Specialist Occupational Therapist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Main Duties and Responsibilities

To establish and maintain positive interpersonal relationships with other staff, clientsand their carers. Positive relationships are characterised by open communication,trust and respect.

To involve patients and carers in the planning of care/rehabilitation programmes andencourage self-management where appropriate.

To represent the service at county-wide forums.

To ensure all patients and their relatives cultural wishes are respected and theirspecial mental and physical needs are met.

To have a good knowledge of supporting services available to clients from health,social care and voluntary agencies

To provide support and supervision to junior members of staff.

To work a variety of shift patterns which includes weekends and bank holidays on arota basis

Nature of work

To form professional relationships with clients and communicate condition relatedinformation to them in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture.

To manage and hold accountability for a defined caseload involving specialist andcomplex assessments using evidence-based client centred principles.

To work flexibly across bases within Bedfordshire, including rehabilitation bedded units,as service needs require.

Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust: providing services across Cambridgeshire, Milton Keynes Luton, Norfolk, Peterborough, Bedfordshire and Suffolk

Where barriers to understanding exist staff will need to use tact, motivational negotiatingand reassurance skills. Information received and given may be sensitive and will needto be handled in a empathic and professional manner

To involve patients and carers in the planning of rehabilitation programmes andencourage self-management where appropriate

To have a good level of knowledge of support services within the community.

To safely travel between patients homes and other venues on a daily basis withinstatutory requirements and adhering to relevant policies and guidelines.

To assess and regularly undertake the moving and positioning of patients and equipmentadhering to relevant Trust policies.

To be able to manipulate, set up and demonstrate equipment to clients in their homes.

To have adequate keyboard skills and knowledge of IT systems provided by the Trust.

Planning

To deputise for the senior staffs in matters related to the daily running of the service asand when necessary.

To work in collaboration with patients, relatives, carers and the multi-disciplinary team inassessing, planning, implementing and evaluating care.

To act as a case manager for clients, coordinating their intervention whilst with theservice.

Plan delegation of work to assistant practitioners and rehabilitation support workers.

To arrange for provision of assistive equipment from appropriate agencies as requiredand use equipment PIN numbers responsibly and effectively

To liaise with other services to ensure planned care and intervention as agreed withclients is given.

To have a good knowledge of supporting services available to clients from health andsocial care as well as voluntary agencies in the community

To be responsible for prioritising and organising own caseload, managing conflictingdemands on time.

To participate in and facilitate group work, committees and workshops as required.

To organise and attend multidisciplinary case conferences and liaison meetings as necessary.

Service and projects

To actively influence service improvements and lead on projects.

To ensure that services are provided in accordance with the Trusts standards, procedures and objectives of quality assurance, and that they are consistent with best professional practice

To take the lead in development of protocols and guidelines as required and as appropriate to the clinical area

To take into account the views and wishes of service users, carers and families, respecting their diversity

Complete all appropriate risk assessments for patients

Report and record all accidents, incidents or near misses, whether involving patients, relatives, carers, staff or any other person, and arrange appropriate treatments according to policy, taking appropriate action when necessary

Have a working knowledge of local policies and procedures for vulnerable adults

Understand basic legal issues around child abuse and have a working knowledge of child protection procedures, statutory local procedures and points of referral

Ensure adherence of self and other members of the team to the Trust Lone Working arrangements

Maintain current registration with the Health Professions Council in line with Trust Policy and follow the code of conduct of the British Association of Occupational Therapists.

Patient contact

To assess for, provide and evaluate Occupational Therapy and rehabilitation intervention to Neurological and Early supported discharge stroke patients in a timely manner.

To demonstrate new methods and strategies and daily living skills to clients and their carers.

To identify and facilitate provision of minor works and adaptations.

To carry out basic wheelchair assessments and prescriptions and maintain clinical skills and knowledge of available wheelchairs and equipment.

To treat clients with specific therapeutic activities to improve their range of functional behaviour.

To be aware of developments within occupational therapy and rehabilitation and to maintain a high standard of clinical competence. Take responsibility for own professional updating.

Appropriately act as the patients advocate, raising their concerns about services of the Trust or other agencies.

To be responsible for the assessments, planning, implementation, and evaluation of individualised occupational therapy intervention to patients living in the community using specialist programmes of care.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• BSc Occupational Therapy or Dip/COT
• HCPC registered Occupational Therapist
• Clear record of post graduate experience
• Relevant post graduate experience in Stroke/Neurology

Desirable

• Stroke or Neuro related clinical courses /trainings

Experience

Essential

• Previous experience in stroke and neurological rehabilitation, including core rehabilitation techniques
• Broad experience treating adult clients with physical illness or disability using a variety of treatment approaches
• Proven ability to work independently and manage a complex community caseload

Desirable

• Experience of working in the NHS
• Experience of working in the community
• Experience leading service initiatives or contributing to quality improvement.

Skills

Essential

• Experience working independently with a complex and varied caseload in clients' homes.
• Experience working with adults with long-term conditions, neurological or terminal illness, or severe physical disabilities
• Experience working effectively within a multidisciplinary team

Desirable

• Enthusiasm and prior experience working in community-based occupational therapy.
• Leadership or supervision experience/ teaching experience within a clinical setting.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust

Address

The Poynt

Poynters Road

Luton

LU4 0LA

Employer's website

https://www.cambscommunityservices.nhs.uk/careers (Opens in a new tab)