Senior Occupational Therapist Medicine

Job responsibilities

For a full list of duties please refer to the attached Jo Description document.

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 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 the rotational 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 the rotational specialty based at the Worcestershire royal Hospital, Worcester or the Alexandra Hospital Redditch.
• 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 and assistants and students carrying an acute caseload, with emphasis on but not exclusive to the rotational specialty.
• 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 where required by the rotation, participating the Bank Holiday working rota and working flexibly around core service hours where required.

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of varied experience within acute NHS hospital
• 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

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)

Skills and Knowledge

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.

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Flexible attitude to routine and nonroutine tasks
• Ability and experience of guiding the practice of others
• Ability to demonstrate evidence of team working and being a positive influence within the team
• Evidence of ability to provide proactive supervision.
• Good interpersonal skills across all grades
• Evidence of ability to provide a learning experience for other staff / students
• Evidence of willingness to learn and utilise new skills.

Other Job Requirements

Essential

• The post holder must have a full
• driving licence and have access to a
• vehicle in order to work flexibly
• across all sites

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).