Occupational Therapist

Job Details:

Banding: 6 

Hourly Rate: £22 - £24 per hour 

Working Hours: 9.00 - 16.00 

Payment Method: Umbrella 

Contract Type: Locum

Contract Length: Ongoing 

Job Summary:

Our STAR values are at the heart of everything we do. You can expect to see them in the way we act and the way we treat each other. Our values make us who we are.

Service We will put our patients first

Teamwork We will work together

Ambition We will aspire to provide the best service

Respect We will act with integrity.

To manage and lead the day-to-day organisation of band 5 Occupational Therapists & band 4/3/2 staff where appropriate within Acute Occupational Therapy. Manage and be responsible for a highly complex assigned clinical caseload using an interdisciplinary, patient focused, rehabilitative approach for a broad range of conditions, within Acute Occupational Therapy.

Main Responsibilities and Duties

1. To foster good communication and develop strong networks with other members of the interdisciplinary Team, multi-disciplinary team members, carers and external agencies concerned with the management of the patient.

2. To be an Occupational Therapy lead within the interdisciplinary team providing specialist advice within Intermediate Care, Social Services, independent and voluntary agencies.

3. To provide clinical leadership and specialist advice, through the supervision, coaching and education, for students, band 5/4/3/2 Occupational Therapy staff and support workers and other members of the interdisciplinary Team.

4. To identify service development needs, contribute to the planning, development and evaluation of the service, and hold responsibility for defined projects.

5. To contribute to the recruitment of staff and development of recruitment resources, working alongside the Occupational Therapy team lead.

6. To be aware of own limitations in clinical experience and utilise the expertise of other senior staff and agencies involved in patient care.

7. To manage clinical and personal risk within own caseload and others within the service area e.g. working at times as a lone practitioner, dealing with exposure to bodily fluids, inclement weather, environmental hazards, unpredictable environments / people (fleas, excrement, animals or aggression).

8. To participate and contribute to multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary team diagnostic process and decisions regarding patient/client care establishing strong communication networks.

9. To communicate effectively, share information appropriately and work collaboratively, with other members of the interdisciplinary team, multi-disciplinary team, carers, families and external agencies.

10. To provide leadership and input into the discharge process, ensuring adequate follow-up and appropriate referral onto other agencies e.g. Social Services, Crisis Team, voluntary sector, health professionals and specialist colleagues.

11. To assist and take responsibility where delegated, in the management and maintenance of department equipment monitoring resources in collaboration with Occupational Therapy Team Lead.

12. Manage plan and negotiate change within the specialist area in collaboration with the therapy leadership team.

13. To hold regular therapy team meetings to organise service provision, facilitate training and ensure there is effective communication within the designated specialist area.

14. To be responsible for negotiating, organising and planning own and designated service area’s workload to meet service priorities. Working in an adaptable and flexible manner to manage own professional diary, incorporating sufficient time to prioritise and respond to unpredictable occurrences affecting own and others workload whilst maintaining planned work e.g. face-to-face contact, professional development and meetings and time to concentrate on analysis of assessments and written work.

15. To attend and participate in staff meetings, deputising for Occupational Therapy Team Lead as required.

16. To initiate, organise and lead meetings e.g. case conferences, family meetings, service development groups.

17. To follow departmental, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, CQC outcomes, and Great Western Hospital NHS Foundation Trust policies and procedures.

18. To comply with HCPC and the College of Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, national guidelines and Trust procedures.

19. To demonstrate the ability to reflect on ethical issues and to provide professional guidance to staff as necessary.

20. To critically appraise and modify professional practice where needed using guided reflection and effective use of professional and operational supervision.

21. To participate in the appraisal process as an appraisee developing a personal development plan and a portfolio which reflects the development of clinical knowledge and the experience needed to be able to manage the assigned clinical caseload.

22. To be responsible for developing expertise and maintaining own competency by taking opportunities to further both personal and professional development in line with Health Professions Council (HPC) guidelines and local competencies. E.g. leading, attending and contributing to continuous professional development activities such as peer support groups, in-service training sessions, external courses, journal clubs and conducting basic teaching sessions with less experienced staff and peers.

23. To demonstrate leadership including change management skills through the management of designated projects, which contribute to the department’s clinical governance and service development plan and its implementation e.g. leading audits, developing care pathways, setting and monitoring of standards, being the occupational therapy lead in interdisciplinary working groups.

24. To demonstrate an understanding of national guidelines and legislation relating to health and social care and their impact on service provision.

25. To demonstrate a sound understanding of clinical governance and risk management and applying this to work situations.

26. Represent your service at professional forum taking on committee responsibilities as required.

Patient Care

27. To provide highly skilled and specialist assessments of occupational performance, plan, implement and evaluate evidenced based client centred interventions maintaining the associated records in compliance with the standards from the College Of Occupational Therapy, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Care Quality Commission (CQC) and The Great Western Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

28. To use highly developed and advanced specialist skills to screen, prioritise and delegate referrals to the service following service standards and referring to other agencies where necessary.

29. To act as a specialist clinician within Acute Occupational Therapy Service and carry a complex diverse case load which may include medical, neurological, traumatic brain injury, surgical, musculo-skeletal and psychiatric conditions.

30. To be highly skilled in using and reporting on standardised and non-standardised Occupational Therapy assessments to diagnose and analyse highly complex patient needs in the context of the daily activities following department standards and protocols.

31. To assess the need for and to carry out assessment of the home environment making recommendations and referral for adaptations or equipment provision i.e. an environmental assessment without patient, a home assessment with patient, or a home assessment to prevent unnecessary hospital admission.

32. To assess the need for and carry out functional assessments within hospital, home or community setting. This may involve therapists working in cramped, uncomfortable, unpleasant surroundings, which require constant risk assessment.

33. To assimilate and use information and assessments provided by other professionals.

34. To devise Occupational Therapy treatment plans and goals in collaboration with the patient, relatives, their carers and the multidisciplinary team.

35. To apply a high level of understanding of the effect of disability, to be able to educate patients, relatives and carers in issues relating to their diagnosis/prognosis and promote an understanding of its functional implications and the adaptation required.

36. To use advanced skills in analysing, selecting and grading activity to achieve therapeutic goals, on an individual basis, monitoring and evaluating outcomes and adjusting interventions e.g. activities include therapeutic handling of patients, using hoists, taking therapeutic equipment into patient’s home or to a ward area.

37. To be a specialist in the assessment for, prescription and issue of equipment and advise on adaptations appropriate to meet the patient’s needs, following manufacturer’s instructions, local guidelines and departmental competencies.

38. To deliver and fit adaptive equipment for patients which may be transported in vehicles (own/lease car) and involve carrying equipment manually on a daily basis in adherence with safe systems of work.

39. To ensure that up to date written and electronic records, reports and activity data are maintained for self and their Occupational Therapy team in accordance with professional and local standards.

40. To ensure effective communication with patient, relatives or carers regarding therapy ensuring valid informed consent is acquired, within the legal framework.

41. To communicate the needs of patient and carers effectively, in a professional manner at ward rounds, case conferences, multidisciplinary meetings and other patient-focused discussions utilising effective negotiating and listening skills and demonstrating high level clinically reasoned rationale on a daily basis.

42. To ensure that the patient is involved in all aspects of their therapy, providing support for other members of staff where required, to make information / communication accessible and understandable to patients, families, carers and other people, especially when barriers exist e.g. language barriers, hearing deficits, cognitive, perceptual and memory difficulties and challenging family dynamics and highly emotive atmospheres.

43. To assess for and issue manufactured and custom made splints if required.

Financial Responsibilities

The post holder is not responsible for a budget but will support their managers to make efficient and effective use of resources. All staff are responsible for identifying any actual or potential deviation from budgets and are to work with the budget holder or manager to find effective ways of handling it.

Responsibilities for people or training

44. To attend mandatory training as required by Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and maintain accurate attendance records.

45. To respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of clients whilst contributing to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs.

46. To provide highly skilled support and education to patients, carers and staff regarding highly complex aspects of Occupational Therapy e.g. equipment fitting, manual handling, personal care, and the role of Occupational Therapy within the context of the multidisciplinary team.

47. To communicate and support other staff in the communication of sensitive or unwelcome information regarding patient’s rehabilitation, goals, progress, potential for recovery and recommended discharge destinations to patients, relatives, carers and associated agencies and other professionals. At times this process may be stressful and involve difficult issues e.g. patient being unsafe to go home which can result in dealing with anger, anxiety and distress, differences in professional opinion.

48. To be responsible for co-ordination and management of day-to-day activities and supervision of delegated work to band 5/4/3/2 Occupational Therapy staff and students on placement, on a daily basis.

49. To work collaboratively with other band 6 colleagues to provide leadership, organise workloads and meet service demands when Occupational Therapy Team Lead is absent.

50. To provide advice for others and maintain a safe working environment for patients, relatives, carers, and staff in accordance with health and safety regulations.

51. To promote the profession and service appropriately e.g. junior doctor inductions, in-service training for other professions, specialist open days, conferences, careers conventions, writing for publication.

52. To provide effective guidance, supervision and appraisal of band 5/4/3/2 staff in their specialist area.

53. To use specialist knowledge and teaching skills to provide support, guidance, coaching, and mentorship to band 5/4/3 staff and students assessing and contributing to the evaluation of competence against relevant frameworks.

54. To lead and be responsible for the supervision, written assessment and training of occupational therapy students on practice placement within the designated clinical area and support band 5 Occupational Therapists in their development as student supervisors.

Flexibility

This job description is not intended to be exhaustive and it is likely that duties may be altered from time to time in the light of changing circumstances, in discussion with the post holder. This role profile is intended to provide a broad outline of the main responsibilities only. The post holder will need to be flexible in developing the role with initial and on-going discussions with the designated manager.

Essential Candidate Criteria:

Education, Qualifications and Training:

• Diploma / degree Occupational Therapy.
• Registered field work educator.
• Evidence of postgraduate learning relevant to clinical area.
• Evidence of continuing Professional Development.
• Registered with Health professions council.
  

Experience:

• Experience of working within the specific clinical area.
•  Broad clinical experience e.g. surgical, ED, neurology, medical, orthopaedic, hand injuries, rehabilitation.
• Experience of providing a broad range of interventions for a complex caseload.
• Use of goal setting and outcome measures
• Experience of providing supervision for junior staff or assistants.
• Lead for student supervision.
• Carrying out and receiving appraisal.
• Experience in and an understanding of clinical governance e.g. audit, risk management, education.
• Application of the Occupational Therapy process and models of practice.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Up to date evidence based clinical knowledge.
• Resource management.
• Organisational awareness.
• Health and safety.
• Ability to prioritise.
• Advanced Clinical Reasoning skills.
• Use of initiative.
• Ability to work to deadlines.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to provide a range of clinical intervention.
• Ability to lead and work as part of a team.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Flexible/adapts to change.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Ability to develop others using training teaching and supervision.
• Advanced teaching and presentation skills.
• Able to access and apply research to own Practice.

Other Job-Related Requirements:

• Willing to work in other areas of the Trust or Trust-wide as and when required to do so.
• Ability to cover 7 day working.
• Ability to travel within the community.
• Willingness to work flexibly.
• Responsibility to promote the welfare of all children, young people and adults and to keep them safe and to practise in a way that protects them from potential harm or abuse.
• To have knowledge of, and follow local policies and procedures regarding acting appropriately to protect vulnerable adults and children at risk.
  

Blackstone Benefits:

• Assigned specialised recruitment consultant
• Access to exclusive and flexible UK locum and permanent jobs
• Complete onboarding support 
• Framework Rates
• Informed tailored career advise 
• Personalised job adverts 
• Unlimited referral bonus 
• Prompt payroll

For further information on this role, please contact Kirsty Chasmer at Blackstone Recruitment on the details provided or APPLY now.