Job responsibilities
Clinical Duties
Works with members of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) to facilitate Occupational Therapy services within the Rehabilitation, In-Patient Unit and Wellbeing services.
Identifies and works with patients as early as possible to maximise their function and engagement in activities of daily living (ADLs).
Has a commitment to client-centered practice and person-centered goals. Working as part of the MDT, tailors occupational therapeutic input according to patients multi-faceted individual needs and preferences spanning physical, psychological, emotional, social and spiritual dimensions.
Undertakes comprehensive occupational therapy assessment for patients with complex and diverse health needs, including progressive and life-threatening diseases.
Uses well developed clinical reasoning skills to develop, review and adapt therapeutic interventions using educative, rehabilitative and compensatory approaches as needed to optimize independence and promote occupational performance across a varied patient caseload.
Provides high quality occupational therapy input to optimise non-pharmacological management of symptoms including breathlessness, anxiety and fatigue.
Re-assesses the on-going occupational therapy needs of the patient, adapting therapy input as their condition changes.
Encourages client participation in occupational therapy by using negotiation, reassurance and support for both patients, families and staff.
Assesses patients understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid, informed consent and work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
Contribute to the discharge planning process in collaboration with other members of the MDT, to ensure a safe and effective discharge.
Contributes to the various group programmes, both virtual and face to face in outpatient services.
Assesses peoples information needs and provides/signposts to resources to meet those needs.
Takes responsibility for the maintenance of occupational therapy equipment, and provide aids and equipment appropriate to patients needs, giving instruction for its safe and correct use, in line with Hospice policy.
Monitors and reviews effectiveness of interventions and adjust approach accordingly, including the use of outcome measures to guide service provision.
Works autonomously but in compliance with the Royal College of Occupational Therapists code of ethics and professional conduct, national legal frameworks and local hospice policies and procedures.
Is responsible for, and proactively initiates, effective communication with other members of the Hospice team.
Communicates effectively with formal carers and family carers, external agencies and with the statutory and voluntary sectors to ensure effective client care and continuity of care after discharge from Hospice services.
Participates fully in the MDT approach to rehabilitation, attending internal MDT meetings, case meetings and family meetings as relevant.
Monitors workload within the service and feedback to the Clinical Director any pressures as they arise.
Monitors and manages risks involved in work activities and processes, for self, colleagues and patients.
Gathers, records and safely stores sensitive information and data as required relevant to the role.
Promotes a culture that supports self-management, independence and embeds patient and community involvement within the sphere of practice.
Participates in service review with the Clinical Director in order to drive service improvement.
Contributes to the implementation and monitoring of adherence to clinical guidelines.
Supports the Health Care Support Worker - Wellbeing in the storage and maintenance of equipment and management of stock levels.
Contributes to quality assurance e.g. through audit and research.
Is an ambassador for Nightingale House Hospice as a charity, engaging in service promotion and fundraising initiatives as required and encouraging members of the team to do the same.
Undertakes occasional community visits to support the rehabilitation and wellbeing of patients in their own homes.
Education
& development
Provides spontaneous and planned advice,
teaching and instruction to relatives, carers and other professionals in order
to promote understanding of the aims of occupational therapy and to maximise
patients rehabilitation potential, ensuring a consistent approach for patient
care.
Takes responsibility for the education and
training of staff from other disciplines within the multi disciplinary service
and the supervision and delegation of treatment programmes to staff from own
and other disciplines.
Acts as a resource and support to hospice
staff by offering support, knowledge and skills in occupational therapy,
meeting and understanding the psychosocial, physical, emotional and spiritual
needs of patients receiving palliative care.
Contributes to the development of patient
and community focused education, including coaching patients and their families
and carers.
Takes
personal responsibility for life-long learning and own development through
reflective practice, supervision and appraisal and actively engages with
learning and development opportunities offered by the Hospice and relevant
external education providers.
Maintain an up to date knowledge of suitable
equipment which can be provided to patients and their carers to facilitate
discharge from the hospice and of the systems and pathways to access this as
required.
Participates in study days, seminars and
teaching programmes for health and social care professionals both at the
Hospice and externally.
Duties in Common with Other Members of Staff:
Training and
Education, Health and Safety Policies and Procedures: Equal Opportunities
To report accidents recording the incident in the
relevant book
To adhere to Fire and Health and Safety
regulations and maintain a safe working
environment at all times
To ensure cost-effective use of resources, to be
responsible for managing the relevant budget, and to co-operate with your
line manager in the response to regular financial reporting
To be an ambassador for the
charity
To maintain the best
appearance of your immediate working area
To develop training of staff
and volunteers
To be
responsible for liaison with the relevant Executive Director regarding your own development
needs
To deliver wider training
initiatives and promotional activity in the best interests of the charity
To take responsibility for
being up to date with current policies, legislation and procedures and to
adhere to these
To treat everyone
with whom you have contact through your work with equal dignity and respect
regardless of race, colour, gender, marital status, creed, religion,
disability, age, or any other factor that could be used in a discriminatory
manner
General Requirements
This post is subject to the Terms and Conditions of employment of the
Hospice as specified in the staff handbook
Competence You are responsible for limiting
your actions to those that you feel competent to undertake. If you have any doubts about your competence
during the course of your duties you should immediately speak to your line manager
/ supervisor.
Risk Management
It is a standard element of the role
and responsibility of all staff of the Hospice that they fulfil a proactive
role towards the management of risk in all of their actions. This entails the
risk assessment of all situations, the taking of appropriate actions and
reporting of all incidents, near misses and hazards. It is a requirement that
you adhere to Nightingale House Hospice Policies, Procedures, Protocols and
guidelines at all times.
Health and Safety Requirements of the Hospice
All employees of the Hospice have a statutory duty of care for their
own personal safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or
omissions. Employees are required to
co-operate with management to enable the Hospice to meet its own legal duties
including attendance at mandatory training updates and also to report any
hazardous situations or defective equipment.
Data Protection
and Confidentiality
The post holder must treat all information, whether corporate, staff or
patient information, in a discreet, secure and confidential manner in
accordance with the provisions of the current data protection legislation and
organisational policy. Any breach of such confidentiality is considered a
serious disciplinary offence, which is liable to dismissal and / or prosecution
under statutory legislation and the hospices disciplinary policy. This duty of confidence continues after the
post holder leaves the organisation.
Records
Management
As an employee of the hospice, the post holder is legally responsible for
all records that they gather, create or use as part of their work within the
organisation (including patient health,
staff health or injury, financial, personal and administrative), whether paper
based or on computer. The post holder
should consult the IG Lead if they have any doubt as to the correct management
of records with which they work.
Flexibility Statement
The content
of this Job Description represents an outline of the post only and is therefore
not a final list of duties and responsibilities. The Job Description is therefore intended to
be flexible and is subject to review and amendment in the light of changing
circumstances, following consultation with the post holder.
