Job summary
This is a unique opportunity for an experienced B7 Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist to join the Hand therapy team at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth. You would be joining a well-established, friendly and supportive out-patients hand therapy team. We provide a service to Orthopaedics, Plastics, Rheumatology and some community services including Neurology and Paediatrics.
Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust is one of the largest acute hospital trusts in the country. We provide acute and specialist services to people across Portsmouth, South East Hampshire and West Sussex. We continue to build our reputation for innovation and excellence, consistently delivering outstanding performance whilst developing the skills and abilities of our staff.
Interviews for this position will take place on Monday 16th October.
Main duties of the job
You will manage a complex caseload of acute patients requiring hand therapy following surgery and injuries and provide treatment for patients with long term conditions affecting the hand and wrist. You should be able to demonstrate relevant experience, advanced splinting and treatment skills and have established competencies to the level of BAHT II.
You will be responsible for daily operational team leadership and efficient management of resources within the Hand Therapy team. You should be able to effectively manage change and demands on your service and will take a lead in auditing and reviewing the impact of developments.
The therapy department supports Continuing Professional Development and encourages our connection with a local and national specialist interest groups. There is a well-structured supervision and in-service training program in place and a regular team meeting schedule. You will be responsible for supervision and appraisals, training and clinical management of juniors, students and unqualified members of staff.
We are looking for a therapist with excellent communication skills who can liaise regularly with consultants and service managers. You will need to be a motivated, friendly and efficient person who enjoys working as part of a team. You should have a Degree or Diploma in OT or Physiotherapy and current HCPC registration.
About us
The Trust is committed to driving excellence in care for our patients and communities and was rated good by the Care Quality Commission report published 2020 and became a University Hospital. We are ranked as the third in the country for research; embedding education and training across the organisation and we continuously strive to achieve our core values which are at the heart of everything we do. The Trusts main hub is the Queen Alexandra Hospital, starting life as a military hospital over a century ago and now one of the largest hospitals on the south coast and you may have seen us on the TV series Nurses on the Ward. The Trust provides comprehensive secondary care and specialist services to a local population of 675,000 people across South East Hampshire. The Trust employs over 8,000 staff and are #ProudtobePHU; our patients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because its the right thing to do, but because it makes our hospital stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for providing outstanding care and support for patients, colleagues and our community you will find a home at PHU. In recruiting for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in
terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender
identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veterans
status, colour, religion, disability, sexual orientation and beliefs.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide a specialist and professional out-patients Hand Therapy service to Portsmouth University Hospitals Trust, responding to referrals from Orthopaedics, Plastics, Rheumatology and some community services including Neurology and Paediatrics.
- To work autonomously without direct supervision and be accountable for own professional actions. To share responsibility for the clinical leadership and professional development of a team of therapists and support staff. To provide specialised Hand Therapy intervention and clinical advise in relation to a complex acute patients requiring hand therapy following surgery and injuries and provide treatment for patients with long term conditions affecting the hand and wrist.
- To advise the service manager on professional and operational issues relating to the provision and development of the hand therapy team.
Specific Core Functions:
Clinical/Professional
- Work as a lead specialist hand therapist covering a range of complex clinical areas.
- Hold responsibility for a caseload of patients demanding highly specialised hand therapy intervention.
- Undertake the comprehensive assessment and interpretation of presenting problems of patients with complex conditions using advanced investigative, analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Formulate, carry out and evaluate individual treatment and management plans using highly specialist knowledge and skills.
- Challenge and discuss with other expert professionals highly complex issues that may affect decisions about patient care or service delivery.
- As lead specialist act as a resource for other professionals and extended organisations, providing professional advice and sharing advanced skills.
- Make sound professional judgments about issues involving complex ethical dilemmas.
- Provide specialist advice to multidisciplinary team members and other statutory and non-statutory agencies on specific upper limb care for patients.
- Carry out manual and therapeutic handling for the treatment of patients, using highly developed and expert skills. This will involve manipulation of upper limb joints and soft tissues.
Management
- To prioritise, allocate and delegate appropriately clinical and non-clinical tasks to other team members or professionals.
- Plan and organise non-clinical activities pertaining to your specialist area, including rotas, meetings, training activities and conferences.
- Accountable for the direct delivery of the hand therapy service within your specialised clinical area.
- Devise and implement policies, procedures and Standards of Practice for own specialist work area.
- Implement local and national policies and procedures i.e. National Service Frameworks, Discharge Planning etc.
- Propose and implement policies, procedures and service changes that may have impact beyond your own area of activity e.g. multidisciplinary team, other professionals.
- Responsible under Health and Safety for the safe use of equipment within your clinical area.
- Undertake risk assessments in a variety of complex situations for self, patients, colleagues and relatives.
- Discuss with service manager budget requirements for specialist area.
- Responsible for maintaining stock of equipment or materials used within specific clinical areas e.g. hand therapy materials.
- Responsible for the day to day management of a team of therapists, assistant practitioners and support staff within specific clinical area, undertaking recruitment selection, supervision and appraisals of this group of staff.
- Responsible for addressing staff performance issues that may arise within the team and if necessary implement grievance and disciplinary procedures.
- To use significant discretion to interpret principles and broad operational policies within your clinical area.
- Undertake other tasks delegated by your service manager that contribute to the effective provision of the Occupational Therapy Service.
- As team leader, to be responsible for implementing Professional Conduct and Health Professions Council (HPC) guidance within your specialist area.
- To ensure that new members of staff, locums, students and visitors receive appropriate orientation and induction programmes.
- To set up procedures to evaluate service delivery by encouraging patients feedback.
Communication
- Provide and receive complex, sensitive or contentious information.
- Use highly developed interpersonal verbal and non-verbal skills to overcome significant barriers to communication, acceptance or understanding.
- Communicate sensitively and effectively with patients, carers, relatives or other professionals in situations that may be hostile, antagonistic or highly emotive.
- Establish robust communication networks with other professionals to optimize Therapy intervention.
- Responsible for recording personally generated information regarding patients e.g. written and electronic records, reports and activity data in accordance with professional and local standards.
- Create reports for the legal system and other external agencies, e.g. Government Benefits departments, voluntary and private organisations and charities.
- Concentrate while undertaking work that is not always predictable. With competing demands for attention, prioritise workload and manage interruptions relating to patient care.
- Work with a number of patients who may be challenging and emotionally demanding, who have psychological, cognitive or mental health issues as well as their physical disabilities.
- Deal with frequent exposure to distressing and emotional circumstances, e.g. Imparting unwelcome news, dealing with difficult family dynamics, being exposed to severely injured patients.
Education and Training
- Responsible for the teaching of specific subjects, and delivery of training to team members, other professionals and students.
- Plan and provide a teaching and training programme to team members to ensure maintenance and development of professional and clinical competence.
- Provide and conduct specialist training for other health professionals across the district.
- Provide training and presentations to the general public, outside agencies, the private sector and national specialist interest groups.
- Provide education and training to patients, carers and their families.
- Provide clinical practice placements for pre-registration students.
Research and Development
- Demonstrate regular development activities and contribute to audits or other projects in order to support clinical judgments and decisions.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide a specialist and professional out-patients Hand Therapy service to Portsmouth University Hospitals Trust, responding to referrals from Orthopaedics, Plastics, Rheumatology and some community services including Neurology and Paediatrics.
- To work autonomously without direct supervision and be accountable for own professional actions. To share responsibility for the clinical leadership and professional development of a team of therapists and support staff. To provide specialised Hand Therapy intervention and clinical advise in relation to a complex acute patients requiring hand therapy following surgery and injuries and provide treatment for patients with long term conditions affecting the hand and wrist.
- To advise the service manager on professional and operational issues relating to the provision and development of the hand therapy team.
Specific Core Functions:
Clinical/Professional
- Work as a lead specialist hand therapist covering a range of complex clinical areas.
- Hold responsibility for a caseload of patients demanding highly specialised hand therapy intervention.
- Undertake the comprehensive assessment and interpretation of presenting problems of patients with complex conditions using advanced investigative, analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Formulate, carry out and evaluate individual treatment and management plans using highly specialist knowledge and skills.
- Challenge and discuss with other expert professionals highly complex issues that may affect decisions about patient care or service delivery.
- As lead specialist act as a resource for other professionals and extended organisations, providing professional advice and sharing advanced skills.
- Make sound professional judgments about issues involving complex ethical dilemmas.
- Provide specialist advice to multidisciplinary team members and other statutory and non-statutory agencies on specific upper limb care for patients.
- Carry out manual and therapeutic handling for the treatment of patients, using highly developed and expert skills. This will involve manipulation of upper limb joints and soft tissues.
Management
- To prioritise, allocate and delegate appropriately clinical and non-clinical tasks to other team members or professionals.
- Plan and organise non-clinical activities pertaining to your specialist area, including rotas, meetings, training activities and conferences.
- Accountable for the direct delivery of the hand therapy service within your specialised clinical area.
- Devise and implement policies, procedures and Standards of Practice for own specialist work area.
- Implement local and national policies and procedures i.e. National Service Frameworks, Discharge Planning etc.
- Propose and implement policies, procedures and service changes that may have impact beyond your own area of activity e.g. multidisciplinary team, other professionals.
- Responsible under Health and Safety for the safe use of equipment within your clinical area.
- Undertake risk assessments in a variety of complex situations for self, patients, colleagues and relatives.
- Discuss with service manager budget requirements for specialist area.
- Responsible for maintaining stock of equipment or materials used within specific clinical areas e.g. hand therapy materials.
- Responsible for the day to day management of a team of therapists, assistant practitioners and support staff within specific clinical area, undertaking recruitment selection, supervision and appraisals of this group of staff.
- Responsible for addressing staff performance issues that may arise within the team and if necessary implement grievance and disciplinary procedures.
- To use significant discretion to interpret principles and broad operational policies within your clinical area.
- Undertake other tasks delegated by your service manager that contribute to the effective provision of the Occupational Therapy Service.
- As team leader, to be responsible for implementing Professional Conduct and Health Professions Council (HPC) guidance within your specialist area.
- To ensure that new members of staff, locums, students and visitors receive appropriate orientation and induction programmes.
- To set up procedures to evaluate service delivery by encouraging patients feedback.
Communication
- Provide and receive complex, sensitive or contentious information.
- Use highly developed interpersonal verbal and non-verbal skills to overcome significant barriers to communication, acceptance or understanding.
- Communicate sensitively and effectively with patients, carers, relatives or other professionals in situations that may be hostile, antagonistic or highly emotive.
- Establish robust communication networks with other professionals to optimize Therapy intervention.
- Responsible for recording personally generated information regarding patients e.g. written and electronic records, reports and activity data in accordance with professional and local standards.
- Create reports for the legal system and other external agencies, e.g. Government Benefits departments, voluntary and private organisations and charities.
- Concentrate while undertaking work that is not always predictable. With competing demands for attention, prioritise workload and manage interruptions relating to patient care.
- Work with a number of patients who may be challenging and emotionally demanding, who have psychological, cognitive or mental health issues as well as their physical disabilities.
- Deal with frequent exposure to distressing and emotional circumstances, e.g. Imparting unwelcome news, dealing with difficult family dynamics, being exposed to severely injured patients.
Education and Training
- Responsible for the teaching of specific subjects, and delivery of training to team members, other professionals and students.
- Plan and provide a teaching and training programme to team members to ensure maintenance and development of professional and clinical competence.
- Provide and conduct specialist training for other health professionals across the district.
- Provide training and presentations to the general public, outside agencies, the private sector and national specialist interest groups.
- Provide education and training to patients, carers and their families.
- Provide clinical practice placements for pre-registration students.
Research and Development
- Demonstrate regular development activities and contribute to audits or other projects in order to support clinical judgments and decisions.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of experience to meet the scope and authority of the post. E.g. Rheumatology; Adult / paediatric neurology; MSK hand therapy.
- Supervision of staff/students.
- Leadership, recruitment and selection of staff.
- Individual/group and team work in a variety of relevant settings.
- Research/audit.
- Documented evidence of CPD.
- Practice innovation.
- Working with users/carers and external agencies.
Skills & Knowledge
Essential
- Specialist knowledge and application of OT assessments and interventions relevant to client group. E.g. Rheumatology, Neurological conditions and ABI in adults and children, hand injury/surgery.
- Knowledge of health and safety issues.
- OT outcome measures.
- Detailed knowledge of relevant legislation and current practice.
- Detailed knowledge of the principles of clinical governance and its application.
- Knowledge of professional and ethical issues in practice.
- Knowledge of OT models of practice and best practice.
- Knowledge and application of standardised assessments.
- Knowledge of audit/research skills.
- Ability to work alone, autonomously and set own priorities.
- Effective written and oral communication.
- Ability to work flexibly and manage pressure of work.
- Ability to delegate.
- Ability to analyse professional and ethical issues.
- Supervisory and appraisal skills.
- Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance.
- Ability to organise and respond efficiently to complex information.
- Ability to build effective working relationships.
- Computer literacy.
- Presentation skills.
- Commitment to lifelong learning.
- Commitment to client centred non-discriminatory practice.
- In engaging staff and service users.
- Ability to travel between sites and community settings.
Qualifications
Essential
- Relevant leadership training.
- Diploma/Degree OT.
- Health Professions Council Registration.
- Practice Placement Qualification.
- Evidence of relevant post graduate training.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of experience to meet the scope and authority of the post. E.g. Rheumatology; Adult / paediatric neurology; MSK hand therapy.
- Supervision of staff/students.
- Leadership, recruitment and selection of staff.
- Individual/group and team work in a variety of relevant settings.
- Research/audit.
- Documented evidence of CPD.
- Practice innovation.
- Working with users/carers and external agencies.
Skills & Knowledge
Essential
- Specialist knowledge and application of OT assessments and interventions relevant to client group. E.g. Rheumatology, Neurological conditions and ABI in adults and children, hand injury/surgery.
- Knowledge of health and safety issues.
- OT outcome measures.
- Detailed knowledge of relevant legislation and current practice.
- Detailed knowledge of the principles of clinical governance and its application.
- Knowledge of professional and ethical issues in practice.
- Knowledge of OT models of practice and best practice.
- Knowledge and application of standardised assessments.
- Knowledge of audit/research skills.
- Ability to work alone, autonomously and set own priorities.
- Effective written and oral communication.
- Ability to work flexibly and manage pressure of work.
- Ability to delegate.
- Ability to analyse professional and ethical issues.
- Supervisory and appraisal skills.
- Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance.
- Ability to organise and respond efficiently to complex information.
- Ability to build effective working relationships.
- Computer literacy.
- Presentation skills.
- Commitment to lifelong learning.
- Commitment to client centred non-discriminatory practice.
- In engaging staff and service users.
- Ability to travel between sites and community settings.
Qualifications
Essential
- Relevant leadership training.
- Diploma/Degree OT.
- Health Professions Council Registration.
- Practice Placement Qualification.
- Evidence of relevant post graduate training.
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
