Job responsibilities
Clinical
1.1 To assess, develop and implement specialist occupational therapy treatment.
1.2 To provide appropriate specialist intervention/assessment and evaluate outcomes.
1.3 To demonstrate specialist skills in the assessment and treatment of children with mental health difficulties.
1.4 To determine the most appropriate setting for assessment and or treatment e.g. home, clinic, school or other community setting taking into consideration service resources.
1.5 To facilitate relevant professionals/parents to understand and carry out occupational therapy programmes/strategies/advice.
1.6 To monitor the effectiveness of occupational therapy programmes/strategies/advice being delivered by other relevant professionals/parents and adjust as necessary.
1.7 To develop clear care plans based on best practice and to use specialist clinical knowledge and consideration of current resources to inform case management.
1.8 To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence based practice and outcome measures.
1.9 To keep up to date with new techniques and developments for the promotion and maintenance of good practice in own specialist clinical area while being mindful of the needs of the service.
1.10 To demonstrate the ability to reflect on practice with peers and supervisors and identify own strengths and development needs.
1.11 To manage own complex caseload independently and to prioritise workload using specialist skills, accessing support as appropriate and taking into consideration service performance and KPIs.
1.12 To use excellent communication skills.
1.13 To recognise potential breakdown and conflict when it occurs and seek to resolve using negotiation skills, seeking further support from supervisor if necessary.
1.14 To use appropriate strategies to manage aggressive behaviour within the work place, and to report any incidences of aggressive behaviour.
1.15 To ensure that children, their families and schools are involved in the planning and implementation of their care
1.16 To listen to the concerns of children/young people, families and schools and provide support as appropriate within current resources.
1.17 To maintain sensitivity to the emotional needs of children & their families, especially when imparting potentially distressing information regarding the nature of the childs difficulties and its implications.
1.18 To evaluate own delivery and to be accountable for own professional actions and decisions, and recognise own professional boundaries seeking advice as appropriate from supervisor.
1.19 To report, in a timely manner, all concerns regarding Safeguarding issues to Team Manager supervisor & to refer onto Social Services for
Safeguarding as appropriate, following the latest Safeguarding guidance/policy.
1.20 To share safeguarding information, in a timely manner, with relevant professionals.
1.21 To attend case conferences & core group meetings for children on the caseload, where appropriate.
1.22 To record all concerns and discussions/supervision regarding safeguarding issues in Systmone clinical notes.
1.23 To work independently and to access clinical supervision sessions on a regular basis & actively contribute to own appraisal on an annual basis.
1.24 To collate evidence of professional development related to the Occupational Therapy professional body, HCPC & the band 6 KSF Dimensions.
1.25 To demonstrate good negotiation skills across a range of issues and to negotiate with others around case management in complex cases.
1.26 To deal with initial complaints sensitively avoiding escalation where possible, and to inform the supervisor/ team leader in a timely fashion
1.27 To communicate complex information from assessments and ongoing therapy to children / young people, families and other professionals.
1.28 To demonstrate empathy with children / young people, families and colleagues ensuring that effective communication (both verbal and non verbal) is achieved particularly where barriers to understanding exist.
1.29 To write concise outcome focused reports, and care plans reflecting specialist knowledge which meet the needs of the child / young person.
1.30 To adapt practice to meet individual childrens / young persons /carers circumstances with due regard for cultural, linguistic differences (including the use of interpreting services), and/or learning and language difficulties.
1.31 To support the development of, and adhere to, service plans and policies giving constructive feedback as appropriate.
1.32 To advise team manager on issues of service shortfall or pressure.
1.32 To assume delegated tasks as requested by team manager as appropriate to a band 6.
1.33 To work within infection control and health and safety guidelines.
1.34 To have due regard for own personal safety and that of children /young people/ carers in particular the health & safety policies and infection control policies.
1.35 To report all incidents in a timely fashion and access learning following incident investigation outcomes & complaints. To support other team members in the reporting of incidents in a timely fashion
1.36 To attend, contribute to and occasionally present at Team and Departmental meetings.
1.37 To research and select appropriate outcome measures and use these in the evaluation of clinical practice.
1.38 To work to departmental procedures, national priorities and policies and professional code of conduct.
1.39 To ensure each patient has an up to date care plan uploaded to Systmone in line with trust policy in care plans.
1.40 To obtain informed written consent prior to an episode of occupational therapy care.
Leadership Skills
2.1 To manage & organise own workload independently, balancing caseload and service demands and other professional responsibilities to ensure optimal service delivery across occupational therapy.
2.2 To be flexible to the demands of the workload, including changing priorities and deadlines, which may be made at short notice.
2.3 To demonstrate good negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations, including dealing sensitively with complaints
2.4 To support other less experienced members of the team to develop their negotiation skills, and to resolve problems
2.5 To provide formal supervision and support to more junior team members.
2.6 To lead appraisals and PDP for more junior team members, including the writing up of the documentation in a timely manner.
2.7 To assist in interviewing for more junior posts, as requested.
2.8 To provide feedback about the performance of individual team members being supervised to the team manager.
2.9 To provide feedback about any concerns about the performance of any of the team members to the team manager.
2.10 To provide feedback and possible solutions, about any challenges being faced by the team.
2.11 To lead on specific tasks as delegated by the team manager.
2.12 To support the team in the day to day management of the team.
Education and Training
3.1 To attend relevant training, as identified in the Personal Development Plan (PDP), in order to maintain and develop skills and knowledge required of a specialist therapist working in the field of occupational therapy and to maintain up to date HCPC and occupational therapy professional body registration.
3.2 To attend relevant training which meets the needs of the service, links to clinical specialism, is identified within Personal Development Plan and feedback to the team following this.
3.3 To make use of in-house CPD opportunities including attending internal training sessions, reading sessions & shadowing opportunities
3.4 To present in-house training sessions to the team when appropriate.
3.5 To offer joint consultations in the area of clinical specialism, as requested.
3.6 To ensure that all mandatory training is kept up to date with 100% compliance, is booked with advance planning and recorded on the database.
3.7 To be involved in planning, presenting and evaluating training packages, on topics related to occupational therapy needs to parents, schools & other professionals as required and within service resources.
3.8 To adjust future training in response to feedback and self- reflection.
3.9 To develop the clinical and case management skills of less experienced team members
3.10 To offer and support student placements.
3.11 To explain the role of Occupational Therapists to visitors/students and volunteers, providing observations where requested by the team manager
3.12 To have a degree or diploma in Occupational Therapy.