Band 6 Paediatric Occupational Therapist - Rotational Post

Whittington Hospital NHS Trust

This job is now closed

Job summary

We are excited to be launching a new and innovative Band 6 Paediatric Occupational Therapy rotation in Islington. Are you a passionate forward-thinking Occupational Therapist looking to further your career and develop a wide range of skills with children and young people? We are looking for an Occupational Therapists to join us in the vibrant and diverse London Borough of Islington.

Islington Additional Needs and Disability Service (IANDS) provides a multi-agency team approach to working with babies, children and young people who present with additional needs and complex disability.

Main duties of the job

These rotational posts offer the opportunity to gain experience, skills and knowledge across 3 teams:

The Early Years Development Team (EYDT) provides assessment, treatment and management for babies and children under 5 with physical disabilities, neurological disorders or developmental delay. You will develop skills in developmental assessments, seating and posture, early intervention and family-centred care. You will work closely with Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists and Dieticians.

The Bridge School is a special school for children with complex learning needs, a high proportion of whom have a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC). You will work closely with Speech and Language therapists and school staff to support children with learning and sensory needs to participate at school. You will develop skills in functional skills assessment and intervention, sensory based strategies and enabling young people with ASC to access the community.

Richard Cloudesley School is a special school for children and young people with educationally significant physical disabilities, a high proportion of whom use an AAC system, including low, light and high-tech communication aids. You will develop skills in equipment provision, upper limb management, splinting, assistive technology and goal directed therapy. You will work jointly with Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists and school staff.

About us

As an integrated care organisation, Whittington Health provides both hospital and community services, and offers a range of development opportunities along with attractive benefits to staff at all levels of our organisation.

Within Whittington Health, the Islington Additional Needs and Disability Team is a multidisciplinary service for children and young people 0- 19.

We work in integrated teams which are made up of a range of healthcare professionals including speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, dietitians, clinical psychologists, specialist nurses, family counselling, therapy assistants, health care assistants and specialist key workers. Our integrated service allows professionals to work holistically and to provide a responsive and streamlined family centred service.

Date posted

15 August 2023

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£42,471 to £50,364 a year per annum including HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

220-WHT-1372

Job locations

Community

London

N7 6LB

Job description

Job responsibilities

the post holder will:

work within a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency environment, including other Allied Health Professionals, specialist teachers, social workers, psychologists, therapy assistants, nurses and Paediatricians.
be responsible for an allocated caseload, providing high quality Occupational Therapy and effective case management.
receive support and supervision from an experienced OT.

The post holder will have excellent communication skills, active listening skills and the ability to empathise in order to support and counsel parents to understand the implications of their childs special needs. S/he will be able to communicate complex information effectively, taking into account the barriers to communication presented by the diverse caseload.

S/he will be skilled in working in and liaising within a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency environment and be able to reassure and instil confidence in clients, carers and other professionals. S/he will demonstrate excellent negotiation skills in working with other team members, parents/carers or other professionals. S/he will take on the lead professional role for some of the families.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

CLINICAL

To manage an allocated caseload of children with complex needs.
To set and maintain high standards of clinical practice, which is evidence based where possible, using standardised assessment and outcome measures where appropriate.
Be able to select and apply OT assessments (standardised and non-standardised) for a designated case load, addressing occupational performance and skill deficits, and enabling the child in the areas of self maintenance, productivity and leisure.
To set treatment goals with children and/or their parents/carers that are functional and child centred
Identify and select, with children and/or their carers, appropriate interventions which balance the complex interaction of risk, safety, client choice, independence, areas of conflict and eligibility for services.
Plan and implement individual and group interventions, in collaboration with the child, parent/carer and school using meaningful graded activities to achieve therapeutic goals.
To successfully monitor, evaluate and review Occupational Therapy treatment/interventions within a multidisciplinary framework and to modify as necessary, taking a lead professional case management role as required.
To ensure that the child or legal guardian has an understanding of treatment proposals and gives informed consent to examination and treatment.
To prioritise factors involved in a childs presenting condition through clinical reasoning based on knowledge of current professional opinion, childs prognosis and other physical and mental health issues.
To devise and manage a specialised treatment plan individual to a childs presenting condition through:
Home programs agreed with parents
Practice of functional tasks in the natural environment
Therapeutic handling and postural management
Equipment provision at home and school
Developmentally appropriate skills in play, self care and nursery activities
Sensory based interventions
Health Promotion/extra curricular activities e.g. swimming
Addressing relevant psychosocial issues
Multidisciplinary approach, coordinating support with other members of the team
To adapt practice to meet individual patient/client circumstances.
To demonstrate knowledge of current policies and practice in education and incorporate these into the model of working as appropriate.
Demonstrate and apply a high level of understanding of the effects of medical and developmental conditions and recommend adaptations and strategies to the childs physical and social environments.
Demonstrate clinical knowledge in the areas of Developmental Co-ordination Disorders and sensory processing difficulties as well as other conditions such as Specific Learning Difficulties, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder and neurological conditions such as Cerebral Palsy and Hemiplegia
To provide support and training for parents, school staff and other professionals. To advise and teach parents/carers of children with physical disabilities on appropriate ongoing Occupational Therapy management programmes. To liaise with educational colleagues in order to undertake joint planning of STP targets and provide staff training as appropriate.
To use knowledge of other multidisciplinary roles and external agencies to ensure effective management and timely onward referrals in order to achieve the best care for the child.
To coordinate input with the other members of the team and professionals involved with the child and family, organising joint visits and developing multidisciplinary therapy plans.
To work closely with Education and contribute to Education, Health and Care Plans.
To be involved in the assessment for and selection of specialist equipment for children at home and in school, taking responsibility for review of its safety and appropriateness.
To plan and carry out home visits to carry out risk assessments, to assess for specialist equipment or to advise on minor adaptations, or to advise the parent/carer
To have the ability, knowledge and skills required for moving and handling children in clinic, education and community environments, including families homes
Arrange provision of standard specialist disability equipment, ordering equipment on-line using Social Services IT system.
To assess and manage clinical risk concerning the treatment of clients on the caseload and ensure that other staff comply e.g. Manual Handling risk assessment and Trust lone working policy.
Organise specialist clinics, such as wheelchair clinics, splinting clinics and special seating assessments, through liaison with a variety of professionals and services from different boroughs as well as with parents/carers
To ensure that all equipment defects, accidents and complaints are reported to the Service Manager and that the appropriate action is taken by those concerned.
To work autonomously, sometimes in isolated community situations, which vary in relation to local socio-economic and multi-cultural issues, acting in compliance with Home Visiting Safety Policy.
To be familiar with the re-housing process in the surrounding Boroughs, liaising with appropriate services and writing relevant reports.
To communicate effectively and sensitively with colleagues, service users and other services, both within and outside the Borough, on all matters related to client care, service organisation and delivery e.g.
Education
Housing
Social Services
Voluntary Services
Wheelchair Services
Tertiary Service e.g. GOSH, Evelina
Services in other Boroughs
To communicate complex condition-related information from assessment to carers, families and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions, demonstrating empathy and ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where barriers to understanding exist.
To form productive relationships with others who may be under stress and/or have challenging communication difficulties.
To demonstrate skills in motivating clients and /or carers to engage in the therapeutic process.
To demonstrate good negotiation skills across a range of issues and situations, recognising and resolving potential breakdown and conflict when it occurs. To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible.
To work within the standards and guidelines laid down by the Occupational Therapy Service, the Trust, the British Association of Occupational Therapy (BAOT), the Health & Care Professionals Council (HCPC), RCOT specialist section Children, Young People and Families (CYPF) and other relevant clinical interest groups as well as the Childrens Act.
To demonstrate a working knowledge of relevant procedures including: Safeguarding Children, SEN procedures, Adult Safeguarding and other legal frameworks.
Demonstrate highly effective personal coordination of day-to-day activities including prioritising case loads, decision-making and problem solving.
To ensure that documentation is accurate and meets the standards legally required by the BAOT and the Trust.
To keep up to date with new information management systems (e.g. electronic Health records)
To assist junior staff, multi-disciplinary therapy assistants/technical instructors and other professionals in the management of complex cases.
To prescribe, delegate and monitor the work of less experienced colleagues/Occupational Therapy Assistants/Students
To be involved in projects reflecting specialist skills.
To participate in the publicising, promotion and representation of the Paediatric Occupational Therapy Service
To actively participate in health promotion and health education initiatives within the locality and in the community directorate.
To be actively involved in the development and implementation of Childrens Occupational Therapy Service Clinical Policies and Clinical Governance Action Plan.
To assist, where required, the Team Lead and the Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist.

Job description

Job responsibilities

the post holder will:

work within a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency environment, including other Allied Health Professionals, specialist teachers, social workers, psychologists, therapy assistants, nurses and Paediatricians.
be responsible for an allocated caseload, providing high quality Occupational Therapy and effective case management.
receive support and supervision from an experienced OT.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

CLINICAL

To manage an allocated caseload of children with complex needs.
To set and maintain high standards of clinical practice, which is evidence based where possible, using standardised assessment and outcome measures where appropriate.
Be able to select and apply OT assessments (standardised and non-standardised) for a designated case load, addressing occupational performance and skill deficits, and enabling the child in the areas of self maintenance, productivity and leisure.
To set treatment goals with children and/or their parents/carers that are functional and child centred
Identify and select, with children and/or their carers, appropriate interventions which balance the complex interaction of risk, safety, client choice, independence, areas of conflict and eligibility for services.
Plan and implement individual and group interventions, in collaboration with the child, parent/carer and school using meaningful graded activities to achieve therapeutic goals.
To successfully monitor, evaluate and review Occupational Therapy treatment/interventions within a multidisciplinary framework and to modify as necessary, taking a lead professional case management role as required.
To ensure that the child or legal guardian has an understanding of treatment proposals and gives informed consent to examination and treatment.
To prioritise factors involved in a childs presenting condition through clinical reasoning based on knowledge of current professional opinion, childs prognosis and other physical and mental health issues.
To devise and manage a specialised treatment plan individual to a childs presenting condition through:
Home programs agreed with parents
Practice of functional tasks in the natural environment
Therapeutic handling and postural management
Equipment provision at home and school
Developmentally appropriate skills in play, self care and nursery activities
Sensory based interventions
Health Promotion/extra curricular activities e.g. swimming
Addressing relevant psychosocial issues
Multidisciplinary approach, coordinating support with other members of the team
To adapt practice to meet individual patient/client circumstances.
To demonstrate knowledge of current policies and practice in education and incorporate these into the model of working as appropriate.
Demonstrate and apply a high level of understanding of the effects of medical and developmental conditions and recommend adaptations and strategies to the childs physical and social environments.
Demonstrate clinical knowledge in the areas of Developmental Co-ordination Disorders and sensory processing difficulties as well as other conditions such as Specific Learning Difficulties, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder and neurological conditions such as Cerebral Palsy and Hemiplegia
To provide support and training for parents, school staff and other professionals. To advise and teach parents/carers of children with physical disabilities on appropriate ongoing Occupational Therapy management programmes. To liaise with educational colleagues in order to undertake joint planning of STP targets and provide staff training as appropriate.
To use knowledge of other multidisciplinary roles and external agencies to ensure effective management and timely onward referrals in order to achieve the best care for the child.
To coordinate input with the other members of the team and professionals involved with the child and family, organising joint visits and developing multidisciplinary therapy plans.
To work closely with Education and contribute to Education, Health and Care Plans.
To be involved in the assessment for and selection of specialist equipment for children at home and in school, taking responsibility for review of its safety and appropriateness.
To plan and carry out home visits to carry out risk assessments, to assess for specialist equipment or to advise on minor adaptations, or to advise the parent/carer
To have the ability, knowledge and skills required for moving and handling children in clinic, education and community environments, including families homes
Arrange provision of standard specialist disability equipment, ordering equipment on-line using Social Services IT system.
To assess and manage clinical risk concerning the treatment of clients on the caseload and ensure that other staff comply e.g. Manual Handling risk assessment and Trust lone working policy.
Organise specialist clinics, such as wheelchair clinics, splinting clinics and special seating assessments, through liaison with a variety of professionals and services from different boroughs as well as with parents/carers
To ensure that all equipment defects, accidents and complaints are reported to the Service Manager and that the appropriate action is taken by those concerned.
To work autonomously, sometimes in isolated community situations, which vary in relation to local socio-economic and multi-cultural issues, acting in compliance with Home Visiting Safety Policy.
To be familiar with the re-housing process in the surrounding Boroughs, liaising with appropriate services and writing relevant reports.
To communicate effectively and sensitively with colleagues, service users and other services, both within and outside the Borough, on all matters related to client care, service organisation and delivery e.g.
Education
Housing
Social Services
Voluntary Services
Wheelchair Services
Tertiary Service e.g. GOSH, Evelina
Services in other Boroughs
To communicate complex condition-related information from assessment to carers, families and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions, demonstrating empathy and ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where barriers to understanding exist.
To form productive relationships with others who may be under stress and/or have challenging communication difficulties.
To demonstrate skills in motivating clients and /or carers to engage in the therapeutic process.
To demonstrate good negotiation skills across a range of issues and situations, recognising and resolving potential breakdown and conflict when it occurs. To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible.
To work within the standards and guidelines laid down by the Occupational Therapy Service, the Trust, the British Association of Occupational Therapy (BAOT), the Health & Care Professionals Council (HCPC), RCOT specialist section Children, Young People and Families (CYPF) and other relevant clinical interest groups as well as the Childrens Act.
To demonstrate a working knowledge of relevant procedures including: Safeguarding Children, SEN procedures, Adult Safeguarding and other legal frameworks.
Demonstrate highly effective personal coordination of day-to-day activities including prioritising case loads, decision-making and problem solving.
To ensure that documentation is accurate and meets the standards legally required by the BAOT and the Trust.
To keep up to date with new information management systems (e.g. electronic Health records)
To assist junior staff, multi-disciplinary therapy assistants/technical instructors and other professionals in the management of complex cases.
To prescribe, delegate and monitor the work of less experienced colleagues/Occupational Therapy Assistants/Students
To be involved in projects reflecting specialist skills.
To participate in the publicising, promotion and representation of the Paediatric Occupational Therapy Service
To actively participate in health promotion and health education initiatives within the locality and in the community directorate.
To be actively involved in the development and implementation of Childrens Occupational Therapy Service Clinical Policies and Clinical Governance Action Plan.
To assist, where required, the Team Lead and the Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist.

Person Specification

Education / Qualifications

Essential

Diploma or Degree in Occupational Therapy and current HCPC Registration
Evidence of CPD and attendance at relevant post graduate courses/training e.g. journal clubs, CO-OP, Postural management, Specialist Seating, Coaching etc

Desirable

Member of Royal College of Occupational Therapists and specialist section

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

Post qualification experience working as qualified OT at band 5 level
. Experience of working with children with additional needs.

Desirable

Experience of giving support and supervision to less experienced colleagues, including assistants and students

Person Specification

Education / Qualifications

Essential

Diploma or Degree in Occupational Therapy and current HCPC Registration
Evidence of CPD and attendance at relevant post graduate courses/training e.g. journal clubs, CO-OP, Postural management, Specialist Seating, Coaching etc

Desirable

Member of Royal College of Occupational Therapists and specialist section

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

Post qualification experience working as qualified OT at band 5 level
. Experience of working with children with additional needs.

Desirable

Experience of giving support and supervision to less experienced colleagues, including assistants and students

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).