Job summary
Hours of work: 30 - 37.5 hours per week
An exciting opportunity as a Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist has arisen to join the Therapies Service at St Josephs Hospice in Hackney.
You will work as part of committed and creative team, which offers innovative therapeutic interventions and support to people with specialist palliative and end life care needs. The Therapies team works in collaboration with other clinical professionals and volunteers across all areas of the service; inpatient, outpatient and community.
This role involves the provision of rehabilitative palliative care and non-pharmacological symptom management for patients with life-limiting illness to optimise their independence and maximise their quality of life.
Main duties of the job
- Highly developed clinical skills necessary to tailor and adapt therapeutic interventions across a complex patient caseload
- Experience of multi-disciplinary working in an inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation settings
- Skilled in the management of respiratory, neurological, musculoskeletal, and oncological conditions
About us
St Joseph's Hospice was founded in 1905 by the Religious Sisters of Charity and as such it has a rich, Catholic heritage which informs our work today: to support and welcome those in need, from all different cultures, religions and backgrounds.
We provide high quality specialist palliative care for patients with cancer and other life-threatening conditions across East and North London. We have a large team of clinical staff who work across community, in-patient and out-patient services delivering individualised, responsive and holistic support to patients and their families/carers.
Why work for us?
- Golden Hello Payments of £500 after probation and £1000 after 18 months
- 27 days holiday plus public holidays, increasing up to 33 days with service
- Subsidised cafe and early access to retail sale events
- Season ticket/Welfare loans
- Continuation of NHS Pension Scheme or an excellent salary-exchange pension scheme.
- Santander cycles discount and cycle to work scheme
- Health Cash Plan and access to the EAP services
Join St Josephs team and find out more!
We are an equal opportunities and a disability confident employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Responsible to: Senior B7 OT
Core
role
Be
a core member of a specialist interdisciplinary palliative care team which
includes Occupational Therapy, Dietetics, Speech and Language Therapy and Physiotherapy
Undertake
highly specialised OT assessment and treatment of palliative care patients as
an autonomous practitioner with support available from other therapists for
patients with complex needs
Provide
OT input to patients in the inpatient, respite and Day Hospice setting under
the care of St Josephs Hospice. Provide specialist functional assessment in relation
to patients being discharged home
To
provide clinical specialist advise and clinical supervision within the service
and to OT students on field work
placement and rehab assistant as required
Contribute
to, and take a leadership role in, projects, groups and teaching initiatives as
a source of OT expertise and advice.
The
Occupational Therapists form an integral component of the multidisciplinary
specialist palliative care team that provides high quality care to patients
with advanced, serious or life-limiting illness where disease is no longer responsive to curative
treatment.
In particular, the Therapies team provide leadership on rehabilitative
palliative care with a focus on supporting patients to optimise their function,
wellbeing and independence to maximise quality of life.
Key accountabilities
Clinical
-
Undertake
highly specialised occupational therapy assessment and implementation of
therapy intervention for patients with progressive and life threatening
diseases as an autonomous practitioner.
This includes using analytical skills, clinical reasoning, and the use
of appropriate outcome measures
-
Tailor
holistic therapy assessment and treatment, with attention to patients
multi-faceted individual needs and preferences spanning physical, emotional, social
and spiritual dimensions
-
To
be active member within the Hospice for occupational therapy. Being a source of occupational therapy
expertise, providing senior clinical and leadership skills advice across the
interdisciplinary team to guide a rehabilitative approach to patient care and
guiding discharge planning as relevant
-
Along
with other members of the allied health professional team, work to develop an
appropriate rehabilitation programme for clients. Identify and work with
patients as early as possible to develop their independence and autonomy with
activities of daily living (ADLs) to maximise their function and engagement in
daily life
-
Work
as a key member of the interdisciplinary care team in preparing appropriate
patients and their accommodation for discharge. Work closely with the various
community therapists and other teams in the provision of necessary aids,
equipment and adaptations in order to maximise patients independence,
comfort and safety on discharge, with
the emphasis on quality of life.
-
Work as a
key member of the interdisciplinary care team in effecting provision of
equipment to facilitate rapid discharge in cases where an individual wishes to
return home for the last day/s of life
-
Contribute
to non-pharmacological management of symptoms such as fatigue, pain management and
breathlessness, including contribution to group programmes where appropriate
-
Provide
education and support to carers when developing discharge plans, and to
actively involve both patients carers and carers patient in developing
treatment plans
-
Constantly
assess the ongoing occupational therapy needs of the patient, adapting therapy
input as their condition changes
-
Attend
family meetings and case meetings to specialist input and advice
-
To
ensure the provision of high quality standard and specialist therapy care
including running of rehab groups alongside other clinicians
Organisation
-
With
support and direction from Senior OT, take responsibility for managing own case
load across inpatient, respite and Day Hospice settings, organising and
planning own caseload to meet service and patient priorities, and to readjust
plans as situations change/arise
-
Maintain
accurate and up to date problem orientated documentation for all patients,
consistent with department documentation and the Royal College of Occupational
Therapists standards
-
Actively
contribute to the achievement of the Hospice and Therapies strategic planning,
working with the Senior OT and Therapies Manager to proactively identify
opportunities for service development.
Communication
-
Be
skilled in advanced communication with patients in emotionally charged
situations using tact and empathy to communicate difficult and challenging
information
-
Encourage
patient participation in therapy by using negotiation, reassurance and support
-
Be
skilled in communication with formal/informal carers, external agencies,
statutory and voluntary, to ensure effective client care, continuity and
discharge
-
Participate
fully in the interdisciplinary approach to rehabilitative palliative care
attending team meetings, case meetings and family meetings
-
Proactively
support the Therapies strategic agenda to maintain and develop strong
communication and working relationships with external agencies and services.
This includes timely correspondence through Initial Assessment and Discharge
Reports.
-
Participate
in OT peer supervision with other London Hospice and Community Palliative Care
Occupational Therapists
Education/
teaching
-
Contribute
to and lead various education initiatives including; therapies in-service, wards staff, training for external occupational therapy
colleagues and students, courses run by St Josephs Education Department and
external teaching engagements as relevant
-
Contribute
to projects across the Hospice in keeping with areas of special interest,
including non-cancer strategies, taking on a leadership role where appropriate
-
Support
Senior OT in clinical service developments or projects that are in keeping with
areas of interest and expertise, Therapies and Hospice strategic agenda and
needs of patients and carers
Professional
-
Set
a high standard of practice, maintain up to date knowledge of clinical
developments in the field of palliative care, and incorporate these
appropriately into clinical practice.
-
Abide
by the rules of professional conduct laid down by the appropriate professional
body.
-
Act
as a representative of Therapies professionals, both within St Joseph's Hospice
and in the wider health community.
-
Identify
own learning and development needs in order to meet the key requirements of the
post.
-
Be an
active member of the in-service training programme, taking a role in the
development and implementation of evidence based practice within the department
-
Participate
in St Josephs appraisal system as an appraisee
- Maintain a portfolio which reflects personal and
professional development. Ensure continuous HCPC registration
Job description
Job responsibilities
Responsible to: Senior B7 OT
Core
role
Be
a core member of a specialist interdisciplinary palliative care team which
includes Occupational Therapy, Dietetics, Speech and Language Therapy and Physiotherapy
Undertake
highly specialised OT assessment and treatment of palliative care patients as
an autonomous practitioner with support available from other therapists for
patients with complex needs
Provide
OT input to patients in the inpatient, respite and Day Hospice setting under
the care of St Josephs Hospice. Provide specialist functional assessment in relation
to patients being discharged home
To
provide clinical specialist advise and clinical supervision within the service
and to OT students on field work
placement and rehab assistant as required
Contribute
to, and take a leadership role in, projects, groups and teaching initiatives as
a source of OT expertise and advice.
The
Occupational Therapists form an integral component of the multidisciplinary
specialist palliative care team that provides high quality care to patients
with advanced, serious or life-limiting illness where disease is no longer responsive to curative
treatment.
In particular, the Therapies team provide leadership on rehabilitative
palliative care with a focus on supporting patients to optimise their function,
wellbeing and independence to maximise quality of life.
Key accountabilities
Clinical
-
Undertake
highly specialised occupational therapy assessment and implementation of
therapy intervention for patients with progressive and life threatening
diseases as an autonomous practitioner.
This includes using analytical skills, clinical reasoning, and the use
of appropriate outcome measures
-
Tailor
holistic therapy assessment and treatment, with attention to patients
multi-faceted individual needs and preferences spanning physical, emotional, social
and spiritual dimensions
-
To
be active member within the Hospice for occupational therapy. Being a source of occupational therapy
expertise, providing senior clinical and leadership skills advice across the
interdisciplinary team to guide a rehabilitative approach to patient care and
guiding discharge planning as relevant
-
Along
with other members of the allied health professional team, work to develop an
appropriate rehabilitation programme for clients. Identify and work with
patients as early as possible to develop their independence and autonomy with
activities of daily living (ADLs) to maximise their function and engagement in
daily life
-
Work
as a key member of the interdisciplinary care team in preparing appropriate
patients and their accommodation for discharge. Work closely with the various
community therapists and other teams in the provision of necessary aids,
equipment and adaptations in order to maximise patients independence,
comfort and safety on discharge, with
the emphasis on quality of life.
-
Work as a
key member of the interdisciplinary care team in effecting provision of
equipment to facilitate rapid discharge in cases where an individual wishes to
return home for the last day/s of life
-
Contribute
to non-pharmacological management of symptoms such as fatigue, pain management and
breathlessness, including contribution to group programmes where appropriate
-
Provide
education and support to carers when developing discharge plans, and to
actively involve both patients carers and carers patient in developing
treatment plans
-
Constantly
assess the ongoing occupational therapy needs of the patient, adapting therapy
input as their condition changes
-
Attend
family meetings and case meetings to specialist input and advice
-
To
ensure the provision of high quality standard and specialist therapy care
including running of rehab groups alongside other clinicians
Organisation
-
With
support and direction from Senior OT, take responsibility for managing own case
load across inpatient, respite and Day Hospice settings, organising and
planning own caseload to meet service and patient priorities, and to readjust
plans as situations change/arise
-
Maintain
accurate and up to date problem orientated documentation for all patients,
consistent with department documentation and the Royal College of Occupational
Therapists standards
-
Actively
contribute to the achievement of the Hospice and Therapies strategic planning,
working with the Senior OT and Therapies Manager to proactively identify
opportunities for service development.
Communication
-
Be
skilled in advanced communication with patients in emotionally charged
situations using tact and empathy to communicate difficult and challenging
information
-
Encourage
patient participation in therapy by using negotiation, reassurance and support
-
Be
skilled in communication with formal/informal carers, external agencies,
statutory and voluntary, to ensure effective client care, continuity and
discharge
-
Participate
fully in the interdisciplinary approach to rehabilitative palliative care
attending team meetings, case meetings and family meetings
-
Proactively
support the Therapies strategic agenda to maintain and develop strong
communication and working relationships with external agencies and services.
This includes timely correspondence through Initial Assessment and Discharge
Reports.
-
Participate
in OT peer supervision with other London Hospice and Community Palliative Care
Occupational Therapists
Education/
teaching
-
Contribute
to and lead various education initiatives including; therapies in-service, wards staff, training for external occupational therapy
colleagues and students, courses run by St Josephs Education Department and
external teaching engagements as relevant
-
Contribute
to projects across the Hospice in keeping with areas of special interest,
including non-cancer strategies, taking on a leadership role where appropriate
-
Support
Senior OT in clinical service developments or projects that are in keeping with
areas of interest and expertise, Therapies and Hospice strategic agenda and
needs of patients and carers
Professional
-
Set
a high standard of practice, maintain up to date knowledge of clinical
developments in the field of palliative care, and incorporate these
appropriately into clinical practice.
-
Abide
by the rules of professional conduct laid down by the appropriate professional
body.
-
Act
as a representative of Therapies professionals, both within St Joseph's Hospice
and in the wider health community.
-
Identify
own learning and development needs in order to meet the key requirements of the
post.
-
Be an
active member of the in-service training programme, taking a role in the
development and implementation of evidence based practice within the department
-
Participate
in St Josephs appraisal system as an appraisee
- Maintain a portfolio which reflects personal and
professional development. Ensure continuous HCPC registration
Person Specification
General Requirements
Essential
- Please refer to job description above
Desirable
- Please refer to job description above
Person Specification
General Requirements
Essential
- Please refer to job description above
Desirable
- Please refer to job description above
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.
