Advanced Occupational Therapist

Job description

Job responsibilities

To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own work including the management of patients in your care and supporting less experienced staff to do likewise.

To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner.

To undertake a comprehensive assessment of patients (adults and children) with spinal cord injury, including those with diverse or highly complex presentations / multi pathologies and use advanced clinical reasoning skills and manual assessment techniques to provide an accurate diagnosis of their condition.

Assess patients understanding of treatment proposals, gain informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment

To plan and deliver individual occupational therapy treatment programmes based on a specialist knowledge of evidence based practice, using investigative and analytical skills, advanced clinical reasoning skills and knowledge of wide range of treatment skills / options.

Continually reassess / evaluate patient progress / evaluate patient progress and alter treatment programmes as required.

To represent the occupational therapy service and / or individual patients at the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meetings or ward rounds, to ensure the delivery of a coordinated multi-disciplinary service and integrate physiotherapy treatment into the overall treatment programme. This will include discussion of patient care, patient progress, appropriate referrals for further interventions and involvement in discharge plans.

To effectively communicate with patients, families and carers, to progress and encourage compliance with their rehabilitation programmes. Patients may have difficulties in understanding or communicating due to issues with hearing, sight, speech, psychological or learning difficulties. A variety of excellent communication skills will be required to ensure the best outcome for the patient. Communication style will need to be adapted as required.

To provide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to relatives, carers and other professionals to promote understanding of the aims of physiotherapy and to ensure a consistent approach to patient care.

To be clinically responsible for a caseload of patients, and to be able to organise and prioritise effectively. To be a Key Worker, use the Needs Assessment Checklist, chair Multi-disciplinary Goal Setting meetings and coordinate the individual patients rehabilitation and discharge plans.

To ensure correct provision of equipment for patients to facilitate discharge To support patients through acceptance of stressful, complex physical conditions Consistently maintain accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date treatment records in the form of reports or letters when appropriate.

To be responsible for the safe and competent use of all appropriate therapeutic equipment.

To demonstrate highly developed dexterity, coordination and palpatory skills for assessment and manual treatment of patients To be involved in the assessment for and provision of specialised equipment.

To participate in the provision of an occupational therapy service within the Midlands Centre for Spinal Injuries Outpatients Service.

To undertake audit / research into specific areas of clinical practice and service delivery using a range of research methodologies as part of MDT audit and / or occupational therapy department research initiatives

To investigate and participate in research and / or audit projects within profession and / or with multi-disciplinary colleagues

To be responsible for teaching student occupational therapists to graduate level on occupational therapy skills and knowledge within the area of spinal injuries. This will involve the use of appraisal documentation

To assist the Team Lead in the training and supervision of senior rotational staff, senior colleagues, Therapy Support Workers and another healthcare professionals.

To keep up to date with all Statutory training as per RJAH policy. Be responsible for maintaining and developing specialist knowledge and skills through a variety of CPD opportunities including relevant courses to ensure a high level of knowledge and skills and maintain a portfolio which reflects development. Keep up to date of developments in the profession and encourage others to do likewise. To be aware of professional clinical interest groups.

To set high personal and professional standards of work within the COT / Trusts clinical guidelines, National Service Frameworks (NSF) and NICE guidance and monitor own and others quality of practice as appropriate.

To be recognised source of clinical expertise on occupational therapy assessment and treatment in spinal cord injuries.

To participate in the staff appraisal and mentoring schemes and personal development plan as both appraiser and appraisee. Ensure patients, students and staff are competent with the use all relevant therapeutic equipment and provide any necessary training and supervision. Undertake to measure and evaluate own work in line with current occupational therapy practice through application of EBP, audit, research, outcome measures and reflective practice To work autonomously on a day to day basis, prioritising workload effectively.

To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with medical, nursing and professionals allied to medicine, to ensure delivery of a coordinated multi-disciplinary service.

To be responsible for organising and planning own work caseload to meet service and patient priorities, realising the need to be flexible and being able to adjust plans / delegate, as situations arise. To provide supervision and coordination of less experienced senior staff, students, TSWs and assistants on a daily basis.

To assist the Team Lead in the provision of an effective and efficient occupational therapy service to the MCSI.

To deputise for the Team Lead as required, taking responsibility for the operational management of the team, allocating and organising staff to meet service priorities on a daily basis.

To undertake as directed the collection of appropriate data or statistics for use in service audit and research projects. To undertake audit / research into specific areas of clinical practice and service delivery using a range of research methodologies as part of MDT audit and / or occupational therapy department research initiatives.

To help organise and take part in patients sporting and social activities. To identify opportunities, make recommendations and help implement improvements / developments to the occupational therapy service to MCSI in order to provide the best patient care within the resources available.

To comply with the organisational and department Policies and procedures and to assist in the regular review and updating of said policies as appropriate.

To participate in departmental meetings, to contribute ideas for the progress and planning of the service.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Clinical experience in spinal cord injury care. Broad rotational experience as a Junior & experience at working at a senior level in spinal injuries
• Experience in service development within a relevant setting

Desirable

• At least 5 years experience in spinal cord injury care
• Experience in audit and research

Skills and Competencies

Essential

• Experience in leadership and training/mentoring of junior staff

Desirable

• Relevant leadership courses completed

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree in Occupational Therapy
• HCPC registration
• CPD Portfolio with evidence of IST and reflective learning
• Evidence of post graduate courses in clinical skills and neurological conditions

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital

Twmpath Lane

Gobowen

SY10 7AG

Employer's website

https://www.rjah.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)