Job summary An exciting opportunity has arisen for a trainee orthopaedic plaster technician at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. We are looking for a highly motivated individual who is interested in a career within our plaster service. The successful applicant will need to have a good standard of education, excellent interpersonal skills, good manual dexterity and a desire to learn new skills. Orthopaedic plaster technicians work in the field of Trauma & Orthopaedic Outpatients, Fracture Clinic, Accident & Emergency Departments and Operating Theatres. It is your job to apply casts to patients, at the doctor's request following an accident, for elective orthopaedic conditions and following surgery. You will be expected to complete the British Orthopaedic Association Casting Course after a minimum of one year working in the plaster service. Following qualification the person will be expected to remain within the department for a minimum of one year. If you feel you have the character to take on this exciting opportunity please apply for this role. Further information can be found about the British Casting Certificate (BCC) here https://www.boa.ac.uk/learning-and-events/casting-courses.html Main duties of the job This is a developmental role and you will join the team as a trainee orthopaedic plaster technician. Following a minimum of one year working and learning within the plaster room you will be required to complete the British Casting Certificate (BCC). This certificate is validated by the British Orthopaedic Association (BOA) and the Association of Orthopaedic Practitioners UK (AOP UK) and is supported by the Society of Orthopaedic and Trauma Nursing (SOTN) of the Royal College of Nursing. Once the qualification is completed successfully you will receive 60 credits either at Diploma Level 8 SCQF equivalent to Level 5 NQF, or Degree Level 9 SCQF equivalent to Level 6 NQF. The course/examination will be undertaken on a 5-week residential course held at Stanmore Orthopaedic Hospital, London. Completion of the qualification will enable you to work in the plaster service as a Band 4 Junior Qualified Orthopaedic Plaster Technician and then progress into more senior roles as they become available. The qualified Orthopaedic Plaster Technician is a vital member of the healthcare team providing a service not just in Orthopaedics and Trauma but also Trust-wide across many different specialties. In a similar way to Orthotists and Physiotherapists, they interpret prescriptions from a wider multidisciplinary team, being able to discuss issues of care with other relevant Healthcare Professionals. About us MTW is a large acute hospital trust in the south-east of England. We provide a full range of general hospital services and some aspects of specialist and complex care to around 600,000 people living in west Kent and East Sussex. We have a team of over 8,000 full and part-time staff. We also provide specialist cancer services to around 2 million people across Kent and East Sussex via the Kent Oncology Centre. In the 2024 NHS staff survey, our employees ranked MTW among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide and the second-best Trust to work for in the South East. Would you like to work flexibly? In the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important life is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. Date posted 05 November 2024 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 3 Salary £24,071 to £25,674 a year per annum pro rata Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time, Compressed hours Reference number 359-6760957-T1 Job locations Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Hospital Hermitage Lane Maidstone ME16 9QQ Job description Job responsibilities Once your pre-employment checks have been completed you will be contacted by Recruitment to arrange your start date which will be in line with one of our Corporate Inductions. Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure & Barring Service Check at Enhanced Level. (Enhanced level now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children). At MTW, we seek to develop a culture where everyone can reach their full potential with opportunities to grow and develop their career. We recognise and value the unique contributions that each of our staff bring, delivering the best quality care and service to our patients. We are committed to being a diverse employer and strive to reflect everyone in our local communities. We welcome applications from people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences and celebrate the diversity of thought, viewpoints and ideas that will make our Trust the best place to work. We support our staff with disabilities to ensure they have the adjustments they need to be the best they can be in the workplace. Collaborating with Access to Work means that our staff are assessed by experts in the workplace and we ensure that their recommendations are implemented as quickly as possible. You can find out more here: Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition: What Access to Work is - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Interview Date: 16th December 2024. Job description Job responsibilities Once your pre-employment checks have been completed you will be contacted by Recruitment to arrange your start date which will be in line with one of our Corporate Inductions. Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure & Barring Service Check at Enhanced Level. (Enhanced level now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children). At MTW, we seek to develop a culture where everyone can reach their full potential with opportunities to grow and develop their career. We recognise and value the unique contributions that each of our staff bring, delivering the best quality care and service to our patients. We are committed to being a diverse employer and strive to reflect everyone in our local communities. We welcome applications from people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences and celebrate the diversity of thought, viewpoints and ideas that will make our Trust the best place to work. We support our staff with disabilities to ensure they have the adjustments they need to be the best they can be in the workplace. Collaborating with Access to Work means that our staff are assessed by experts in the workplace and we ensure that their recommendations are implemented as quickly as possible. You can find out more here: Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition: What Access to Work is - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Interview Date: 16th December 2024. Person Specification Qualifications Essential Functional skills English and maths level 2 or GCSE English and maths grades A/9 - C/4. The Care Certificate (or equivalent healthcare qualification). NVQ/Diploma level 3 in Healthcare or equivalent experience Desirable Demonstrable ability to study at level 5 (Diploma of Higher Education). Experience Essential Minimum of 12 months full-time equivalent experience in a care setting. Desirable NHS experience. Skills Essential Competent in the use of information and communications technology (ICT). Good interpersonal skills Can understand and communicate factual information accurately. Effective organisational skills. Able to prioritise workload with supervision Desirable Able to demonstrate practical skills to others. Evidence of involvement in supporting/developing less experienced staff. Person Specification Qualifications Essential Functional skills English and maths level 2 or GCSE English and maths grades A/9 - C/4. The Care Certificate (or equivalent healthcare qualification). NVQ/Diploma level 3 in Healthcare or equivalent experience Desirable Demonstrable ability to study at level 5 (Diploma of Higher Education). Experience Essential Minimum of 12 months full-time equivalent experience in a care setting. Desirable NHS experience. Skills Essential Competent in the use of information and communications technology (ICT). Good interpersonal skills Can understand and communicate factual information accurately. Effective organisational skills. Able to prioritise workload with supervision Desirable Able to demonstrate practical skills to others. Evidence of involvement in supporting/developing less experienced staff. Disclosure and Barring Service Check This 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. Employer details Employer name Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust Address Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Hospital Hermitage Lane Maidstone ME16 9QQ Employer's website https://www.mtw.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)