Occupational Therapist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical

To be professional and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of your own work including the management of patients in your care. To ensure a high standard of clinical care for the patients under your management, and support more junior staff to do likewise.

To interpret and analyse clinical and non-clinical facts to form accurate diagnosis and prognoses in a wide range of highly complex conditions, to recommend the best course of intervention, and to develop comprehensive management plans under intermediate care.

To represent LWSW externally (locally, regionally and nationally) regarding physiotherapy services provided to patients in the hospital and community.

To undertake the comprehensive assessment of patients, including those with a complex presentation, using investigative and analytical skills, and to formulate individualised management and treatment plans, using clinical reasoning, and utilising a wide range or treatment skills and options to formulate a specialised programme of care and to support junior staff in this work. (Treatment modalities include manual physiotherapy techniques, patient education, exercise classes, electrotherapy, chest physiotherapy and other alternative options).

To demonstrate highly developed dexterity, co-ordination and palpatory senses for assessment and manual treatment of patients.

Use an extensive range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with patients/carers; to motivate, gain co-operation, to progress rehabilitation and treatment programmes. This will include patients who may have difficulties in understanding or communicating, e.g.: patients may be dysphasic, depressed, deaf, visually impaired or who may be unable to accept diagnosis, or realistic expectations of Physiotherapy intervention.

To accept clinical responsibility for a designated caseload of patients, and to organise this effectively and efficiently regarding clinical priorities and use of time.

To participate in working parties developing policy changes within the community, which will impact on all service users.

To ensure that designated staff implement policy and service development changes.

To work with the Team Leader in developing the strategic and operational management of the ward Physiotherapy service.

To provide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to patients, relatives, carers and other professionals, to promote understanding of the aims of physiotherapy, and to ensure a consistent approach to patient care.

To provide specialist and highly specialist advice to physiotherapy colleagues working within other clinical areas.

To provide specialist advice, teaching and training to other members of the MDT regarding the management of patients.

To work jointly with other health and social care colleagues and services (for example medical, nursing, Social Services, private sector and therapy colleagues) to ensure patients identified rehabilitation and care needs are met through delivery of a co-ordinated multi-disciplinary service.

To advise on and prescribe as appropriate, and in line with Organisational and departmental policies and procedures, both general and specialist rehabilitation aids, equipment and recommend low-level adaptations for patients referred to Community Therapy.

To initiate, organise and attend multi-disciplinary/multi-agency case conferences, liaison meetings and patient reviews as necessary and appropriate.

To assess capacity, gain valid informed consent, which must be documented and have the ability to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment. To comply with local confidentiality policies, child protection and vulnerable adult procedures.

Professional

To maintain own clinical professional development (CPD) by keeping abreast of any new trends and developments, National Service Frameworks and NICE guidelines, and incorporate them as necessary into your own practice.

To regularly teach, train, supervise and performance manage more junior staff, support workers and students. This will include the use of formal supervision and appraisal documentation.

To be an active member of the in-service training programme by the attendance and delivering presentations and training sessions at staff meetings, tutorials, training sessions in house and by attending external/organising courses and practising reflective practice.

To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with Social, Health and other agency colleagues, at all levels to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service. This will include case conferences, Safeguarding Adults and DOLS meetings.

To participate in the staff appraisal scheme and Personal Development Plan (PDP) as both appraiser and appraisee.

To undertake the measurement and evaluation of your work and current practices through the use of Evidence Based Practice projects, audit and outcome measures, either individually or with the Team Leader. Make recommendations for change.

To demonstrate a sound understanding of Clinical Governance and Risk Management and apply to work situation.

To undertake Clinical Supervision, in line with LWSW Policy, both as supervisor and supervisee.

To provide training and supervision to Physiotherapy undergraduate students on clinical fieldwork placements within Community Therapy in line with Universitys syllabi and student assessment procedures. (This would be to a graduate standard following appropriate training as a clinical educator).

To assist in the recruitment of relevant grades of staff as required.

Organisational

To be responsible for a designated area of work, as agreed with the Team Leader, and to plan and organise efficiently and effectively with regard to patients management and use of time.

To decide priorities for own work area, balancing other patient related and professional demands, and ensure that these remain in accordance with those of the Therapy Team as a whole.

To be responsible for the use of electrotherapy and other equipment used in carrying out physiotherapy duties, and to adhere to Organisational and departmental policy, including competence to use equipment and to ensure the safe use of equipment by others through, teaching, training and supervision of practice.

To maintain accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date documentation, in line with Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) Standards of Practice and local/Organisational policy. Communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines in the form of reports and letters.

To be actively involved in the collection and entry of appropriate data and statistics in line with Therapy Team and Organisational policies and procedures.

To be aware of Health and Safety aspects of your work and implement any policies, which may be required to improve the safety of your work area, including your prompt recording and reporting of incidents to senior staff, and ensuring that equipment use is safe.

To comply with the organisational and departmental policies and procedures and to be involved in the reviewing, instigating, devising and updating as appropriate.

To undertake any other duties that might be considered appropriate by the Team Leader or the Locality Manager of the Community Therapy Team.

Physical :

Moderate to intense physical effort on a daily basis. Tasks include:

Static postures (kneeling/standing)

Moving/positioning inert adult limbs, unconscious/semi conscious patients and altered tone

Supporting patients whilst walking

Assisting patients during transfers

Pushing wheelchairs

Using hoists and other heavy gym equipment on a daily basis

Regular moving/adjustment of patients ward environment to maximise their independence and safety.

Emotional

Dealing with complex patients for long periods on a daily basis

Daily requirement for prolonged periods of concentration, e.g.assessment and treatment of complex and sometimes unpredictable patients.

Ensuring good communications with patients who have impaired understanding or communication difficulties.

Frequently using complex problem-solving skills, making and dealing with difficult clinical decisions.

Daily requirement for multi-tasking e.g. writing notes, communicating with team, telephone calls, with regular interruptions.

With the team set goals and plans for the patient. Summarise treatment and future goals when writing discharge reports.

Support with prioritising the teams workload and coordinate working pattern.

Dealing with patients and families undergoing major changes in their health and social positions; eg, anxious, and / or angry carers, family, family breakdown, isolated and depressed patients and carers on a daily basis.

Frequently helping patients and carers come to terms with their impairments, disability and handicap.

Dealing with death, bereavement, the terminally ill, distressing conditions and treatments.

Working conditions:

Occasional exposure to unpleasant working conditions, e.g. bodily fluids, vomit and soiled linen.

On rare occasions contact with fleas, lice and scabies.

Occasional exposure to verbal and physical aggression, frequent exposure to unpredictable behaviour.

Occasional risk of exposure to contagious conditions, e.g. diarrhoea and vomiting

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree or equivalent in Occupational Therapy
• HCPC Registration.
• Evidence of on-going education and professional development Relevant post graduate education
• Current valid UK driving license
• Computer literate
• Recognised qualification in written and spoken English if this is not first language

Desirable

• Masters degree Membership of relevant Special Interest Group or equivalent Management training

Skills

Essential

• Highly specialised skills in clinical assessment, intervention and evaluation Excellent communication skills.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills.
• Ability to be creative and transpose established treatment methods into a home rehab setting.
• Leadership qualities

Desirable

• Falls and Frailty knowledge

Experience

Essential

• Minimum 3 years post graduate clinical experience, with 2 years post graduate experience in a broad based rotational post across a range of clinical areas.
• Experience of employment in a community-based post.
• Autonomous practitioner with experience of managing a caseload Experience of supervision of junior staff and/or assistants. Experience of teaching

Desirable

• Previous working at senior level Experience of teaching other professions Management experience

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

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

Employer details

Employer name

Livewell Southwest

Address

South Hams Hospital

Plymouth Road

Kingsbridge

Devon

TQ71AT

Employer's website

https://www.livewellsouthwest.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)