Job responsibilities
Main Duties:
To provide leadership, supervision, appraisal support, and co-ordinate the day-to-day activities of support and admin staff where applicable.
To provide cover for staff who are absent.
To attend student educator training and actively support student placements within the team.
To participate in providing instruction, learning opportunities, work experience and training staff and students from other units/disciplines/schools/colleges and training schemes as agreed with supervising Therapist and Therapy Team Lead.
To plan, organise and lead when delegated both formal and informal treatments and health education groups for both service users and formal/informal carers.
To educate service users and both formal/informal carers regarding the impact of cognitive, perceptual, and physical deficits that affect service user safety and independence in the hospital and home, leisure and workplace.
5.2 Responsibility for financial and/or physical resources.
To assess, prescribe and authorise equipment and make recommendations for minor and major adaptations to increase/enable or compensate for independent function, teaching compensatory techniques as required.
To assess seating and positioning needs and treat as appropriate including assessment for and prescription of standard wheelchairs and accessories when accredited, referring on to AJM Wheelchair Service as required for assessment of complex and specialist mobility and seating needs.
To identify the need for splinting and positioning to prevent and manage deformity and improve function for the upper limb, and subsequently referring to specialist services or colleagues to meet this need.
To utilise Livewell SW resources responsibly, following policy and guidance around the security, use ability, decontamination, and maintenance of assessment equipment utilised in the clinical setting.
To ensure new and replacement equipment is not used by self or staff until it has been commissioned in accordance with Livewell SW policy. Defective equipment is reported and made safe without delay in accordance with Livewell SW procedures.
On the rare occasion you may handle service user valuables as part of a home visit or community assessment, that you follow Livewell SWs policy Cash & Cheque Handling Procedures, section 6 Patient Money, section 7 Patient Travel.
5.3 Responsibility for administrative functions.
To maintain high professional standards at all times, complying with standards of practice stipulated in the Royal College of Occupational Therapy Professional standards for occupational therapy practice, conduct and ethics and all of HCPCs standards and regulations.
To follow Livewell uniform policy at all times, and to present in a professional manner.
To actively engage in caseload supervision with line manager, taking responsibility for ensuring own personal and professional development and statutory training demonstrating the ability to apply skills / knowledge as defined by identified competencies.
To work as an autonomous practitioner, seeking guidance where necessary.
To prioritise and to be responsible for the day-to-day management of own caseload and service users in your care, delegating activities as appropriate.
To exercise good personal time management, punctuality, and consistent reliable attendance.
To ensure all leave is requested in line with Livewell SW policy.
To comply with the Lone Working Policy and procedures, utilising safety devices and/or apps, and always informing the department of your whereabouts during work hours.
To develop skills and knowledge through participation in the Preceptorship programme and to go on to support future preceptees, in the capacity as a Preceptor.
To take responsibility for ensuring own personal and professional development and statutory training demonstrating the ability to apply acquired skills/knowledge and maintaining fitness to practice.
To ensure use of risk assessment in all areas of your work are undertaken and comply with Livewell SW Health and Safety policies and Lone Working Policy.
To maintain up to date, accurate and complete records of all activity and clinical input(all formats of service user contacts, MDT care plans, assessments, reports), ensuring confidentiality at all times, complying with Livewell SW Health & Corporate Records policy and HCPC requirements for thorough and sufficient records
To provide written communication with outside agencies and charitable bodies to support the need for services and equipment on discharge or when transferred.
To report accidents, incidents, complaints, or faulty equipment in line with Livewell SW policy and procedures.
5.4 Responsibility for people who use our services.
To ensure the service user is aware of the role and philosophy of Occupational Therapy and components of the OT process, utilising all means necessary to enable individuals to understand the nature and purpose of proposed actions or intervention, including explaining any possible risks involved.
To respect the individuals values, cultural and religious diversity of service users and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to those needs.
To provide education and advice to service users, carers and/or family members regarding the impact of cognitive, perceptual, and physical deficits on service user safety and independence in the home, leisure, and workplace. This can include imparting sensitive information and advice to service users and carers which could have life changing consequences.
To provide an opportunity for people and carers to express their feelings whilst encouraging acceptance and adjustment to their new circumstances.
To understand and comply with the safeguarding process and understand how and when alerts are required. To contribute to safeguarding investigations with support of other colleagues.
To demonstrate a high level of understanding of conditions relevant to the diagnostic area and those service users presenting with multi pathology, using a selection of both standardised and non-standardised assessments to assist and aid diagnosis of cognitive, sensory, perceptual, behavioural, physical, psychosocial, and social functioning.
To carry out baseline medical investigations e.g. temperature, respirations and blood pressure checks to assist with medical diagnoses and identification of most appropriate treatment pathway.
To carry out environmental home assessments, pre discharge home assessments discharge home visits and follow up as required. The assessment involves reviewing ergonomic layout of the property to maximise functional ability within the home, assessment of disabled access, equipment needs recommendation for minor and major house adaptations, risk and safety review and referring to other agencies and Social Services as necessary.
To carry out assessment and compile supporting evidence to enable change in individuals housing arrangements (e.g. Devon Home Choice).
To be competent to identify the need for an enabling package of support and set goals to promote independence.
To record and report regularly on service users progress and treatment to the multidisciplinary team or supervising OT in individual clinical areas.
To be responsible for goal planning, reviewing treatment programmes and applying outcome measures used in the clinical area. To share in close liaison with all members of the multi-disciplinary team, carers and family in accordance with consent given.
To be responsible for the timely discharge of people from your caseload.
To ensure continuation of care in the community, or transfer of service users to other hospital settings, by establishing a comprehensive discharge plan and completing onward referrals, with good communication to statutory and voluntary services.
To refer to follow up services to ensure treatment programmes are in place to progress functional independence based on identified needs at discharge. Demonstrating to and informing community staff re ongoing service user needs in the community i.e., home carers and reablement assistance.
To maintain competence in the use of complex manual handling techniques and equipment including the prescriptions of manual handling equipment for use in the home, demonstrating the use to formal and/or informal carers.
5.5 Responsibility for implementation of policy and/or service developments
To demonstrate leadership skills through the management of designated projects.
To participate in the planning, evaluation and audit of practice, clinical pathways and protocols within your area.
To take an active role in audit, research and interdisciplinary development within the service as required.
To be responsible for collecting and reporting statistical data in line with the Livewell policies and procedures.
To actively contribute to service development and contribute to Livewell SWs clinical governance arrangements and quality agenda.
5.6 Other Responsibilities
To act as an ambassador for Livewell with external agencies and partner organisations.
To attend and contribute to staff meetings and attend relevant professional meetings
appropriate to the clinical setting (ward MDTs, case conferences, clinical meetings).
To demonstrate understanding and application of professional, local and national
guidelines and legislation relating to health and social care provision.
To comply with the Royal College of OT, HCPC Standards of Practice, code of conduct and Livewell SW policies and procedures, remaining legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own work
To attend and actively contribute to peer supervision meetings.
To review and reflect on own practice through effective use of professional and clinical supervision in line with Livewell SW policies, procedures and to maintain an up-to-date
CPD portfolio.
To have the ability to access/travel to service users homes and other community settings across the locality.
