Senior (Highly Specialist) Occupational Therapist

Job responsibilities

ORGANISATION RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reports to: Occupational Therapy Manager

Liaises with: Students/parents/carers

Residential and Educational staff

Allied Health Professionals

College Medical Officer

External Agencies

Supervises: Senior B therapists, Therapists and Therapy Assistants

MAIN PURPOSE OF JOB:

To work as an integral member of the National Star team, delivering high quality therapeutic interventions to promote students learning and supporting their health and wellbeing.

Learners and clients have a range of physical and learning difficulties, including PMLD and ASD. To provide professional advice, training and information to colleagues and families and carers. This post will be based either on site at Ullenwood view, Bradbury Gardens or Elizabeth House.

WORKING PATTERN

Full time post = 44hrs over 39 Weeks (example 4 x days at 8-5, 1 x day 8-4)

PRIMARY TASKS:

To work as an autonomous practitioner assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating Therapy programmes for learners with complex physical and/or learning difficulties, ensuring they promote students/clients learning and health and wellbeing

To be responsible and accountable for the management of learners within a personal caseload across multiple locations, including completing pre-college assessments for potential students and clients.

To design, develop and monitor therapy programmes delivered by staff in relation to Occupational Therapy contributing to training, coaching and mentoring of staff in developing best working practices

To promote the development of students occupation across college, supporting wider learning, taking an active role in the development of new provisions where required.

To have specialist knowledge and skills in areas such as Sensory Integration, 24 hour Posture Management, Upper limb rehab/maintenance, Visual impairment and Autism

To deputise for Lead Occupational Therapy Manager as required, including supporting the development of new provisions

To oversee the work of Occupational Therapists and their caseloads, providing on-going line management and supervision as required, in line with college and professional policies and standards, assessing and evaluating competence when required.

Provide line management and supervision of Occupational Therapy Assistants and Occupational Therapy students on placement.

To work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to meet the needs of students, communicating effectively with students, their careers, and members of the multi-disciplinary team and outside agencies.

To demonstrate excellent professional knowledge, underpinned by current evidence based practice.

To ensure that students have an understanding of the therapy intervention and why it is relevant to them. With students who lack capacity to understand, to work in their best interest.

To accurately record all therapeutic interventions and ensure electronic documentation is completed in accordance with college and professional standards, protocols and guidelines.

To contribute to student specific meetings and annual reviews and prepare reports and documentation to high standards, including complex cases.

To contribute to the identification and organisation of CPD for yourself, the Occupational Therapy team and individual staff you line manage, undertaking relevant training to maintain and develop best practice and meet student needs and professional registration.

To provide clinical and statistical information including audits and outcome measures on a regular basis or as required.

To comply with all National Star College policies and procedures and the professional Codes of Practice as defined by the College of Occupational Therapy and Health and Care Professionals Councils.

To participate in the college self-assessment processes and the review of college policies and procedures as required

To promote a professional image and raise the profile and the role of the Occupational Therapy service

To be responsive to the unpredictable demands of the post, undertaking other duties that may be within the scope of the role function

SAFEGUARDING

The organisation takes seriously its responsibility for safeguarding and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults at risk and children. Therefore we require that all staff share this and act accordingly by applying organisation policy and procedure and attending annual safeguarding training.

Equality & Diversity

Through personal example and clear action demonstrate commitment to equality and diversity ensuring equality of access and treatment in employment and service delivery to all.

Health & Safety

Promote National Stars Health and Safety at Work Policy and Procedures and ensure these are implemented effectively within the department.

This job description sets out a summary of key features of the role. It is not intended to be exhaustive and will be reviewed periodically to ensure it remains appropriate to the role.

Qualifications

Essential

• BSc Occupational Therapy,
• HCPC Registered
• Member of COT

Desirable

• Postgraduate qualification in sensory integration, SI Network 1 to 4, ASI wise modules 1 to 6
• Postgraduate qualification in posture management or completion of relevant courses to enable effective clinical practice
• Hand therapy qualification such as BAHT level 1 to 4. Experience working with individuals with neurological conditions and upper limb dysfunction.
• Clinical supervision, teaching, coaching, mentoring

Personal

Essential

• Proactive approachable team player
• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written)
• Punctual, reliable and organised
• Positive and proactive
• Practical and creative problem solver
• Flexible thinking
• Adaptable
• Able to work under pressure
• Physically fit to meet the requirements of the role.
• Commitment to Equality & Diversity Support the ethos of the college & be fit to work with adults at risk and children.

Experience

Essential

• 4 + years post-qualification experience in relevant field
• Working with young adults with complex physical and learning difficulties
• Effective Management of own work load
• Support and guidance to junior therapists or therapy assistants
• Involvement in service development
• Support and guidance to therapists or therapy assistants
• MDT working
• Keeping excellent written and electronic records of therapeutic interventions
• Training staff

Desirable

• Expertise in areas such as Sensory integration theory, 24 hour postural management, upper limb rehab/ maintenance, visual impairment and Autism.
• Application of supervision and appraisal processes
• Familiarity with residential and/or educational settings
• Training of staff
• Providing specialist reports

Other

Essential

• Able to meet the travel requirements of the post
• IT literate, able to use Microsoft Office: Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Commitment to Equality & Diversity Support the ethos of the college & be fit to work with vulnerable adults and children

Knowledge and skills

Essential

• Ability to autonomously assess, plan, implement and evaluate therapy programmes
• Demonstration of professional knowledge, underpinned by current evidence-based practice
• Ability to manage diverse, complex therapeutic interventions to meet the needs of clients with complex physical and learning difficulties
• Ability to prioritise interventions caseloads across multiple locations
• Ability to complete complex assessments in relation to Occupational Therapy

Desirable

• Knowledge of Quality Assurance systems and processes

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).