Highly Specialised Occupational Therapist - Community Stroke Team

Job responsibilities

To work as a highly specialist autonomous practitioner.

To identify, select and implement, with the patient and their carers, the most appropriate intervention options which balance the complex interaction of risk, safety, patient choice, independence, areas of conflict and availability for services.

To support the wellbeing of patients within the Community Stroke Team.

To apply a high level of understanding of the effect of stroke and provide training and advice on lifestyle changes and adaptations to the patients physical and social environment.

To share records and information with patients, carers and MDT and store securely in an accessible location.

To generate handouts/information booklets/exercise programmes for supplying to patients, carers and MDT using electronic/IT and software.

To utilise an established knowledge of the full range of disability equipment and adaptations available to the patient group.

To be responsible for equipment used in carrying out Occupational Therapy duties and to adhere to department policy including competence to use equipment and to ensure the safe use of equipment by others through teaching, training, and supervision of practice.

To advise patients, their family and carers-teaching and demonstrating the safe use of equipment and other techniques to optimise the patients functional ability and independence

To advise patients on purchase and provision of necessary equipment that cannot be supplied.

To advise specialist OT, other OTs, generic assistants, carers and MDT in the selection of appropriate aids/methods of treatment to promote patient care and independence.

To participate in and where indicated, initiate multidisciplinary/multi-agency team meetings and case conferences to ensure co-ordination of patient care. This will include the review of patient progress and discharge planning and close working relationships with other health and care sectors.

To generate reports/discharge documents, including referrals on request in a variety of formats, using IT on a timely basis and demonstrate ability requirements to specialist team.

To refer patients for assessment and treatment by other agencies e.g other therapies, orthotics as appropriate

To take a lead role in the highly specialist assessment and treatment of stroke patients who may have complex presentation, to determine the occupational therapy interventions indicated to provide the best outcome for the individual using evidence-based practice and establish clinical reasoning and knowledge where recommendations may not agree.

To utilise and further develop highly specialised skills for stroke including therapeutic handling (e.g., ability to move complex patients from bed to chair).

To undertake environmental and manual handling risk assessments in the community/rehabilitation environment and advise as appropriate

To use expert clinical reasoning skills frequently with no access to other colleagues.

To provide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to relatives, carers, other disciplines, and agencies to promote understanding of the aims of therapy and to ensure continuation of the treatment programme

To take into account the psychological, social and leisure needs as well as medical aspects of the patients situation considering the functional impact of stroke on everyday life.

To utilise high levels of negotiation and reasoning with patients and their families and carers on a daily basis including possible unpredictable and volatile response to discussions about long term effects of stroke and discharge from service.

The post holder must have the ability to travel across Northamptonshire

7-Day working on a roster basis. Liaise with team lead to maintain appropriate 7-day clinical cover.

Physical effort required daily

PEOPLE/MANAGEMENT EXCELLENCE

To review and reflect on own practice and performance through the effective use of professional and operational supervision and appraisal, using reflection and analysis to inform practice and identify training needs.

To work within Trust Core Competencies and objectives (Knowledge and Skills Framework) and Chartered Society of Occupational Therapy/ HPC guidelines and to have good working knowledge of national and local standards and policies and monitor own and others quality of practice as appropriate.

Lead a small team of occupational therapy staff. Be the initial point of contact for managing or resolving minor or day to day difficulties or disputes amongst staff or general employment problems of staff within the team/service. Manage complaints as a first point of contact for the Trust. To supervise and coordinate the staffing of the team ensuring adequate staffing levels and skill mix are maintained. Monitor and act on sick leave, annual leave, and other minor staffing issues

To provide a high standard of support, teaching, supervision and problem-solving to specialist occupational therapists, OTs and rehab assistants within the team as well as to occupational therapists in other specialities and all therapists, carers and staff within the MDT.

To carry out appraisals, IPRs and learning contracts for members of speciality team.

To regularly and effectively communicate with band 8 team lead.

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITIES

To communication sensitively and effectively in all situations and with all people.

To identify and employ suitable verbal and non-verbal communication skills with patients who may have difficulties in understanding or communicating e.g., altered perception, expressive and receptive dysphasia and fear or inability to accept diagnosis and implications.

To engage the patient and relatives and carers where appropriate, in the planning and agreement of a treatment programme to maximise rehabilitation potential.

To educate patients/relatives/carers regarding the nature of the condition/prognosis and the aims of therapy intervention and long-term management in the home.

To ensure all team members maintain timely written records including realistic goal setting and activity data in accordance with professional and Trust standards.

To undertake ongoing measurement and evaluation including audit, uni-professional and team outcome measurement and integration of evidence-based practice and research into clinical practice.

To liaise with higher education establishments to aid student placements

To provide education on all aspects of OT care to other members of the MDT to further their professional development and improve patient care.

To use information such as Clinical Governance, NICE and other stroke guidelines, and evidence of best practice to produce working guidelines, competencies and objectives et cetera and to develop the service.

To identify organisational changes within NGH and the NHS which will affect community stroke services and act accordingly.

To record information that has been personally generated following assessment and treatments.

To advise and participate in the operational planning and implementation of policy and service development within stroke, leading on delegated projects, in liaison with the team lead.

Maintain and monitor standards on health and safety, consent, note keeping, clinical governance, continuous professional development on both a personal and departmental level. Complete all work necessary to maintain registration and encourage others to do so.

Build safe working knowledge of all equipment used to provide patient care and participate in risk assessment, maintenance, and training.

knowledge and Experience

Essential

• In -Depth experience of long -term stroke management at Band 6 level or above
• Experience mentoring other staff at Band 5 and below
• Experience of audit
• Experience of training other staff
• Experience managing community -based treatment
• Experience of inter -professional team working
• High level of knowledge of stroke and long -term effects
• Knowledge of current issues within NHS, clinical governance, and profession
• Knowledge of current issues within stroke care locally and nationally

Desirable

• Current Band 7/Team leader experience within the NHS
• Experience of, or participation in, service development
• Experience of leading a team
• Recent experience working in the NHS
• Ability to use National Guidelines to inform practice
• University modules/post graduate learning/recent courses in stroke rehabilitation
• Member of relevant special interest group/s

Skills

Essential

• Evidence of ability to work as an independent autonomous professional
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Evidence of good management and liaison skills; excellent communication skills - written, listening and verbal
• Evidence of teaching and presentation skills and ability to undertake self-directed learning and development
• Ability to work in situations and conditions that may involve on a daily basis: Physical effort (e.g. moving patients and equipment. Mental effort ( e.g. Concentrating levels ) Emotional effort (e.g. distressing, or traumatic circumstances )
• Ability to lone work in the community setting
• Car driver with access to vehicle during working hours, appropriate driving license and car insurance

Desirable

• Experience teaching other members of MDT

Key Competencies/Personal Qualities and Attributes

Essential

• Evidence of ability to work flexibly
• Evidence of ability to lead teams
• Evidence of ability to motivate patients
• Evidence of ability to motivate colleagues
• Evidence of ability to empathise and understand the needs of a diverse client group
• Evidence of ability to lone work in the community
• Evidence of ability to appreciate the dynamics of working within a team

Desirable

• Evidence of innovative practice
• Evidence of effecting change after analysis of working practice
• Evidence of leadership

Educations, Training and Qualifications

Essential

• BSc Honours (or equivalent) in Occupational Therapy
• Health Professions Council Registration
• Evidence of stroke related continuing professional development

Desirable

• Masters level study in appropriate field
• Evidence of involvement in research, audit and promotion of evidence -based practice
• Training in leadership/management

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).