Band 5 Occupational Therapist-Bath NHS House

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical Responsibilities, Patient Contact

Accountable for designated caseload, working within an evidenced based occupational therapy treatment plan and care programme approach under the guidance of the supervising occupational therapist. Service users may demonstrate behaviours that challenge and have difficult family situations of relevance.

Undertakes occupational therapy assessments, addressing occupational performance and skill deficits.

Assesses and manages risk effectively in clinical and community settings including the service users own home

Works with service users and carers to identify Occupational Therapy goals as part of the overall Multidisciplinary Team plan.

Develops and implements individual and/or group interventions, in collaboration with the service user(s) and MDT to achieve therapeutic goals.

Uses technical and creative skills to engage service users in therapeutic activities and encourages them in a compassionate manner, to support them in achieving their identified goals.

Monitors and evaluates occupational therapy treatment in order to measure progress and modifies treatment plans to ensure effectiveness of clinical interventions.

Provides reports on service user progress at clinical meetings and participates in the clinical decision-making process regarding service user care programmes as part of the multidisciplinary team.

Provides advice, education and training to service users, carers and other healthcare staff involved in service users care.

Undertakes health promotion activities.

Assesses service users for and fits adapted equipment in the home, as appropriate.

Responsible for recognising the potential for or signs of service user harm, abuse or neglect, including poor clinical practice, reporting all such concerns and taking all reasonable steps to protect the service user. Responsible for identifying and reporting concerns regarding the safeguarding of children who may be at risk.

Demonstrates safe moving and handling of service users, using equipment as required.

Demonstrates safe physical interventions in the management of violence and aggression as required.

Administrative Responsibilities

Undertakes administrative tasks in relation to own work.

Uses Microsoft Office applications on a daily basis.

Responsibility for Information Systems

Responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive service user records using RIO or other electronic systems approved by the Trust and in accordance with the Trust and professional record keeping standards.

Writes letters and reports on service users progress for distribution to other healthcare professionals.

Contributes to MDT reports.

Records information required for statistical purposes in an accurate and timely manner.

Uses recording tools (e.g. Clustering tool) and related assessments accurately as a key part of the system requirements, where appropriate.

Responsibility for Planning/Organising & Strategic/Business Development

Plans own workload, managing competing demands (e.g. urgent referrals) to ensure care is delivered according to clinical priority.

Delegates work to OT assistants whose competence has been established, whilst maintaining professional accountability and ensuring their work meets required professional standards.

Plans, organises and writes session plans for individual service users or groups.

May undertake care co-ordination for service users on Care Programme Approach where there is an occupational therapy component identified.

Plans training sessions, workshops, seminars and poster displays.

Policy Development

Contributes to the development of policies and procedures in own area as part of the Occupational Therapy Team.

Service Development, Project Management

Participates in continual safety and quality improvement activities as part of the Occupational Therapy Team

Financial Responsibilities

Monitors stock levels and may raise requisitions for authorisation, to maintain appropriate levels of supplies.

Uses petty cash for therapeutic activities as appropriate.

Responsibility for Physical Resources, Estates, Hotel Services

Has a personal duty of care to ensure all equipment is used safely and effectively, following manufacturers instructions, immediately reporting any defects in accordance with local procedures.

Responsible for ensuring that staff are competent to use equipment required to undertake the tasks delegated to them.

Maintains required standards of infection control.

Ensures safe transport and storage of equipment and materials.

Ensures own work areas are kept tidy.

Uses available resources efficiently and effectively.

Research and Audit

Keeps up to date with new developments in the field, critically evaluating available research and disseminating information to inform evidence-based practice.

Maintains a personal professional portfolio of learning activity in compliance with professional body requirements.

Demonstrates an understanding of the clinical governance framework and contributes to the setting and monitoring of quality standards for clinical work and implements agreed action plans.

Participates in research projects and clinical audits in own work area as required.

Staff Management, Training and Development, HR

Provides training to occupational therapy assistants and students, monitoring and evaluating learning outcomes, providing feedback and assessing competencies to facilitate learning in practice.

Identifies and meets the training needs of carers, volunteers, healthcare staff from other professions and outside agencies regarding occupational performance of service users.

Participates in the induction of new staff to the clinical area.

In the absence of a more senior therapist, may undertake day to day supervision of occupational therapy assistants and students including work allocation, checking record keeping and quality of care delivered and providing clinical advice and guidance as required.

Provides clinical supervision to occupational therapy assistants.

Communication

Communicates in a way which recognises difference and ensures that people feel included and their individual communication needs are met.

Uses appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication methods to ensure effective therapeutic engagement with service users who have a range of cognitive and communication abilities. This requires communicating complex or sensitive information using persuasion, motivation and reassurance to achieve collaborative participation in the implementation of therapy plans.

Communicates information regarding service users needs and progress positively, compassionately and in a timely manner to carers as appropriate having due regard for confidentiality at all times.

Attends clinical team meetings, providing reports and recommendations on service user therapy as required and contributing to the clinical decision making process.

Ensures that effective communication systems are maintained across the multidisciplinary team and strengthens partnership links with GPs, social workers, community and voluntary agencies.

Participates in professional forums and special interest groups.

Uses a range of communication skills to ensure optimal learning for participants in training sessions or undertaking other learning activities.

Ensures that communication with members of the public is professional and courteous at all times.

Deals with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible.

Analyses service users responses/progress when undertaking therapeutic activities. Modifies activities to maximise clinical effectiveness according to the particular circumstances at the time.

Uses judgement to provide appropriate advice to other staff.

Identifies non-routine situations and takes appropriate action.

Decides when to escalate issues to a more senior therapist.

Responsible for maintaining appropriate boundaries with service users.

Freedom to Act

Works within HCPC Code of Professional Conduct and Professional Standards, accountable for own professional practice including work delegated to others.

Works within occupational policies, procedures and protocols, using discretion as appropriate.

Receives regular clinical supervision.

Recognises own limitations and seeks advice and guidance from more experienced colleagues as appropriate.

Person Specification

Essential

Essential

• Degree in Occupational Therapy or equivalent Registration with HCPC
• Understanding of the needs and difficulties of service users with mental health conditions
• Able to engage with vulnerable people and work effectively in distressing and challenging circumstances

Desirable

• Experience of working with service users with mental health conditions or learning disabilities
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team
• Ability to lead therapy group sessions (within agreed timescales)

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

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Bath NHS House

Combe Park

Bath

BA1 3QE

Employer's website

http://www.awp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)