Senior Frailty Occupational Therapist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Senior Frailty Occupational Therapist

Pay Band:6

Hours: 37.5Hours

Contract: Temporary 12 Months Maternity Cover

Location/ Department:

Alexander Hospital, Therapy Department

Accountable to: Therapy Managers

Reports to: Therapy Service Lead

Key Working Relationships:

Therapy Managers in Medicine and Surgery portfolios, Therapy Service Leads, Therapy Team Leads, all members of the Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Integrated teams, Ward Managers and Nursing colleagues, community colleagues both within Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy and in other professions across discharge pathways, Consultants from the employing Trust, GPs, Nursing staff, Social Workers, relatives/carers, voluntary and statutory agencies.

Risk Assessment:

This post involves the frequent manual handling activities within the workplace including patient handling such as hoisting, pushing/moving wheelchairs, positioning patients for treatment and to encourage function, static stooping and limb holding whilst splinting.

It includes assisting patients with standing, walking and transferring between bed, chair, wheelchair, toilet, and bath/shower. The above manual handling activities may be carried out within the patients home environment, frequently in less than ideal circumstances.

On occasions the post holder will be required to lone work within the patients home environment which will include manual handling including the delivery and fitting of equipment.

Physical effort is required to ensure patient and staff safety. This frequently includes the handling and transportation of patient related equipment in and out of a vehicle, commodes, toilet frames, wheelchairs etc. and the moving and rising of furniture and equipment within the patients home environment.

A high level of clinical analysis is required to ensure the safety of self, patients and other staff.

Frequent close contact with patients therefore exposes the post holder to infection, bodily fluid e.g. sputum, urine, faeces, blood or vomit and a high awareness of infection control safety is required.

The post holder will be involved in and may need to instigate difficult discussions with patients and carers under difficult circumstances following a life changing event or illness. This will be around a patients functional ability and be around their prospects of returning to home, work or some life skills e.g. driving.

All qualified staff will be required to take therapeutic risks during the assessment and treatment of patients, both in the hospital and the patients home environment as required, to ensure accurate assessment of a patients functional ability and safety levels.

The post holder will be required to analyse the risks involved and ensure the safety of patients when providing a medical device. This will also involve the teaching and supervision of more junior staff carrying out the activity.

There is a need for prolonged concentration and involvement in emotionally stressful situations, e.g. terminally ill patients or those with poor recovery or functional prognosis. This will include occasional contact with patients and/or carers who are aggressive or abusive.

Job Purpose:

To provide Occupational Therapy assessment, treatment and discharge planning to patients within the acute service within specialty, this will include working within tight timeframes for patient discharges.

To provide guidance and supervision to less experienced staff and students.

To take a proactive role within the integrated Therapy team, with the ability to provide advice or cover on other Trust sites as required.

To liaise with senior Therapists to ensure the smooth and effective running of the integrated Therapy service at an operational level on a daily basis.

You will gain mentorship and support from the Therapy Leads and Clinical Specialists across the specialities.

Key Duties:

To hold an active caseload within specialty based at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Worcester.

This will include assessment and treatment of inpatients and providing guidance on assessment and treatment for less experienced staff.

To provide advice/mentorship/supervision for band 5 Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, assistants and students carrying an acute caseload.

To work closely with Physiotherapy colleagues, within an integrated Therapy Service, actively promoting the Therapy Way.

To take an active role in assisting to prioritise caseloads, to effect timely assessment and discharge.

To be actively involved in both direct and indirect supervision and teaching of junior staff.

To ensure that Therapy Service maintains high professional standards, using evidence-based practice whenever possible.

To liaise regularly with other agencies/professions as shown under key working relationships.

To attend and contribute to relevant meetings both clinical and managerial, providing accurate verbal or written reporting as appropriate.

To ensure all equipment or written documentation is provided in a timely manner to facilitate patient safety.

To carry out assessment and treatment programmes for patients this may include the administration and interpretation of standardised assessments.

To ensure that all documentation and data regarding patient care is completed in accordance with local and Royal College of Occupational Therapy standards, as well as the Health and Care Professions Council standards.

To be able to safely and effectively undertake the manual handling aspects of the role. In addition to moving and handling tasks involving patients, this will include loading/unloading and transportation and fitting of equipment, as well as lifting items up/down, pushing, pulling, stooping and bending. The use, handling and safety of hand tools will also be required.

To undertake any other duties commensurate with the level/expertise of the post to ensure the smooth running of the Therapy service, this will include the treatment of patients on the wards, within the department or within the patients home environment.

To be involved, as required, in the education of colleagues and students. To be an Occupational Therapy Practice Educator and also support multi-professional students with learning opportunities.

To ensure professional/clinical knowledge is kept updated and attend appropriate training, demonstrating continued professional development and competency and encourage evidence-based practice.

To participate in projects or audit, via the Therapy Clinical Governance groups as required.

To apply national guidelines to the clinical setting.

To take an active role in the maintenance of professional standards and the provision of a quality service using resources responsibly.

To work in liaison with the Therapy managers, Clinical Leads and Team Leads, to implement any agreed changes to service provision.

To be actively involved in the recruitment of staffing within Therapy across the Trust as required.

To ensure safe working practice by adherence to Trust wide policies and procedures.

To comply with the Health and Care Professions Council registration requirements and maintain active registration, and work to the Royal College of Occupational Therapists Standards of Professional Practice.

To be able to travel and work countywide, including working with community partners where required, as well as participating in a 7 day service, participating in the Bank Holiday working rota and working flexibly around core service hours where required.

Overview of your organisation:

We are experts in healthcare services. Dedicated to improving the health of our population, we provide joined up services with partners that meet everyone's needs, nearer to home.

Our purpose is why we exist:

Helping people to live healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Our mission is what we do every day:

Being the best team we can be for our patients, each other and partners.

Our vision is where we want to get to:

Everyone is proud of the difference we make. We are more than a hospital; we bring care together for people.

Our strategic priorities describe how we will get there:

People nurturing a culture people want to be part of.

Patients meeting the needs of our patients and communities.

Collaboration building strong connections and pathways.

Excellence focusing on continuous improvement.

Effectiveness enhancing our efficiency and effectiveness.

These are underpinned by our values:

Being open and honest: we will communicate clearly and honestly, asking for help when we need it and making it easier for the people around us to share ideas and concerns.

Ensuring people feel cared for: we will take responsibility for actively supporting and nurturing a kind and compassionate environment for ourselves and others.

Showing respect for everyone: we will act with consideration and fairness, valuing each other as individuals and appreciating our different perspectives.

Standard Clauses:

The purpose of this post should remain constant, but the duties and responsibilities may vary over time within the overall role and level of the post. The post holder may from time to time be asked to undertake other reasonable duties. Any such changes will be made in discussion with the post holder in the light of service needs.

Competence:

The post holder is responsible for limiting his / her actions to those which s/he feels competent to undertake. If the post holder has any doubts as to his or her competence during the course of his / her duties then s/he should immediately speak to their line manager or supervisor.

Codes of conduct:

All employees of the Trust who are required to be registered with a professional body, to enable them to practise within their profession, are required to comply with their code of conduct and requirements of their professional registration. Those staff who are not required to be registered with a professional body are required to comply with the Trusts codes of conduct.

Person Specification

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Ability to clinically analyse and act appropriately on professional and ethical issues.
• Ability to assess and form a treatment plan appropriate to the acute setting for patients.
• Ability to prioritise caseload effectively to enhance patient care and hospital flow.

Qualifications

Essential

• Diploma/Degree in Occupational Therapy
• HCPC Registered
• Evidence of post graduate training in areas related to medicine or surgery.
• Active HCPC registration

Desirable

• Practice educator
• Institute of leadership and Management Level 3
• Masters Module(s)

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of varied experience within acute NHS hospital including Frailty and Older Peoples Medicine
• Experience of the administration and interpretation of commonly used standardised cognitive assessments.
• Experience of a range of manual handling assessment and evidence
• of provision of low to high level manual handling equipment
• Experience of early intervention and acute rehabilitation
• Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team.
• Experience of working with patients on fast-track discharge.
• Experience of supporting junior members of staff and students

Desirable

• Experience of working at the hospital front door and/or admission prevention
• Experience of implementing MCA and conducting/or supporting Best Interest Meetings

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

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

The Alexandra Hospital

Woodrow Drive

Redditch

Worcestershire

B98 7UB

Employer's website

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