Independent Living Officer

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT) are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics.
We are committed to recruiting to our values. Leading One Culture of Care underpins our values by creating an environment, tone and behaviours across all parts of the Trust that are fundamentally rooted in compassionate care.
We are open to considering a wide range of flexible working arrangements. There are opportunities to flex the days of the week, hours and times of work and place of work including: part-time, job-share, flexible working hours and the possibility to work from home when appropriate. Please talk to us during the interview process to discuss any flexibility that you may require.
We received our Silver Award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme which is helping actively promote SaBRE - Supporting Britain's Reservists and Employers. This means that we provided its statement of intent to support all Defence personnel and we welcome application to work for us. Find out more - Why Choose CHFT?
Our Future Plans
The Department of Health and Social Care has awarded capital funding to invest in local health services at both Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary. This is a significant investment and an opportunity to enhance services for our populations in Calderdale and Huddersfield and West Yorkshire for generations to come. To find out more, please visit https://future.cht.nhs.uk, Be a key member of a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency team providing support to adults of all ages who do not require specialist acute hospital admission but require support to maintain their independence within their home setting. Placing emphasis on promoting and maintaining individuals' independence, dignity, and choice, undertaking medical, nursing or therapy related treatment programs or social care intervention to support and enable people., Working across the whole of Calderdale, this role involves assessing a wide variety of situations, providing solutions (equipment, adaptations, and assistive technology), alongside caring and supporting individuals. Participate in new initiatives and future changes in care delivery including the Rapid Reablement Service as part of the Urgent Community Response Team. Support hospital discharges and prevent unnecessary admissions to hospitals., 1. Establish positive relationships with the people we provide care for within professional boundaries, promoting dignity, choice, and respect.
2. Working with people to encourage them to be able and independent by providing support and personal care to a range of service users in vastly different circumstances.
3. Providing personal care, including washing, dressing, toileting, shaving, mouth care, catheter care, feeding, and meal preparation, with the objective of encouraging people to do these tasks independently. Support and enable service users to improve or maintain their mobility through exercise and the use of mobility appliances or fitting equipment ifappropriate.
4. Recording/Documentation - accurately. Read, respond, and act upon support plans, risk assessments, manual handling assessments, medication profiles, and other written information within the person's home. IT skills by completing mileage, booking A/L, toil, and applying for internal training on the system.
5. Assist people, where appropriate, manage and take their prescribed medication according to their individualised medication profile and medication policy, be competent in dispensing medication from boxes and bottles, applying pain patches, contact chemist re medication, collection, and delivery prescriptions. Be competent in assisting a service user with stoma care and catheter care to recognise risks and report concerns to the appropriate person.
6. Assess for equipment, assistive technology, and minor / major adaptations. To consider any preventative measures necessary to maintain independence, provide equipment, demonstrate, and instruct individuals, carers, and other professionals in the safe use of and provide ongoing training when required. Work will be carried out in patients own homes and the activities will include: a) Implementing treatment to protocols and based on competencies. b) Monitoring progress and feeding back to the registered practitioner or assistant practitioner c) Making minor adjustments to treatment programmes within predetermined limits d) Assisting registered practitioners with complex treatment. e) Community participation: support the individual and their families to identify community activities that will support the individual to maintain their connections with themselves, the people, and the environment surrounding them. f) Ability to use technology and interpret data to
inform Reablement plans
7. Attend training as identified through appraisal, in line with national minimum care standards, Skills Training and Council policy, and be proactive in any development opportunities as they arise. To assist in the induction of new colleagues and to maintain positive relationships within the team and beyond.
8. Support and participate in treatment/exercise regimes and rehabilitation plans identified by other team members undertaking basic nursing, occupational therapy and physiotherapy roles following appropriate training, i.e., putting a splint on foot and following the exercise regime laid out, use of walking aids, deliver, and fit equipment.
9. The initiative, to have a responsible attitude and a creative approach, to be open, you try new ways of working with service users and their carers. The ability to work alone and use your own initiative, however, also raise any issues that you feel need supervisory support and may have to deal with any emergency.
10. Will be required to work in the homes of our service users. The types homes include houses, flats, sheltered housing, caravans, etc. some of which may be unpleasant or disagreeable, referring the difficult situations to the Locality Manager or Community Service Manager. This is not a complete statement of all duties and responsibilities of this post. The post holder may be required to carry out any other duties as directed; the responsibility level of any other duties should not exceed those outlined above.
Our vision is to provide One Culture of Care for one another in order that we can provide compassionate care for the people who use our services. We are passionate about creating a workplace where we work together to get results, encouraging colleagues to have their say, in order to co create the change we want to see. We take pride in the diversity of our workforce that's why we encourage applications from all. Reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled applicants.
Please ensure your application is submitted with referees who can verify your employment/education history over the last three years and include valid email addresses for them. We will request electronic Factual Employment References from your previous employers. These references will be requested before you are issued with an unconditional offer of employment letter.
If you are appointed to a post, information will also be transferred into the NHS Electronic Staff Records system. The Inter-Authority Transfer (IAT) process is a critical and beneficial component of ESR and following interview your previous NHS employment data, if applicable will be transferred from your current / most recent employer.
You may be required to undertake a DBS. The Trust will administer the DBS check on your behalf and will recover the cost (Enhanced £41.90, Standard £21.90 or Basic £21.90) from your salary when you commence in post (including Internal staff). You will also be required to participate in the DBS Update Service and pay the £13 cost per year. This is a condition of your employment.
CHFT is part of the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT), a collaborative of the NHS hospital trusts from across West Yorkshire and Harrogate working together to provide the best possible care for our patients.
If you have any questions please contact [email protected] for assistance.