Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist - Neonatal Care

Job summary

Supported by the West Midlands Neonatal Delivery Network, The Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust (SaTH) is delighted to of been awarded new funding for permanent therapy roles in Neonatal care here at The Princess Royal Hospital, Telford.

The successful candidate will lead Occupational Therapy delivery in neonatal care, working alongside newly recruited Physiotherapists, Speach and Language Therapists and Dietitians, as well as the well-established nursing and doctor neonatal team all specialising in neonates.

With the re-release of the Occupational Therapy in Neonatal care practice guidelines hot off the press, as the successful candidate much of your practice will be driven by these guidelines. Working in this highly rewarding specialist clinical area, you will also be responsible for the development and support of your band 6 OT colleague also specialising in neonates. Such support will include helping them to develop their skills and practice and ensuring competencies are achieved timely. Together with your other band 7 AHP leads you will be responsible for developing the service, building strong relationships with stakeholders in order to achieve best possible care.

Main duties of the job

The role of OTs in neonatal care unique to the profession incorporates both physical and mental healthcare models. Working with all infants preterm, high-risk preterm and with those receiving palliative care, OTs provide intervention to support both the infant and their parent/caregiver to develop successful functional physiological and practical strategies to develop parent and child relationships and preventative disability strategies.

Based on evidence published in the RCOTsneonatal services and early intervention practice guidelines, successful candidates will be required to establish a service achieving the following best practice criteria:

• Occupation-based assessment
• Developmentally supportive care
• Pain management
• Skin-to-skin care
• Touch
• Postural support
• Infant feeding
• Parent engagement
• Parent support
• Identifying developmental concerns
• Early intervention

This post is currently based at The Princess Royal Hospital Telford though pending hospital transformation process, the role will move to The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital in years to come in line with the planned relocation of Women's and Children's services. There is no current requirement for weekend working as part of this therapy service to neonates.

It is also imperative that this new service works collaboratively with the existing paediatric services within community health trust, creating a seamless pathway for neonates and their families throughout their developmental journey from childhood into adulthood.

About us

As SaTH continues its improvement journey, the development of this post and other AHP roles is incredibility exciting and will make a real difference to the experience mothers and babies and their wider families have at such a special though often challenging moment in their lives.

The successful candidate will not only have the benefit of working in a rewarding and unique specialist area, but you will also be a part of a much wider therapy team. As an employee within SaTH's Therapy Centre, you will have access to a wide range of professional support, including Professional lead for OT and on joining the SaTH therapy team you will become an integral member of SaTH's Therapy Centre, shaping and develop services for the benefit of patients, their families as well as other employees.

The Therapy Centre at SaTH consists of over 300 employees, including clinical and non-clinical support staff, apprentices, consultant therapists and Heads of Profession for Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Speech and Language Therapy and Dietetics, all working together to achieve the same vision: To provide excellent care for the communities we serve.

The Therapy Centre at SaTH are also hopeful that approval of future business case will soon mean further growth of acute paediatric therapy services. When this happens,the successful candidate will become a part of this wider acute neonatal and paediatric therapy service, further supporting the development and integration across the pathway.

Employer details

Employer name

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

Address

The Princess Royal Hospital

Apley Castle

Telford

TF1 6TF

Employer's website

http://www.sath.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

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Employer details

Employer name

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

Address

The Princess Royal Hospital

Apley Castle

Telford

TF1 6TF

Employer's website

http://www.sath.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

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