Senior Occupational Therapist (SMH Band 6)

Job responsibilities

To work as part of the St. Michaels Hospice therapy team to deliver a high-quality occupational therapy service, to patients requiring Specialist Palliative Care, diagnosed with a life-limiting illness. To assess patients holistically to manage their symptoms better, optimise their independence, and quality of life.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical

High standards of Professional Practice HCPC code of professional practice.

To deliver high quality, safe and effective care to patients, their loved ones & relatives.

To provide holistic OT assessment of patients needs in all SMH settings.

Therapeutic handling of patients for assessment of functional activities, such as personal care, toileting, dealing with incontinence and handling of body fluids, wound fluids, hand hygiene.

Implementing plans and programmes that have been agreed with the patient and, where possible, their main carer.

Review and evaluate outcomes of interventions and adapt as needed.

Attend and participate in all clinical meetings as allocated by the Therapy Team Lead

Plan, organise and prioritise own caseload whilst assisting in managing the priorities of others in the team, such as the Therapy Assistant and students.

Demonstrate patient advocacy through all aspects of care.

Ensure accurate and timely documentation to support Occupational Therapy intervention and actions in line with professional standards, local policies, and procedures.

To work flexibly to meet the needs of the service

To work closely with the Therapy team to support the highest standards of care is delivered.

Completion of access visits to assess home environment, prior to discharge planning from the inpatient unit.

Outcomes of any assessment must be agreed with the patient and their main carer and documented clearly in patient record.

Take responsibility for the patient within their own home and when lone working.

Prescription of equipment, giving advice, instruction, and visual documentation on its safe use.

Explain the use of and teach, moving and handling techniques, with equipment to patients, relatives, and carers.

Develop and maintain effective relationships with local equipment services.

Communication

• Demonstrate effective communication with patients, relatives, and carers.
• Able to communicate complex or sensitive information
• Communicate respectfully in an open manner to colleagues and patients.

To recognise and offer support to colleagues when needed.

To ensure that you respect the individuals, values and spiritual beliefs of patients and staff.

Competent in a range of electronic communication systems and external systems such as EPR, CHIE.

Always maintain patient confidentiality.

Leadership

To be a role model in your practice

Identify risk and escalate accordingly.

Effective time and workload management.

To supervise junior staff members and students on a daily basis

Line manage junior staff with support and guidance from the Therapy Team Lead

Delegate tasks effectively and appropriately to therapy assistant/s and to the clinical admin team.

Participate in annual appraisal and supervisions with line manager

Education and training

Bring specialist OT knowledge and skills to the wider MDT.

Maintain and develop own specialist skills and knowledge.

To demonstrate current evidence-based practice and to share this this knowledge to ensure delivery of high-quality care.

To contribute to the in-house education and training programme, including student placements and multi-professional education sessions.

Take an active part in case reviews.

Be responsible for developing self-awareness through reflective practice and participation in clinical supervision.

Resource Management

• Awareness of the budgetary considerations.
• To use the clinical resources in a timely and effective manner
• As appropriate ensure accurate collection of activity data.
• To ensure safe and effective use of equipment.

• Where appropriate support recruitment and retention of staff.
• Able to order equipment from a range of sources in line with patient need.

General Responsibilities

Work to maintain the values, vision and aims of St. Michaels Hospice.

Additional Duties In discussion with the line manager to undertake work, as and when required, in support of St. Michaels Hospice as an organisation.

Public Relations To represent St. Michaels Hospice in the community and public domain, including social media, appropriately which could occasionally be out of working hours.

Undertake all statutory and mandatory training as required.

To be conversant with and adhere to all St. Michaels Hospice Policies and Procedures.

Be responsible for upholding and promoting St. Michaels Hospice safeguarding policies, ensuring the safety and well-being of all individuals, and promptly reporting any concerns or incidents in accordance with established procedures.

This is an outline job description and may be subject to change, according to the needs of the service, in consultation with the post holder.

Take responsibility for own personal safety and of others whilst at work. You will take appropriate action or report any concerns to address any health and safety issues that you or members of your team may be aware of.

This job description is an outline of the role and responsibilities. From time to time, due to the needs of the service, we may ask you to flexibly undertake other duties that are consistent with your role and banding, including project work, internal job rotation and absence cover.

Other requirements

Essential

• Full clean driving licence
• Access to transport to travel within the community setting across the SMH catchment area.
• Business use on vehicle insurance

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working with people who have life-limiting illnesses.
• Working with people who have complex physical and psychological needs.
• Working in a multi-professional team.
• Supervision of junior members of staff
• Experience of working with patients/families in the community.
• Evidence of working autonomously

Desirable

• Experience of working with a range of conditions seen in palliative care, such as motor neurone disease, types of cancer, respiratory, coronary disease etc
• Experience of individual or group outpatient work.
• Evidence of working autonomously in the community.
• Line manager experience

Skills, knowledge, abilities

Essential

• Accessing equipment from Integrated Community Equipment Service and other providers.
• Familiar with fitting a range of adaptive equipment, standard and specialist.
• Evidence of excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Able to identify and communicate with people who have complex communication needs.
• Excellent listening skills.
• IT literate.

Desirable

• Experience of non-invasive ventilation, cough assist equipment and Tracheostomy care.
• Advanced Communication Course.

Attitude, aptitudes, personal characteristics

Essential

• Ability to deal with complex patient needs and in difficult situations
• Flexible and adaptable.
• Able to recognise own limitations.

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree or Diploma in Occupational Therapy.
• HCPC registration.
• Evidence of continued professional development, including reflective practice, in service training courses attended, participation in clinical governance.

Desirable

• Post graduate courses relevant to the speciality
• Member of special interest group
• Masters study

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).