Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist Band 7

Job responsibilities

Clinical Responsibilities.

Lead the provision of high quality, evidence based occupational therapy provision for children and young peoplein Childrenand Family Services inpartnership with other members of the multidisciplinary team

Undertake specialist occupation al therapy assessments of children witha range of needs includinghighly complexneeds

Devise and carry outtherapeuticinterventionsthat are developmentallyappropriate,goaldirected,and occupation centred both intermsofmeans and outcome.

Devise suitable,individualised occupational therapyprogrammes/strategies thatfit within the childs daily routine,whether to be carried out by parents or members of the Multidisciplinary Team; these shouldbemonitored,evaluated,and adjusted appropriately according to the needs of the child.

Develop therapy goals, in collaboration and with the child and family/carers, as well as the MDT, tomaximise recovery andfacilitatethe participation of the child in their daily life.

Lead on delivering high quality, evidence based upper limb management for children and young people.This may include elements of service development and training of other members of the OT team.

Assess for and fabricate splints and casts for function and tomaintainrange as part of the young person's rehabilitation programme. This will include providing guidance for caregivers/ members of the MDT tocomply withthe Equipment and Medical Device Policy.

Support upper limb Botulinum Toxinintervention, carrying out pre- and post-assessment, devising post Botulinum Toxintreatmentprogrammesand evaluating benefit for future Botulinum Toxinprescription.

Offer liaison and joint work with specialist tertiary centres, contributing to upper limb reviews and management plans where necessary.

Keepappropriateandaccurateintervention records, fulfilling legal, professional and all other requirements of The Childrens Trust.

Contribute to child related meetings and reports, including formulations, monthly meetings with parents, initial assessmentreportsand discharge reports, andassistwith the collation of these as and whenrequired,in a timely mannerand in line with organisational targets.

Assess for and organise provision of necessary therapy equipment. This may be loaned equipment for use at The Childrens Trust or recommendations of equipment for long-term use on return to home.

Lead on and deliver a24-hourrehabilitationapproachto embed participation and therapeutic aims into everyday care

Assess,evaluate,and recommend discharge/transition plans for children/young people within the multidisciplinary team framework.

Bea positive and inspirational role model for all team members.

Work closely with all members of the MultidisciplinaryTeam, as well asthe child and family,to provide a fully integrated approach to the overall management of the child.This will include any home/school visits, professional child related meetings and/ orappointments,asrequired.

Provide clinical cover across the service during episodes of staff shortage/heavy workload,in ordertoensure effective service delivery.This could include supporting therapy at The Childrens Trust school or The Childrens Trust outpatient and communityservice if necessary.

Work flexibly interms of hours,in ordertomeet the needs of the service, including an early evening (weekly) and one weekend day, per calendar month.

Represent the Therapy Team and The Childrens Trust whenappropriate, deputising for the Head ofRehabilitationTherapies/Clinical Specialist OTasrequired.

Activelyparticipatein and support the running of relevant meetings.

Undertake other oradditionalduties that are within your skills and abilities, as the organisation mayreasonably requirefrom time to time.

Management of Self and Others

Provide leadership to the rehab OT team for day-to-day management of service needs and provision. This may involve prioritising workloads andallocatingstaffing according to the needs of the rehab team caseload, especially at times where staffing is reduced due to leave or sickness.

To ensure all members of the rehab OT team are aware of and adhere to the clinical competencies relevant for their area of practice. This may involveidentifyingtraining needs for the team or individuals.

To support the head of the rehabilitation therapiesand Clinical Specialist OTin carrying out managerial duties, deputising for them where needed.

Provide support and supervision for junior team members and students, within area of responsibility, providing direction, motivation, and support to achieve keyobjectives.

Participate in the annual Performance Development Review and monthly supervision sessions, as required by The Childrens Trust, both as Appraiser and Appraise.

Manage time effectively, prioritising, and delegating work appropriately and asrequired.

Communication

Communicate effectively with children/young people (applying the principles of consistent communication).

Facilitate effective communication with families and members of the Multidisciplinary Team.

Recognise barriers to effective communication and be able to reduce these asappropriate.

Attend and contribute to Multidisciplinary Team meetings, to discuss individual children/ young people and service in general, asrequirede.g. reviews, case conferences, clinics, etc.

Maintain clear and concise documents and records,in accordance withThe Childrens Trust Policy.

Ensure documents aremanaged confidentially at all times.

Attend regular meetings with the Multidisciplinary Team, to discuss individual children/young people and service in general, asrequirede.g.reviews, case conferences, parents evenings,clinics.

Manage informal complaints, in line with The Childrens Trust polices and contribute to the resolution of written complaints, and as they occur taking immediate action where necessary.

Governance

Read and implement all policies,procedures,and risk assessments, pertinent to working practice and keep up to date with changes as and when they occur.

Critically evaluate practice through clinical audits and by appraisal of the information gained, in combination with current knowledge of evidence-based practice;identifyopportunities for service improvement and development, with support from Highly Specialist Therapists/ Heads of Therapy.

Continue the audit cycle, by evaluating any changes implemented as a result. This should include the adoption of evidence informed practice, the trial of emerging interventions and the cessation of interventions, where evidence is insufficient and other approaches areindicated.

Recognise and critically appraise situations where the effectiveness, efficiency and quality of the service are compromised and takeappropriate actionto resolve the situation, with support fromClinical Specialist/ Head ofRehabilitation Therapies.

Critically reflect on own performance and that of other staff; and use this evaluation to enhance the effectiveness,efficiency,and quality of future practice.

Undergo The Childrens Trust Risk Assessor training, in order that all activities are risk assessed and documented in the mostappropriate format. Ensure that detailed risk assessments are completed, asrequired.

Activelyparticipatein local clinical governance activities.

Career Long Learning, Education and Research

Undertake all mandatory training, in line with The Childrens Trust policy.

Advance personal knowledge, understanding and skills in line with identified learning needs, by makingappropriate useof a variety of learning and development resources and opportunities, e.g. by attending courses/ lectures, contact and involvement with relevant special interest groups and visiting other departments/ organisations and by conducting Literature Reviews.

Prepare appropriately for Performance Development Reviews,identifyinglearningobjectivesand setting targets;identifyopportunities for professional developmentin order tomeet continuing professional development requirements.

Participates in in-service competency training programmes and teaching sessions, asappropriate.

Limits of Authority and Problem Solving

Make day-to-day decisionsregardingoccupational therapyrequirements for children and young people, based on case load, including recommendations for specialist equipment.

Responsible for day-to-day time management and prioritisation of workload,taking into accountthe needs of the whole service.

Monthly formal supervision.

Provides formal supervision monthly tojunior Therapistsand/orMultidisciplinary Technicians.

Supporting the Occupational Therapy Team and house based multi-disciplinary team in delivery of an effective service.

Any other duties asrequired.

Professionalism

Meet current HCPC and RCOT standards with respect to professionalism and to keep up to date with any changes.

Understand what is required of therapy professionals by HCPC with respect to Fitness to Practice.

Be responsible for maintaining registration with HCPC and RCOT.

Adhere to the policies and procedures of The Childrens Trust.

In addition to The Childrens Trust policies, the Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist is governed by, and should adhere to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Standards of Proficiency for Occupational Therapists and the Royal College of Occupational Therapists standards.

Responsible for day-to-day time management and prioritisation of workload, taking into account the needs of the whole service.

Monthly formal supervision ensuring reflection and documentation.

Support recruitment processes, as requested by the Head of Rehabilitation Therapies.

Committed to demonstrating the organisations values and behaviours at all times.

Health and Safety

Adheres to all Health and Safety guidelines, principles, and regulations to perform your role and comply with The Childrens Trust policies and procedures.

Provide evidence of all vaccinations (or medical exemption) required for the post.

Adhere to manual handling procedures and complete mandatory manual handling training.

Skills & Abilities

Essential

• Clinical assessment and intervention skills relevant to children and young people with acquired brain injury
• Sound clinical reasoning skills in routine and complex cases, analysing a variety of evidence and presenting this in a relevant format e.g. report; presentation
• Workload management including delegation of tasks
• Competent in supporting junior colleagues in using reflective practice tools
• Competent IT skills in order to collect and interpret data, present reports, and compile presentations
• Competent verbal, non-verbal and written communication skills including communicating complex or potentially distressing information to parents/carers and managing conflict when appropriate
• Risk assessment skills
• Reflective practice skills, able to give clear and effective feedback and support others to develop
• Clinical assessment of upper limb including splinting, conducting postural assessments and ROM
• To provide advice, teaching and instruction to relatives, carers, and other professionals, to promote understanding of the aims of occupational therapy, and to ensure a consistent approach to patient care
• Liaising with colleagues within the Trust (including case conferences, ward rounds and discharge planning) and local services (referring hospitals and community services - health, education, and social care) to ensure integrated and coordinated continuity of care of the child.

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding children and young people with acquired brain injury and complex disabilities
• Competent skills in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel
• Knowledge of current research, clinical audit, and service evaluation methods

Desirable

• Understanding of physical, communication, behavioural and emotional changes after acquired brain injury (ABI)
• Knowledge of team leadership models

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy
• HCPC registration
• Member of British Association of Occupational Therapists
• Maintains a portfolio of CPD in line with regulatory body standards
• Willing to participate in any relevant training identified to develop skills required to carry out duties including extended role activities

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working with children/young people and/or acquired brain injury
• Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Experience leading teams
• Experience of working with families
• Ability to support the delivery of complex and sensitive information to a vulnerable patient group and their families
• Experience in provision of high quality, evidence based upper limb management
• Previous experience as an OT working with children with developmental conditions, including using developmental assessments and providing therapy to address occupational performance

Desirable

• Minimum of five years clinical experience post basic qualification
• Previous experience as an OT working with children with developmental conditions, including using developmental assessments and providing therapy to address occupational performance
• Experience of paediatric postural management including assessment for wheelchairs and specialist equipment for daily living
• Working with children of all ages and abilities (including those with sensory loss, intellectual disability and those who present with behaviour that challenges) conveying complex information in an understandable way so that they can be involved in assessment and treatment decisions as appropriate, thus encouraging continued motivation to ensure progression of care.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working with children/young people and/or acquired brain injury
• Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Experience leading teams
• Experience of working with families
• Ability to support the delivery of complex and sensitive information to a vulnerable patient group and their families
• Experience in provision of high quality, evidence based upper limb management
• Previous experience as an OT working with children with developmental conditions, including using developmental assessments and providing therapy to address occupational performance

Desirable

• Minimum of five years clinical experience post basic qualification
• Previous experience as an OT working with children with developmental conditions, including using developmental assessments and providing therapy to address occupational performance
• Experience of paediatric postural management including assessment for wheelchairs and specialist equipment for daily living
• Working with children of all ages and abilities (including those with sensory loss, intellectual disability and those who present with behaviour that challenges) conveying complex information in an understandable way so that they can be involved in assessment and treatment decisions as appropriate, thus encouraging continued motivation to ensure progression of care.

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).