Ahhhhh, the end of the first week of the rest of my career! I started a job as a Rehab Assistant this week at Camden REACH, a service which provides Re-Enablement for Adults in the Community and Home (REACH .. get it?!). The Service?
To provide a single point of referral for people requiring rehabilitation or re-enablement to assist people to remain at home. They also help to prevent hospital admission, support people following hospital discharge and provide care management strategies for people at home with complex or chronic disease. The Team works in collaboration with adults/older people and their relatives/carers, to promote health and maximise independence in mobility, communication, work, leisure and everyday activities.
I work with physiotherapists, occupational therapists, Speech & Language therapists, Social Workers, doctors, nurses, psychologist and dieticians. At first view, it may seem like a step backwards for a graduate/ now qualified physio. I however have noticed in the space of 4 short days that I am 'embedded' in daily NHS physio life. In addition I get to work alongside other therapies/ professions without being pigeon-holed as "the physio" whose only focus is perceived to be mobility issues. In a phrase: eye-opening. Especially as I've been office temping for the last 3 months and was beginning to forget what it was like to practice physio. I now have my own patients and am carrying out treatment programmes. It's nice to be back. And as a community based role, it looks like I will be spending the next few months cycling around the borough of Camden in the Spring/ Summer sunshine ... aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
I actually did a 2nd year placement here (5 weeks) so did not even have the shock of meeting a new team/ environment. For this week, at least - I have slotted right back into it. I hope I can take these positives and build on them, without getting to comfortable in a role where I am over-qualified (or perhaps it would be better to say 'under utilised', given my professional qualification).
This has been an unexpected and welcome break, in a graduate physio job market that, put bluntly, fucking stinks.
Bon Weekend!