Job responsibilities
To be professionally and legally responsible and
accountable for all aspects of your own work including the management of
patients in your care. To ensure high standards of clinical care for the
patients under your management and support others to do likewise.
To interpret and analyse clinical and non-clinical
facts to form an accurate diagnosis and prognosis in a wide range of
conditions, to recommend the best course of intervention and to develop
comprehensive management strategies for the patient's presenting condition.
To formulate an
individualised treatment plan, using clinical reasoning skills and utilising
a wide range of skills and treatment options and develop specialised skills
in relation to cognition, perception and upper limb therapy.
To undertake comprehensive assessment of patients,
using investigative and analytical skills and to formulate individualised
management and treatment plans, using clinical reasoning and utilising a wide
range of treatment skills and options to formulate a specialised programme of
care.
To accept
clinical responsibility for a designated caseload of patients and to organise
this effectively and efficiently with regard to clinical priorities and use
of time. To provide advice to the MDT regarding the
management of patients requiring therapy input.
To develop the skills and dexterity, co-ordination
and palpatory senses for assessment and manual treatment of patients. To be
safe and competent in the use of therapy equipment with support and training
from the senior therapist as appropriate.
To recommend/ prescribe equipment and minor
adaptations, following assessment and use of clinical reasoning skills, in
order to compensate for unresolved functional deficits, in line with local
resources, guidelines and legislation.
To facilitate safe provision of equipment and
instruct patients, family and carers in the use of equipment, as appropriate.
To assess, using clinical reasoning for minor
adaptations, take measurements and communicate the recommendations, through
reports and diagrams to adaptation providers, with support from senior
therapists.
To have an awareness of potential psychological risk
factors and the functional implications of these.
To provide spontaneous and planned specialist
advice, teaching, and instruction to relatives, carers and other professions
to promote understanding of the aims of occupational therapy and to ensure a
consistent approach to patient care.
To be responsible
for equipment used in carrying out occupational therapy duties and to adhere
to any relevant policies, including competence to use equipment and ensure
safe use of equipment by others through teaching, training and supervision of
practice. To help facilitate patients
to self-manage their rehabilitation.
To supervise assistant practitioners, support staff
when appropriate and take
responsibility for appropriate delegation of tasks.
To provide clinical supervision for occupational
therapy students on their first introductory placement and to explain the
role of occupational therapy to departmental visitors. Assist more senior
staff in the training of students and therapy assistants practitioners and
therapy assistants.
To communicate effectively with patients and carers
to maximise rehabilitation potential and to ensure understanding of their stroke to achieve their therapy goals.
Communication skills of persuasion, motivation and explanation will be used
with a variety of patients, understanding of barriers to effective communication may include loss of hearing,
cognitive difficulties, expressive and receptive aphasia, pain and fear.
To communicate effectively with all members of the
occupational therapy team, AHPs and community nursing and other professions
to ensure a collaborative approach to the management of the patient's
condition.
To assess capacity, gain valid informed consent and
have the ability to work within the legal framework with patients who lack
capacity to consent to treatment.
To maintain concise, accurate, comprehensive and
up-to-date documentation in a timely manner in line with legal and
departmental requirements, including letters and reports as appropriate.
To maintain up-to-date knowledge of the full stroke
care pathway.
Professional
To maintain own clinical professional development
(CPD) by keeping abreast of any new trends and developments and incorporate
them as necessary into your work.
To be an active member of the in-service training
programme by attendance at training sessions in-house, Tutorials and by
attending external courses and practicing reflective practice.
To maintain accurate, comprehensive and up to date
documentation in line with legal, departmental and ECCH requirements,
communicating assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines
in the form of reports and letters.
To participate in staff appraisal scheme and
personal development plan (PDP).
To work within Organisational and Royal College of
Occupational Therapists OT guidelines and adhere to the Professional Code of
Conduct.
To have a working knowledge of available equipment,
minor adaptations and resources including Activities of Daily Living (ADL)
equipment, therapy and rehabilitation aids, moving and handling equipment and
a basic knowledge of wheelchair provision.
To undertake the measurement and evaluation of your
work and current practices through the use of evidence based practice (EBP)
projects, audit and outcome measures, either individually or with other
clinical staff and the clinical lead for occupational therapy. Make
recommendations for change.
Demonstrate a sound understanding of Clinical
Governance and Risk Management and apply to the work situation.
To communicate effectively and work collaboratively
with medical, nursing and therapy colleagues to ensure delivery of a
co-ordinated multidisciplinary service.
This will include case conference and medical reports.
Organisational
To be responsible for a designated area of work as
agreed with the team leader and to plan and organize efficiently and
effectively with regard to patient management and use of time.
To decide priorities for your workload, balancing
other patient related and professional demands. Ensure that these remain in
accordance with those of the occupational therapy service as a whole.
To be actively involved in the collection of
appropriate data and statistics within the service.
To be aware of Health and Safety aspects of your
work and implement any policies, which may be required to improve the safety
of your work area, including prompt recording and reporting of accidents to
senior staff and ensuring that equipment use is safe.
Ensure the implementation of occupational therapy
service policies and any service development changes.
To comply with the organisational and service
policies and procedures and to be involved in the reviewing and updating as
appropriate.
To undertake any duties that might be considered
appropriate by senior occupational therapists and the professional / clinical
lead for occupational therapy.
All roles within East Coast Community Healthcare CIC
(ECCH) require staff to demonstrate our Values and Signature Behaviours in
the care and service they provide to patients, service users, stakeholders
and colleagues. All members of staff should consider these as an essential
part of their job role.
Our Values outline the core behaviours that we can all achieve
and are summarised as an acronym within the word CARE. These stand for: Compassion, Action, Respect and Everyone.
Underpinning our Values are our Signature Behaviours which
highlight by taking the right actions we continue to build a strong
culture. Our four Signature Behaviours
are: Compassion - We Listen, We Learn, We Lead| Action - My Accountability, My Responsibility | Respect - Respect Our Resources: People, Time and Money | Everyone - Work Together, Achieve Together.
