Job summary
A highly skilled Occupational Therapist is required to start work in April 2024 and to provide highly specialist interventions to adults and children with upper and lower limb loss owing to vascular insufficiency, trauma, disease, or absence at birth.
You will be working in a multi-disciplinary team consisting of a Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine, Physiotherapist, Prosthetists, Prosthetic Technicians, Podiatrist, Counsellor, and administration staff to deliver a co-ordinated and holistic amputee rehabilitation program.
You will be working with the team to deliver services to meet standards defined in the NHS England Service Specification; Complex Disability Equipment - Prosthetics - (all ages).
Experience is required in the prosthetic treatment of patients with limb loss preferably in a specialist service although Senior Occupational Therapists with experience of treating patients with limb loss and with advanced OT skills obtained in the ward environment will be considered and full training in prosthetics can be provided once in post.
A Degree in Occupational Therapy is required for this position
Base Location: Bournemouth
Interview Date: TBC
Main duties of the job
The post holder is required to carry out complex assessments, deliver specialist treatment, and apply problem solving and compensatory approaches to support patients with their daily living skills, work aspirations, and leisure pursuits.
Interventions are mainly undertaken in the Centre but may also take place in patient's own homes, residential homes, schools or places of work.
You will also be required to apply functional outcome measures and undertake regular audit to continually improve the service.
The Specialist Occupational Therapist will be required to lead on the application of the multi-grip hand policy and eventually become proficient in upper limb prosthetic training. A training program will be provided.
It is essential that the post holder has good communication skills to effectively liaise with patients of all ages, professional staff, private companies, third sector organizations, hospitals and community services across 3 counties.
There will be a requirement to co-ordinate the new referrals to the service, actively contribute to co-ordinating treatment with involvement in triage and goal setting
About us
Our values define who we are as #TeamUHD. They underpin everything we do now and in the future. They define how we treat our patients, visitors, and each other, our valued teammates and colleagues.
UHD are investing in services across the Trust, with many being transformed and developed following merger and the New Hospital Programme.
This means that some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or long term. Recruiting Managers interviewing for this role will be happy to answer any specific questions that you have about this at interview.
However, there are no current plans to relocate the Dorset Prosthetic Service where this post is based.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Work as an autonomous practitioner; be accountable for own professional conduct and activities and be able to use own initiative and judgment when making clinical decisions without direct access to a more senior member of staff. This may include decisions which have budgetary implications.
Undertake highly specialist assessments and regular reviews on patients who attend the Dorset Prosthetic Centre, to assess their level of function and independence. This will involve planning preventative maintenance reviews to include multiple appointments some joint and some consecutive and to be involved in the re-assessing of both limb wearing and non-limb wearing patients attending, as required in the service specification, for the duration of their lifetime.
Provide highly specialist advice to ward based therapists who are treating patients with a limb loss. To undertake patient assessments on the ward, advising on management of the patients condition, rehabilitation goals, prosthetic use, rehabilitation strategies specific to this cohort of patients and discharge planning and future rehabilitation options.
Provide highly specialist instruction and training in the use of prostheses, both lower limb and upper limb, to maximize function and safety.
Make recommendations regarding the patients prosthetic requirement in order that the patient has a limb that meets their needs medically, functionally, socially, and cosmetically. Advise on components and accessories to meet the patients functional needs and to liaise with the prosthetic providers at all stages of prescription, manufacture, and limb training, being aware of budgetary limitations.
Undertake highly specialist, holistic assessment and treatment of patients helping them to achieve their maximum level of independence and enabling them to participate as actively as possible in their self-maintenance, productivity and leisure.
See Job description for complete duties
Job description
Job responsibilities
Work as an autonomous practitioner; be accountable for own professional conduct and activities and be able to use own initiative and judgment when making clinical decisions without direct access to a more senior member of staff. This may include decisions which have budgetary implications.
Undertake highly specialist assessments and regular reviews on patients who attend the Dorset Prosthetic Centre, to assess their level of function and independence. This will involve planning preventative maintenance reviews to include multiple appointments some joint and some consecutive and to be involved in the re-assessing of both limb wearing and non-limb wearing patients attending, as required in the service specification, for the duration of their lifetime.
Provide highly specialist advice to ward based therapists who are treating patients with a limb loss. To undertake patient assessments on the ward, advising on management of the patients condition, rehabilitation goals, prosthetic use, rehabilitation strategies specific to this cohort of patients and discharge planning and future rehabilitation options.
Provide highly specialist instruction and training in the use of prostheses, both lower limb and upper limb, to maximize function and safety.
Make recommendations regarding the patients prosthetic requirement in order that the patient has a limb that meets their needs medically, functionally, socially, and cosmetically. Advise on components and accessories to meet the patients functional needs and to liaise with the prosthetic providers at all stages of prescription, manufacture, and limb training, being aware of budgetary limitations.
Undertake highly specialist, holistic assessment and treatment of patients helping them to achieve their maximum level of independence and enabling them to participate as actively as possible in their self-maintenance, productivity and leisure.
See Job description for complete duties
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree in Occupational Therapy
- Short Courses in specialism (amputee rehabilitation)
- Short Courses in Management, e.g. Financial Appreciation, Audit, Resource Management, or Clinical Governance etc.
Desirable
- Roehampton Course in the rehabilitation of the amputee patient
Experience
Essential
- Working with patients who have undergone amputation in a ward setting, carrying out assessments of activities of daily living.
- Undertaking home assessments with patients with complex conditions and liaising with Social Services and Housing Department to reach positive outcomes for patients.
- Planning of patient treatment regimes, home visits and case conferences.
Desirable
- Treatment of upper limb amputee patients in an out patient setting.
Technical Skills Competencies
Essential
- Activities of daily living assessment and problem solving specific to patients with amputation; functional activities including driving, personal care, leisure, and work activities.
- Wheelchair assessment, prescription, and training.
- Assessment of the patient's home and providing adaptations and equipment to aid independence.
Desirable
- Application of outcome measures to patients with limb loss
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree in Occupational Therapy
- Short Courses in specialism (amputee rehabilitation)
- Short Courses in Management, e.g. Financial Appreciation, Audit, Resource Management, or Clinical Governance etc.
Desirable
- Roehampton Course in the rehabilitation of the amputee patient
Experience
Essential
- Working with patients who have undergone amputation in a ward setting, carrying out assessments of activities of daily living.
- Undertaking home assessments with patients with complex conditions and liaising with Social Services and Housing Department to reach positive outcomes for patients.
- Planning of patient treatment regimes, home visits and case conferences.
Desirable
- Treatment of upper limb amputee patients in an out patient setting.
Technical Skills Competencies
Essential
- Activities of daily living assessment and problem solving specific to patients with amputation; functional activities including driving, personal care, leisure, and work activities.
- Wheelchair assessment, prescription, and training.
- Assessment of the patient's home and providing adaptations and equipment to aid independence.
Desirable
- Application of outcome measures to patients with limb loss
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
