Hand Therapist

Job responsibilities

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

To deliver a high standard of Occupational Therapy intervention and maintain service delivery by flexible, effective and efficient prioritisation based on specialist clinical and professional judgement.

To have knowledge of and apply the principles of the Mental Capacity Act in order to gain consent for intervention for those patients who have capacity or best interest decision for those who lack capacity to consent.

To negotiate with client / carer to identify and formulate client centred, specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely (SMART) goals using the specialist assessment information and to complete designated outcome measures.

To select and apply standardised and non-standardised Occupational Therapy and other professional assessment tools.

To plan, implement and review patient centred individual and/or group assessments, interventions, using meaningful graded activity based on specialist knowledge of best practice, clinical reasoning and knowledge of Occupational Therapy models of practice.

To interpret and analyse complex clinical, social and environmental factors to recommend the best course of intervention, and the development/review of treatment and discharge plans.

To have a detailed working knowledge of relevant external agencies eligibility criteria and Trust policies and procedures to be able to effectively refer the patient to these services.

To have a specialist knowledge and be safe and competent in the use of all equipment for daily living, evidenced in the individual Medical Devices Log and to be responsible for ensuring junior staff and clients / carers attain competency prior to use.

To have knowledge of appropriate legislation and comply with the Professional Code of Ethics, Conduct and Standards for Occupational Therapy and ensure that junior staff are aware of these.

Measurable Result Areas

To comply with Health and Safety guidelines, Medical Devices Policy and maintain safe environment, equipment and working practices, ensuring that junior and support staff within the specialist area are aware of their obligation to comply. To carry out the risk assessments and implement the outcomes in designated therapy areas.

To ensure verbal and non-verbal, written and electronic patient records, reports and activity data including those of junior staff are maintained, contemporaneous and reported back in appropriate forums, in accordance with professional and Trust record keeping standards.

To contribute to the Key Performance Indicator targets and ensure that they are recorded for the designated speciality area in line with the Trust policies and service protocols.

To prescribe and order equipment for daily living in line with the policies and procedures of the Integrated Community Equipment Service within the authorised budgetary limit.

To identify stock and non-stock to maintain departmental resources and assist in the annual stock take in line with OT service procedures and Trust financial instructions.

To participate in research opportunities, demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate current research and apply to practice disseminating findings at a local level.

To assist in the implementation of Occupational Therapy objectives in line with Divisional and Trust Objectives.

To participate in the recruitment, selection and retention of staff.

Communications and Working Relationships

To develop an effective therapeutic relationship through the use of a specialist range of verbal and non-verbal communication skills.

To be an accredited Occupational Therapy fieldwork educator and to provide and support Occupational Therapy fieldwork placements

To provide and support opportunities for teaching and training of staff, other students for example medical, nursing, work experience and other professionals.

To contribute to the induction of new Occupational Therapy staff and students.

To facilitate the identification of training needs of the junior and support Occupational Therapy staff through appraisal and contribute to the development, formation and delivery of the Occupational Therapy training plan.

To notify the Principal Occupational Therapist of staff absences when senior staff are not available.

To deputise day to day operational management for senior staff in their absence within the designated speciality area.

To provide Occupational Therapy expertise at appropriate local and regional working parties or meetings to develop, implement and redesign service delivery.

To respect the equality, dignity and diversity of the individual, and be responsible for the provision of a service which is sensitive to these needs.

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree/ Diploma in Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy
• State Registration with Health Care Professions Council
• Postgraduate experience/ training in clinical speciality
• Accredited Fieldwork Educator

Desirable

• Management training
• Member of Professional body (RCOT/CSP)

Experience

Essential

• Sound clinical experience/ training within area of speciality
• Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team
• Experience of supervising junior OT staff
• Experience of supervising students on placement
• Experience of providing clinical education to junior staff and students
• Experience of Health and Safety legislation / risk assessments

Desirable

• Experience of clinical audit and / or lead a clinical project

Skills

Essential

• Specialist knowledge and application of Hand Therapy assessments and interventions relevant to speciality
• Comprehensive clinical experience & knowledge of Hand Therapy models of practice and outcome measures
• Excellent interpersonal and organisational skills and an ability to prioritise own workload
• Ability to work autonomously and set own priorities and manage an independent caseload of complex cases
• Ability to analyse and respond efficiently to complex information / professional and ethical issues
• Ability to comprehend and work within the Trust's policies and procedures, including data protection, equal opportunities and health and safety
• Detailed knowledge of relevant legislation and national priorities and current professional issues
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Computer literacy
• Sound understanding of the Hand Therapist role and service needs
• Detailed knowledge of clinical governance and its application
• Ability to monitor and evaluate own performance and initiate changes to work practice
• Presentation and training skills

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Ability to build effective working relationships within multi-disciplinary team and with other professionals
• Ability to work as a team member
• Understanding of professional conduct
• Ability to work flexibly to meet the demands of the service
• Ability to implement change
• Ability to organise and manage self and others
• Ability to manage difficult and distressing clinical situations

Other Job Requirements

Essential

• Willingness to work in a variety of locations
• Prepared to work at weekends
• Independent means of transport
• Evidence of CPD and commitment to personal development
• Physically able to carry out the duties of the post

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).