices library facilities.

Identify training and coordinate an education programme for volunteers joining the complementary therapy team

Educate relevant staff on the role and development of the complementary therapy team

Maintain up to date portfolio for revalidation required by relevant professional bodies.

Keep an up to date Portfolio of evidence to present to manager for appraisal.

Participate in annual appraisal when job description and objectives will be reviewed

Maintain personal and professional development including e-learning and taught mandatory training.

Record data appropriate to enable you to audit the service.

To participate in areas of creative and complementary therapy research and be able to apply the findings of pertinent research and holistic therapy practice, to the workplace.

Governance

Work autonomously but in compliance with the FHT/ relevant professional body’s code of ethics and professional conduct, national frameworks and local hospice policies and procedures.

Ensure risk policy is adhered to at all times and manage risks within own area of work.

Adhere to and ensure that the Care Quality Commission requirements are achieved.

Ensure all incidents are reported to the Quality Department using the online form.

Maintain confidentiality at all times, which includes, patients, relatives, staff and volunteers.

Deal promptly and sensitively with complaints, resolving where possible, and referring to the relevant Clinical Lead and/or Head of Nursing & Quality.

Work within the specific role boundaries of the Hospice’s complementary therapy protocols and Hospice Clinical Governance framework.

Report any significant events to Day Therapy Clinical Lead.

Work in accordance to the Lone Worker policy when working in community.

Reports any concerns in relation to safeguarding issues relating to any clients or staff to the appropriate member of staff.

Monitor the quality and effectiveness of aromatherapy oils.

Ensure essential oils are stored safely and correctly.

Ensure COSHH fact sheets are available for each product and updated regularly.

Ensure data sheets up to date

Abide by all relevant hospice policies and procedures.

People and departmental management

Recruit, train and support new volunteer complementary therapists

Create and support a cohesive team of practitioners who are qualified in a range of complementary therapies and who can work together in assessing needs and delivering individualised treatment plans

Manage the existing team of complementary therapists.

Ensure that patients have access to complementary therapies across the core working week but also in the evenings and weekends, by ensuring a robust rota system manned by volunteer therapists.

Develop supportive individual and group team meetings for the volunteer therapists.

Be able to recognise and respond to stress and anxiety in self, members of staff and volunteers.

Provide reports on area of work and make recommendations for any changes in service delivery

Proactively contribute to the future development of the complementary therapy service in line with patients changing needs.

Attend regular Reflective Practice sessions.

Educate hospice and external staff in fundamental complementary therapies, to ensure these can

be utilised for all patients accessing SJH services.

OTHER

Be an ambassador for St John’s Hospice as a charity, engaging in public speaking and fundraising initiatives as required and encouraging members of the team to do the same.

Undertake other duties appropriate to the grade as agreed with the Day Therapy Clinical Lead or Head of Nursing & Quality.

Be willing to embrace development opportunities as they arise.

STANDARD/ENHANCED DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENT

Enhanced + Adult Barring Check

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO ST. JOHN’S HOSPICE

1. Confidentiality Each member of the Hospice staff is responsible for ensuring the confidentiality of any information relating

to patients, personal information relating to staff, volunteers, supporters, visitors or contractors, financial

information, commercial information, and for complying with all the requirements of the Data Protection Act

and Caldicot Guidelines whilst carrying out the duties of the post. Any breaches in Hospice confidentiality

will be dealt with by St. John’s Hospice Disciplinary Procedure and may result in dismissal.

2. Health and Safety Each member of the St Johns Hospice staff is responsible for ensuring that they carry out the duties of their

post in accordance with all appropriate Health and Safety legislation, guidance and procedures and they do

not, by any act or omission on their part, create a threat to the Health and Safety of any other person.

3. External Interests

Each member of the St Johns Hospice staff is responsible for ensuring that any external interest

they have do not conflict with the duties of their posts and they must disclose the external interest if this is

likely to occur, or if they are in doubt about a possible conflict with their work. Each member of staff is

reminded to refer to their employment contract in relation to any other secondary work that they may do

alongside working for St John’s Hospice and their obligations under the Working Time Directive.

4. Statutory Training

Each member of the St Johns Hospice staff has a statutory obligation to attend mandatory training.

It is the responsibility of each member of staff to ensure that they comply with this legal requirement.

5. Flexibility

This job description is intended to act as a flexible guide to the duties of the post and therefore will require

revision in consultation with the post holder to reflect the changing requirements of the post, to enable the

St John’s Hospice to achieve its corporate goals and objectives.

6. Safeguarding

Each member of St John’s Hospice staff is responsible for understanding their responsibilities for

Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults in accordance with their job role and any requirements they

are obliged to follow as members of their profession. Staff should seek guidance from their immediate

supervisor if in doubt.

7. Disclosure and Barring

Each member of staff is required to disclose any caution, fine, penalty or criminal conviction that may occur

during the course of employment. This should include any motoring convictions as this may affect the staff

member’s ability to use Hospice vehicles. Any change in circumstance must be reported immediately to

the staff member’s supervisor so that any impact on ability to work in post can be assessed.

8. Equality and Inclusion

Each member of staff is required to undertake their duties with due regard for the provisions of the Equality

Act 2010 i.e. not to discriminate against members of staff, patients, patient family members, volunteers,

supporters, contractors and any visitors to the Hospice.

9. Volunteers

The role of volunteers is integral with the work of St John’s Hospice and paid staff are required to underpin

this in their attitude and actions.