Advanced Occupational Therapist

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

To be responsible for the day to day co-ordination and management of occupational therapy within the designated clinical area, undertaking a complex, multi-functional role, combining managerial, clinical and professional duties and responsibilities.

To have an identified clinical role for highly complex cases within their designated service.

To provide advice and support to other therapy staff and members of the multi-disciplinary team within the service

To facilitate collaborative working across occupational therapy, maximizing on the skills of the therapists, therapy assistants and other staff.

In the capacity as a representative of the therapy services to liaise with the consultants and other medical, therapy and nursing staff, social services, voluntary agencies and the private sector.

This job description is an outline of the main duties of the post. The postholder will be required to undertake other duties commensurate with the grade as directed.

The content of this post will be reviewed in consultation with the postholder when necessary and in line with the service developments.

KEY RESULT AREAS:

Clinical

To comply with the College of Occupational Therapists and Health Care Professions Council code of ethics and professional conduct and to adhere to national and local policies and procedures.

To work in a specialised autonomous capacity accepting referrals for patients/service users referred to your clinical area. Giving advice and support to other members of the multi-disciplinary team.

To be professionally responsible and accountable for all aspects of your own work, including management of patients with complex needs.

To plan and prioritise own patient caseload (where appropriate), with highly complex needs, using highly specialist occupational therapy skills. Assess and analyse occupational performance to identify problem areas in order to plan and carry out goal orientated intervention programmes with the patients. Balancing risk, safety and patient choice in order to promote maximum independence.

Use of excellent communication and negotiation skills to establish a therapeutic relationship in complex and sometimes highly complex cases, taking into account the views and wishes of service users, carers and families. Monitor, evaluate and modify treatment in order to measure progress and ensure patient safety, thus maximising effectiveness of occupational therapy intervention.

To work with patients/families to aid their acceptance, understanding and management of their condition/disability. To provide the necessary support required in a sometimes hostile/antagonistic or highly emotional atmosphere.

To use highly advanced clinical reasoning and a wide range of treatment skills which implement evidence based practice

To possess the necessary skills to implement time management and prioritise own caseload whilst assisting and supporting all therapy staff and members of the MDT, across your own and other clinical areas.

To carry out risk assessments and make recommendations to reduce risk to meet the needs of service users, staff, and the wider service/ organisation.

To have and maintain a current working knowledge of the safe use of a range of equipment relevant to the service area. Assemble and fit equipment in patients own homes and assess their safe use.

To actively encourage the provision of placements for student occupational therapists and support team members with students training and appraisal.

To be involved and committed to occupational therapy audit, evidence based practice and clinical research where appropriate, in order to promote best possible practice in the relevant clinical area.

In the capacity as a representative of occupational therapy services to liaise and communicate effectively with consultants, senior managers, professional lead, other medical, therapy and nursing staff, social services, voluntary and private agencies.

To be responsible for risk assessment in your own delegated area, ensuring a safe working environment for all staff, patients and members of the general public.

To undertake own continuous professional development, participate in regular clinical and managerial supervision, to organise peer reviews and maintain up to date knowledge of local and national guidance relevant to the area of speciality through research and work within clinical interest groups. To ensure all occupational therapy team members take responsibility for their own CPD.

To ensure effective delivery of clinical support and supervision to all Occupational Therapy staff within the service.

Organisational/Managerial

To be responsible for the day to day co-ordination and organisation of the OT staff within the service

To ensure that the service delivery within the team is of a high standard and that all staff are actively involved in all aspects of clinical governance.

Actively influence service changes and development, including the setting up and monitoring of practice standards and when appropriate taking a lead in implementing them.

To deal with complaints, disciplinaries and grievances (where appropriate at the request of the Senior line manager). Advise professional and senior managers of serious complaints that may escalate.

To implement an induction programme for new staff.

Develop collaborative working practices between therapy and other agencies, ensuring optimum use of resources and the promotion of multi-disciplinary working. To review and rationalise services to meet the changing needs of service delivery including flexible working times and transformation projects.

To promote links with other therapy areas within the BDU and the wider Trust.

Identify unmet needs and gaps in service provision and highlight these to the professional lead.

Undertake recruitment and selection duties within the field of Occupational therapy.

To take the lead in co-ordination of annual leave/study leave for OT staff whilst ensuring continued provision of services to all areas

Managing Resources

To have responsibility for delegated budgets.

To be responsible for managing the effective use of therapy resources.

For full details of the role please see the supporting documents attached.

We are aware that an increasing number of applicants are using AI technology to generate responses on NHS Job application forms. We strongly discourage this and will conduct a thorough screening process before selecting candidates to progress to the next stage. If you are using AI to enhance your application, please disclose this in your NHS Jobs application form.

Training

Essential

• Evidence of continuing professional development and post graduate training in relevant area.
• Have demonstrable competence to work at Masters or Advanced Level.

Desirable

• Management or leadership training.
• Risk Assessment training.
• Audit training.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Ability to risk assess and deal with health and safety matters for own and others work area and caseloads.
• Ability to work autonomously.
• Ability to travel around the Trust as appropriate to role.
• Ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service possibly including evenings and weekend working.

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree or equivalent in Occupational Therapy.
• Current valid HCPC registration.
• Practice Education/Practice Assessor Preparation Certificate (or to achieve within 12 months).

Desirable

• MSC/Diploma in relevant area.

Experience

Essential

• Extensive appropriate post-registration experience relevant to clinical area.
• Experience in supervising and managing staff.

Special Knowledge/Skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Excellent leadership skills.
• Excellent teaching skills.
• Supervision skills.
• Ability to demonstrate highly specialised clinical reasoning and treatment skills.
• Excellent team working skills.
• Proven experience of time management.
• Excellent Prioritisation skills.
• Negotiating skills.
• Knowledge of local and national guidance relevant to clinical area.

Desirable

• Basic IT skills.

Physical Attributes

Essential

• Ability to undertake the duties and demands of the post. A satisfactory sickness record over the previous 2 years (subject to the need to act with fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where the sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy).

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).