Job summary
The post holder provides specialist Occupational Therapy services to patients within hand therapy often working without direct supervision. They are responsible for their own clinical workload within an outpatient setting and are accountable for their own professional actions. They provide specialised Occupational Therapy advice in relation to care of patients with a range of hand injuries and conditions, providing rehabilitation prescription and advice to manage a variety of clinical presentations.
Main duties of the job
Clinical:
This specific post delivers specialist occupational therapy services within the clinical specialty of Hand Therapy in a substantive role.
The position is specialised due to the clinical complexity of patients managed within the service. A level of knowledge and expertise is required with specific hand therapy assessments and interventions including hand, wrist and elbow splinting, exercise prescription, scar and oedema management and functional rehabilitation.
This level of expertise and input reduces the ongoing risk for further surgery following acute hand trauma and optimises a level of clinical capacity in an outpatient therapy setting.
This role is also responsible for the ongoing management & delivery of a specialised paediatric hand therapy services as part of the congenital hand clinic in the Dragon Centre.
Leadership/workforce management:
The position is specialised due to its requirement to provide specialist advice and clinical treatment & support in the assessment and treatment of patients with complex hand trauma injuries and chronic hand conditions (paediatrics and adults). This role is involved with the supervision and development of students in hand therapy and provides additional clinical support to consultant clinics in the event of staff annual leave.
About us
This role is integral to the delivery of specialist Occupational Therapy services in the clinical specialty of Hand Therapy.
The responsibilities of this post include timely assessment and treatment of patients with hand trauma injuries and chronic/long term hand conditions, and the ongoing rehabilitation of these patients to achieve an optimal outcome post injury.
This post is also involved with service development projects such as clinical audit and has a role in teaching for both internal and external staff around clinical management of hand injuries.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached the job description for more details on the main responsibilities for this role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached the job description for more details on the main responsibilities for this role.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Diploma / Degree in Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy
- HPC Registration
- Continued Professional Development including evidence of reflective practice, and clinical experience gained
Desirable
- Fieldwork Educators Course
- BAHT Level 1 Accreditation
Experience
Essential
- o18 months clinical experience post-qualification, at least a year of which must have been in an acute setting.
- o1 year's previous NHS experience either as a qualified OT/ PT (substantive or locum).
- oAt least 12 months experience in the field of hand therapy/plastic surgery
- oWorking as part of a MDT team within a clinical environment.
Desirable
- Student supervision
- Clinical research / audit
- Involvement in service development
Skills
Essential
- oClinical Reasoning skills
- oAbility to organise, prioritise and delegate
- oAbility to document legible and accurate notes in English using the SOAP note writing system according to local standards
- oExcellent written and verbal communication skills in the English language.
- oHand Assessment skills
- oProficiency with treatment modalities used in hand therapy
- oStatic splinting skills
- oGroup work skills
- oAbility to work under pressure
- oFlexible working approach
- oInitiative
- oCompetent IT skills
Desirable
- oDynamic splinting skills
- oExperience in use of therapeutic ultrasound
Knowledge
Essential
- oClear & demonstrable understanding of the OT process in Hand Therapy
- oClear understanding of evidence-based practice.
- oWorking knowledge of hand assessment tools
- oWorking knowledge and understanding of hand anatomy
- oWorking knowledge and understanding of hand therapy protocols/treatment guidelines
- oKnowledge of current AHP and Government initiatives.
- oUnderstand the legal responsibilities of the working as a healthcare professional
- oUnderstanding of Clinical Governance and implications for allied health services including experience of quality issues and audit
- oAble to work within Trust's policies of data protection, equal opportunities and Health and Safety to meet the needs of the patients
Other
Essential
- oAble to alter their working patterns to include working extended hours, unsociable hours and weekend working. This may be via additional hours or a shift pattern.
Desirable
- oRCOT membership
- oMember of BAHT
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Diploma / Degree in Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy
- HPC Registration
- Continued Professional Development including evidence of reflective practice, and clinical experience gained
Desirable
- Fieldwork Educators Course
- BAHT Level 1 Accreditation
Experience
Essential
- o18 months clinical experience post-qualification, at least a year of which must have been in an acute setting.
- o1 year's previous NHS experience either as a qualified OT/ PT (substantive or locum).
- oAt least 12 months experience in the field of hand therapy/plastic surgery
- oWorking as part of a MDT team within a clinical environment.
Desirable
- Student supervision
- Clinical research / audit
- Involvement in service development
Skills
Essential
- oClinical Reasoning skills
- oAbility to organise, prioritise and delegate
- oAbility to document legible and accurate notes in English using the SOAP note writing system according to local standards
- oExcellent written and verbal communication skills in the English language.
- oHand Assessment skills
- oProficiency with treatment modalities used in hand therapy
- oStatic splinting skills
- oGroup work skills
- oAbility to work under pressure
- oFlexible working approach
- oInitiative
- oCompetent IT skills
Desirable
- oDynamic splinting skills
- oExperience in use of therapeutic ultrasound
Knowledge
Essential
- oClear & demonstrable understanding of the OT process in Hand Therapy
- oClear understanding of evidence-based practice.
- oWorking knowledge of hand assessment tools
- oWorking knowledge and understanding of hand anatomy
- oWorking knowledge and understanding of hand therapy protocols/treatment guidelines
- oKnowledge of current AHP and Government initiatives.
- oUnderstand the legal responsibilities of the working as a healthcare professional
- oUnderstanding of Clinical Governance and implications for allied health services including experience of quality issues and audit
- oAble to work within Trust's policies of data protection, equal opportunities and Health and Safety to meet the needs of the patients
Other
Essential
- oAble to alter their working patterns to include working extended hours, unsociable hours and weekend working. This may be via additional hours or a shift pattern.
Desirable
- oRCOT membership
- oMember of BAHT
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).
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
