Job responsibilities
To
work within the Occupational Therapy (OT) team providing highly skilled and
specialised clinical, administrative, and organisational support to the
Occupational Therapy Service.
The
post holder will work with the team to support the OT assessment pathway and
will be responsible for the screening of non-complex patients under the
supervision of a qualified member of staff and advise on the most appropriate
initial assessments and interventions.
The
post holder will contribute to the management of a caseload of patients and
work with infrequent supervision from registered OT colleagues who are
available for non-standard/complex queries. On occasions the post holder will
assess home environments to ensure safe discharge, without the supervision of a
qualified member of staff.
JOB DIMENSIONS
Day
to day supervisory support, and overall management will be provided to the
support worker by registered OT staff.
The
post holder is responsible for:
1. Assessing and providing care and
therapy interventions for individual patients, adapting the process as
indicated.
2. Assessment and intervention may take
place in patients homes and base wards.
3. The post holder will work with the team
to support the OT assessment pathway and will be responsible for the screening
of non-complex patients under the supervision of a qualified member of staff
and advise on the most appropriate initial assessments and interventions. The
post holder will contribute to the management of a caseload of patients and
work with infrequent supervision from registered OT colleagues who are
available for non-standard/non-routine queries. On occasions the post holder
will assess home environments to ensure safe discharge, without the supervision
of a qualified member of staff.
CORE BEHAVIOURS AND SKILLS
Communication Skills written,
verbal, numeracy
Interpersonal Skills
Ability to work as part of a Team
(OT, and wider MDT)
Ability to manage a workload provided
by more than one professional.
Problem-solving
Time Management
Organisational Skills
Administrative Skills
Able to work in a stressful
environment
Ability to use initiative
Ability to influence and persuade
Ability to take responsibility for
personal development
Ability to move and handle patients
and equipment
Provide support to band 3 support
workers and informal support to students
Maintaining professionalism at all
times, and demonstrating the Leeds Way Values
CORE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
Understanding of Occupational Therapy
and job roles.
Awareness of the needs and problems
of those with illness and disabilities
Awareness of the functional effects
of the patient group in the clinical area caused by illness and / or
disability.
Understanding of legislation,
guidelines and protocols that affect the clinical area
Awareness of Health and Safety
PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF
RESPONSIBILITY
Clinical
To accept responsibility for
Occupational Therapy initial assessments to facilitate rehabilitation and
discharge from hospital.
To plan and prioritise clinical
tasks.
To deliver the service using patient
pathways and protocols to support your delivery of therapy process and taking
into account each patients individual physical, social and emotional needs.
To make contact with patients to
initiate assessments and intervention.
To analyse and make decisions about
the most appropriate environment in which to carryout intervention.
To independently carryout home and
community assessments.
To motivate and persuade patients and
carers to participate in therapy intervention.
To assess and advise patients
regarding transfers, falls, equipment and risks.
To assess, prescribe and train
patients and carers in the use of assistive equipment.
To assess, deliver, fit and
demonstrate equipment in patients home and to provide advice and training to
patients and carers as required.
To interpret and analyse information
from assessments, judge how to progress intervention and when to liaise with a
qualified member of staff e.g. Nurse, Doctor, Occupational Therapist or
Physiotherapist.
To assess risk factors and judge when
to summons assistance or adapt the treatment session
To communicate with patients and
carers using a variety of communication strategies and tools to ensure
information is understood and treatment is progressed. This will include patients and carers who
have difficulties communicating and understanding.
To liaise with other team members,
internal and external agencies.
To identify the need for and refer to
internal and external agencies using appropriate referral system.
To record interventions accurately
and timely using team/trust documentation, complying with Therapy guidelines
and legislative requirements.
To complete activity data using
team/trust documentation and outcome measures.
To be able to work in a stressful
environment.
To be able to deal effectively with
emotional and/or aggressive patients/ carers.
To participate in ward rounds, case
conferences and meetings as required.
To collect, respond to and feedback
relevant information to the senior therapist.
To promote Occupational Therapy as a
treatment medium to others.
To lead and participate in
departmental/service developments, projects audit and reviews.
To carry out designated ordering and
maintenance of stock, equipment and resources.
Health
and Safety/Risk Management
All
staff are responsible for working with their colleagues to maintain and improve
the quality of services provided to our patients and other service users. This
includes complying at all times with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Policies, in particular by following agreed safe working procedures, and
reporting incidents using the Trust Incident Reporting System.
Infection
Control
The
job holder must comply at all times with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Infection Control policies, in particular by practising Universal Infection
Control Precautions. Hand hygiene must be performed before and after contact
with patients and their environment.
Equality
and Diversity
The
jobholder must comply with all policies and procedures designed to ensure
equality of employment and that services are delivered in ways that meet the
individual needs of patients and their families. No person whether they are staff, patient or
visitor should receive less favourable treatment because of their gender,
ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc.
Patient
and Public Involvement
The
Trust has a statutory duty to involve patients and public in evaluating and
planning services. All staff have a
responsibility to listen to the views of patients and to contribute to service
improvements based on patient feedback.
Training
and Personal Development Continuous Professional Development
The
jobholder must take responsibility in agreement with his/her line manager for
his/her own personal development by ensuring that Continuous Professional
Development remains a priority. The
jobholder will undertake all mandatory training required for the role.
Respect
for Patient Confidentiality
The
jobholder should always respect patient confidentiality and not divulge patient
information unless sanctioned by the requirements of the role.
Communication and working relationships
Providing and receiving complex,
sensitive, or contentious information to patients with a spinal injury, or
their relatives, where persuasive, motivational, negotiating, training,
empathic or re-assurance communication skills are required.
Communication will occur across
internal and external stakeholders including patients, relatives, carers,
clinical and managerial staff, MDT members and external communications
including Leeds Community Equipment team and other community healthcare services.
SPECIAL WORKING CONDITIONS
i) PHYSICAL EFFORT:
There is a daily requirement to undertake frequent moderate physical
activity. For example, treatment sessions involving facilitation of movement in
functional transferring of patients, plinth sessions with physiotherapy
colleagues and provision and fitting of equipment/pushing wheelchairs/using
manual handling equipment.
Moderate means lifting, pushing, pulling objects weighing from six to
fifteen kilos; controlled restraint of patients e.g. in mental health or
learning disabilities situations; sudden explosive effort such as running from
a standing start; clearing tables; moving patients/heavy weights (over fifteen
kilos) with mechanical aids including hoists and trolleys; manoeuvring
patients/clients into position e.g. for treatment or personal care purposes;
transferring patient/clients from a bed to a chair or similar.
There may be the requirement for the post holder to travel between sites
within The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to best meet the needs of the
service. The post holder may be based on more than one site to carry out their
duties.
ii) MENTAL EFFORT:
There is a frequent requirement for
concentration where the work pattern is predictable with few competing demands
for attention.
Patient clinical interventions will last up to 1hr per session including
detailed clinical documentation and liaising with other agencies. On occasion this will be in conjunction with
another therapist, but frequently this will be as a lone worker.
While working on the ward you will be approached by other staff and
asked to share clinical information about ongoing cases.
You will have to triage and prioritise referrals - will available
therapist support.
iii)
EMOTIONAL EFFORT:
This job may involve occasional exposure to
verbal and physical aggression. This job may involve exposure to
distressing circumstances such as terminal illness.
