Job summary
We are seeking a skilled and enthusiastic Band 7 OT with experience of working with an older person caseload. The ideal candidate will be committed to delivering high quality, patient centred therapy, demonstrating the value of occupational therapy interventions in the acute setting.
You will have advanced clinical assessment skills in cognitive, physical and functional assessment and be able to design treatment plans to address limitations identified from the assessments completed.
You will support patient flow in the organisation with timely and targeted assessment of patients who need Occupational Therapy, making recommendations for discharge and support other staff in the team to do the same.
An integral part of your role will be supporting and developing staff on rotation to the Care of Older person unit and students on placement. We are committed to developing our staff, providing the best opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge, working with senior role models in a nurturing and supportive environment.
Our teams of Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists work in integrated teams and in clinical specialities and are well supported by Clinical Leads.
You will have access to training and development, and we actively encourage quality improvement and audit to shape and evaluate our services. The Trust also run an AHP fellowship programme for future aspiring leaders.
Main duties of the job
Provide operational and clinical leadership to a therapy team which includes staff of different grades and disciplines.
Work closely with Physiotherapy Team Leads to support team organisation and prioritisation processes.
Deputise for the Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist alongside other team leads;
Demonstrate advanced clinical reasoning skills and the ability to undertake assessment of complex patients including cognitive assessment, functional and environmental assessment, and complete treatment/rehabilitation to optimise occupational performance.
Advanced communication skills to communicate complex condition related information to patients, relative and carers and external partners, ensuring patient's therapy needs are met responsively and appropriately.
Support the induction, training and development of less experienced staff, students
Support new staff through probation and preceptorship and manage any performance concerns in line with Trust Policy and with the support of the Clinical Leads.
Apply OT expertise in developing clinical services and, support the Clinical Lead OT, Clinical Lead PTs and Clinical Manager in implementing service changes across the department.
As a senior clinician keep up to date with clinical evidence/guidelines & meet the HCPC CPD requirements.
Work flexibly across seven days as required including weekends and bank holidays. This includes rostered cover outside of core working hours up to 20:00.
About us
Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.
Job description
Job responsibilities
In addition to the post summary please review the full job description and person specification for the role before applying.
Job description
Job responsibilities
In addition to the post summary please review the full job description and person specification for the role before applying.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Hold a recognised degree or diploma in Occupational Therapy
- Current HCPC registration
- Evidence of relevant post graduate courses or training to post-graduate diploma level
- IELTS Level 7.0 or above (overseas candidates only)
Desirable
- Member of relevant clinical special interest groups/sections.
- Introductory Management Course
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of extensive experience acquired at a minimum of band 6 level, working as an Occupational Therapist assessing and treating clients in the acute setting who present with a variety of medical conditions and/or co morbidities with resultant functional impairment.
- Evidence of extensive clinical experience in working as a specialist assessing and treating an older person caseload at a minimum of Band 6 level.
- Evidence of supervision of less experienced staff, Band 6's, Band 5's, assistants, and students.
- Experience of Preceptorship and supporting new band 5's to meet their learning and development requirements
- Worked in the NHS or equivalent and are familiar with the NHS system and the role of the autonomous practitioner.
- Experience of planning ongoing treatment or care for patients in the acute setting and of making effective referrals to other agencies
- Experience of facilitating complex discharges from the acute setting and supporting less experienced staff to develop skills in discharge planning.
- Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team and how to foster excellent team relations.
- Experience of successful partnership working with other agencies and services.
Knowledge
Essential
- Theoretical and practical knowledge of clinical presentations in the older person including but not limited to, musculoskeletal pathology/injury, frailty, dementia, delirium, neurological conditions. Demonstrate familiarity with a wide range of assessment and treatment procedures.
- Understanding/application of relevant clinical guidelines and /or current best evidence in Care of the Older person work specialty.
- Knowledge of the role of statutory and non-statutory services in supporting people on discharge from hospital
- Understanding of audit and its practical application.
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- The ability to analyse clinical and non-clinical complex facts and situations which, require the interpretation and comparison of a range of options.
- The ability to plan, organise, formulate, and adjust complex plans e.g., workloads and rotas.
- Good organisation skills and the ability to competently prioritise as caseload for self and the team as a whole when required.
- Evidence of ability to supervise and delegate work to team members and students
- Excellent communication skills, and the ability to communicate complex information in a clear way, including written reports.
- Able to deliver training to other staff including those from other disciplines.
- An understanding of cultural diversity and how to apply this in clinical practice.
Desirable
- Evidence of involvement in service improvements, and the ability to, propose changes in policies/procedures which may improve the service. To lead on implementation of these in a department or team.
- Ability to undertake assessment of performance of allocated clinical staff utilising own clinical knowledge of expected practice, Trust policy and in line with Professional body Guidance (RCOT, HCPC).
Other Qualities
Essential
- Physical ability to carry out the role, which involves manual handling of patients, travel in the community and frequent moderate effort for periods.
- Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability in work role. Manage change and show skill transference when required to meet service needs.
- Ability to work core hours over 7 days on a rota system
- Documented evidence of continuous professional development in line with HCPC standards.
- Be able to work under pressure in a fast-paced work environment.
- Maintain own CPD in line with HCPC requirements
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Hold a recognised degree or diploma in Occupational Therapy
- Current HCPC registration
- Evidence of relevant post graduate courses or training to post-graduate diploma level
- IELTS Level 7.0 or above (overseas candidates only)
Desirable
- Member of relevant clinical special interest groups/sections.
- Introductory Management Course
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of extensive experience acquired at a minimum of band 6 level, working as an Occupational Therapist assessing and treating clients in the acute setting who present with a variety of medical conditions and/or co morbidities with resultant functional impairment.
- Evidence of extensive clinical experience in working as a specialist assessing and treating an older person caseload at a minimum of Band 6 level.
- Evidence of supervision of less experienced staff, Band 6's, Band 5's, assistants, and students.
- Experience of Preceptorship and supporting new band 5's to meet their learning and development requirements
- Worked in the NHS or equivalent and are familiar with the NHS system and the role of the autonomous practitioner.
- Experience of planning ongoing treatment or care for patients in the acute setting and of making effective referrals to other agencies
- Experience of facilitating complex discharges from the acute setting and supporting less experienced staff to develop skills in discharge planning.
- Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team and how to foster excellent team relations.
- Experience of successful partnership working with other agencies and services.
Knowledge
Essential
- Theoretical and practical knowledge of clinical presentations in the older person including but not limited to, musculoskeletal pathology/injury, frailty, dementia, delirium, neurological conditions. Demonstrate familiarity with a wide range of assessment and treatment procedures.
- Understanding/application of relevant clinical guidelines and /or current best evidence in Care of the Older person work specialty.
- Knowledge of the role of statutory and non-statutory services in supporting people on discharge from hospital
- Understanding of audit and its practical application.
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- The ability to analyse clinical and non-clinical complex facts and situations which, require the interpretation and comparison of a range of options.
- The ability to plan, organise, formulate, and adjust complex plans e.g., workloads and rotas.
- Good organisation skills and the ability to competently prioritise as caseload for self and the team as a whole when required.
- Evidence of ability to supervise and delegate work to team members and students
- Excellent communication skills, and the ability to communicate complex information in a clear way, including written reports.
- Able to deliver training to other staff including those from other disciplines.
- An understanding of cultural diversity and how to apply this in clinical practice.
Desirable
- Evidence of involvement in service improvements, and the ability to, propose changes in policies/procedures which may improve the service. To lead on implementation of these in a department or team.
- Ability to undertake assessment of performance of allocated clinical staff utilising own clinical knowledge of expected practice, Trust policy and in line with Professional body Guidance (RCOT, HCPC).
Other Qualities
Essential
- Physical ability to carry out the role, which involves manual handling of patients, travel in the community and frequent moderate effort for periods.
- Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability in work role. Manage change and show skill transference when required to meet service needs.
- Ability to work core hours over 7 days on a rota system
- Documented evidence of continuous professional development in line with HCPC standards.
- Be able to work under pressure in a fast-paced work environment.
- Maintain own CPD in line with HCPC requirements
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).
