Occupational Therapist

Job responsibilities

Role Summary: Working within the Therapy Team and across wider clinical services, you will provide high-quality assessment and intervention for adults with palliative care needs in both community settings and the hospice. You will manage a varied caseload, prioritising individual needs, and work closely with multidisciplinary colleagues to ensure coordinated, patient-centred care.

Main Responsibilities

• Deliver comprehensive, patient-centred occupational therapy assessments in community settings (e.g. patient homes, care homes) and within hospice in-patient and outpatient services.

• Develop and implement individualised care plans addressing functional ability, symptom management, and psychosocial needs.

• To co-ordinate patient care in co-operation with the other multidisciplinary team members.

• Contribute as a key member of the Community Services Department, including engagement and involvement in projects, and delivering on both personal and operational plan objectives to ensure effective service delivery and development.

• To provide professional and clinical occupational therapy advice and guidance to other hospice staff, other health and social care professionals, including GPs, Consultants, specialist nurses, etc.

• To be responsible for and familiar with specialist equipment within department and reporting any concerns appropriately.

• To implement patient centred treatment/management plans using highly skilled clinical reasoning and choosing from an extensive range of treatment modalities, manual therapy techniques and disease management options as appropriate in a palliative care setting.

• To attend contribute to patient care planning meetings and MDT meetings with the Hospice.

• To provide manual handling advice re: specific patient care issues to hospice staff, carers and family members.

• To contribute fully to the safe discharge process for inpatients, carrying out manual handling and environmental assessments, ordering equipment, liaising with other health and social care professionals.

• To work autonomously using clinical judgement and analytical skills based on experience, knowledge, professional standards and professional Codes of Practice.

• To be professionally accountable for your practice, working within current legislation and adhering to the code of ethics as set out by relevant professional body

Clinical Responsibilities

• Provide interventions to optimise independence in activities of daily living (ADLs), including fatigue management, energy conservation, and adaptive techniques.

• Assess for and arrange provision of appropriate equipment and minor adaptations to support safe living.

• Support patients with complex needs including neurological conditions, cancer, and other progressive and palliative illnesses.

• Contribute to advance care planning, including preferred place of care and discharge planning.

• Provide rehabilitation and reablement where appropriate, balancing restorative and palliative approaches.

• Monitor, evaluate, and adapt interventions in response to changing clinical condition

• Responsible for the safety and welfare of patients, colleagues and self during treatment sessions in accordance with professional standards, hospice policy and health and safety regulations.

• Contribute to and facilitate groups in areas including managing activity levels, fatigue, anxiety and breathlessness

Administrative Responsibilities

• To complete and maintain accurate record keeping of contact, in line with organisational policy, respecting confidentiality and safeguarding requirements, ensuring clear reporting and recording pathways are followed and that data and information is available to service lead as required

• To prepare written clinical reports as required to ensure coordinated patient care.

• To support Therapy Team Lead in the day-to-day management of the service, deputising as appropriate and fulfilling designated tasks.

• To be responsible for the appropriate delegation of patient care to clinical assistants.

• To supervise and delegate appropriate tasks to volunteers working within services.

• To supervise and support students on placement within the services from both AHP and nursing courses.

• To assist in the day to day running of the therapy team, including answering the phone, responding to email enquiries and triaging new referrals

• To contribute to service evaluation to contribute to a culture of learning and development

• To engage in a 1-1 and PDR process to understand your role within the team and to develop objectives which contribute to the wider service operational plan alongside your own professional development

• To access external clinical supervision and internal support to ensure you are emotionally supported within your work and to provide opportunity for reflective practice and consideration of the impact of working in the field of palliative care and bereavement

• To ensure timely completion of mandatory training in line with role requirements

Organisational Responsibilities

• Contribute to, and advocate for, effective and professional communication at all levels across the hospice and into the wider community

• Demonstrate and display hospice values throughout work; Compassionate, Accountable, Respectful and Excellent

• Adhere to confidentiality and information sharing policy and procedures at all times, including declarations of conflict of interest

• Ensure a safe environment at all times by adhering to health and safety standards, contributing to risk assessments, and reporting all identified hazards, incidents, near misses and concerns using Vantage incident reporting system.

• Follow safeguarding reporting and recording processes to ensure safety of patients, visitors, staff and volunteers.

• To adhere to mandatory training as specified by role and work within Hospice guidance, policy and procedure.

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree or Diploma in Occupational Therapy.
• Registered with the Health and Care Professions council.

Desirable

• Palliative care qualification.
• Communication skills training.

Experience

Essential

• Minimum of 3 years post graduate experience.
• Experience of interdisciplinary team working within a health-care environment.
• Experience of working in the community.
• Oncology, palliative care and/or neurological experience.
• Participation in clinical audit.

Desirable

• Post registration experience of working on an in-patient unit and within an outpatient setting.
• Experience of providing clinical education and/or placement supervision for undergraduate students.
• Experience of using computerised patient records.

Other

Essential

• Committed to continual professional development
• A flexible approach to working patterns
• Good attendance and punctuality record
• Reliable and trustworthy with a sound understanding of professional boundaries
• Flexible, motivated and self-directed.
• Creative approach to clinical practice.
• Pleasant and calm manner.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to work well within an MDT team
• Driving license with access to a vehicle for business use is essential

Skills/Abilities

Essential

• Ability to work as an independent practitioner.
• Advanced clinical assessment skills.
• Commitment to professional development.
• Ability to work across a wide range of client ages & needs.
• Evidence of advanced communication skills both written and verbal.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work effectively in an emotionally demanding environment.
• Ability to perform manual handling procedures.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft office suite.
• Good decision making skills.
• Strong organisational skills.

Knowledge

Essential

• Understanding of specialist palliative care provision.
• Working knowledge of community services.
• Knowledge of current healthcare and health profession policy and provision

Desirable

• Advance care planning and/or initiating conversations about death and dying
• Trauma-informed practice in healthcare setting

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).