Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist

Job responsibilities

Key Relationships:

To work with service users and carers

To work with Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy team members both within the service and the wider Trust network

To work Interdisciplinary with Multi-Disciplinary Team members

To work and liaise with other statutory and non-statutory service providers involved in service user care and Treatment.

To maintain links with wider regional and national professional groups and networks.

To work with team and divisional managers.

To liaise with corporate departments.

Duties and Responsibilities:

To manage a caseload of clients with highly complex Occupational Therapy needs, using evidence based/client-centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions in clinic and community settings and on home visits.

To provide leadership for junior staff, through supervision and appraisal.

To lead in the planning, development and evaluation of Occupational Therapy services, holding responsibility for defined projects where appropriate.

To regularly supervise Occupational Therapy students on practice placement, following attendance at an approved Practise Educators course.

To support and act as a mentor to staff enrolled on the Occupational Therapy apprenticeship.

To proactively engage in supervision both 1:1 and peer, including Sensory Integration supervision.

To apply in depth knowledge of the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) and other standardised assessment approaches relevant to the clinical setting.

Following specialist assessment, to undertake case formulation in order to highlight occupational strengths and limitations and to inform the intervention plan moving forward.

To work collaboratively with service users to identify OT goals as part of the overall recovery plan.

To provide interventions in the manner that is consistent with Trust standards and values.

To routinely provide detailed feedback to the MDT regarding observed occupational performance throughout contact, which inform ongoing assessment and therapeutic intervention.

To provide highly specialist support and education to service users and carers regarding aspects of occupational therapy e.g. equipment fitting, rehabilitation programmes, sensory issues, management of symptoms through activity.

To maintain clinical records using the electronic patient record system.

To liaise with carers and other professionals as relevant.

To exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance.

To attend mandatory training.

To comply with the RCOT Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and national and Trust policies

To review and reflect on your own practice and performance through effective use of professional and operational supervision and appraisal.

To maintain a professional portfolio for CPD, recording learning outcomes through participation in internal/external development opportunities.

To actively participate in the Trust Occupational Therapy Continued Professional Development and training programmes and opportunities, both as a learner and a facilitator.

To actively promote Occupational Therapy through the sharing of clinical expertise and experience through presenting of posters, writing of articles for professional publications, attendance at special interest groups, conferences etc.

Be responsible for recruitment and retention of staff.

To work flexibly in line with the needs of the service, including evenings and weekends if required.

Clinical Responsibility

To lead on identifying individuals Occupational Therapy goals and work with colleagues to support them to work towards these.

To provide highly specialist Occupational Therapy advice, intervention and support given to service users and their carers.

To provide timely updates and feedback to the clinical team regarding the service users wellbeing and occupational performance.

To provide detailed specialist occupational therapy reports when required, within designated clinical area.

To seek out and use latest evidence-based practice to engage service users in meaningful and appropriate activities, to promote independence, recovery and well-being and demonstrating effectiveness of Occupational Therapy within these outcomes.

To have a senior oversight of the occupational needs of the specific service user group and develop services accordingly.

To demonstrate and apply a highly specialist level of understanding of the effect of disability and recommend adaptations to the clients physical and social environment.

To ensure that up to date written and electronic records and activity data are maintained in accordance with Professional and Trust standards.

To undertake risk assessments within clinical area as guided by local/Trust policies.

To report incidents, safeguarding concerns, complaints and compliments.

To work effectively as a senior member of a team in providing a highly specialised occupational therapy service to the designated area.

To actively participate in /lead safety huddles and de-brief sessions as appropriate.

To support with purchasing of equipment and ensuring training needs around their use is identified to relevant persons and sought accordingly.

Leadership and Staff Management Responsibility

To review and reflect on personal practice and performance through effective use of professional and operational supervision and appraisal.

To exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistently reliable attendance.

To oversee the Occupational Therapy rota; managing leave and sickness.

To oversee risk assessments and well-being plans for staff within the Occupational Therapy team.

To lead the day-to-day delivery of Occupational Therapy services within your area of practice including delegation of tasks to staff.

To demonstrate leadership skills through the management of designated projects.

To lead in the coordination of induction, training and education of students and other staff in this setting as appropriate.

To be responsible for ensuring the supervision of Occupational Therapy staff as appropriate.

To deputise for the Band 8a OT or senior equivalent as required.

To work effectively as a senior member of the wider LD Assessment and Treatment Unit team.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Able to manage a caseload of clients with highly complex Occupational Therapy needs, using evidence based/client-centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions in clinic and community settings and on home visits.
• Detailed knowledge of evidence-based practice and its contribution to practice governance
• Extensive clinical experience and ability to demonstrate application of advanced clinical skills
• Evidence of facilitating therapist, assistants and student development through effective supervision
• Experience of working within a Learning Disability setting
• Planning and coordination of treatment packages
• Leadership experience

Desirable

• Experience of working in a relevant in-patient setting
• Participation in research projects and audit

QUALIFICATIONS/EDUCATION/TRAINING

Essential

• Degree or equivalent in Occupational Therapy
• Registration with HCPC
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Post graduate training/experience in learning disabilities, mental health/challenging behaviour and physical/sensory disabilities
• An in depth knowledge of the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) and other standardised assessment approaches relevant to the clinical setting and post qualifications linked to this.
• Evidence of providing highly specialist support and education to service users and carers regarding aspects of occupational therapy e.g. equipment fitting, rehabilitation programmes, sensory issues, management of symptoms through activity
• Sensory Integration training - SI Practitioner

Desirable

• Membership of RCOT
• Fieldwork Educators Qualification
• Experience of assessing risk of physical health needs - falls, epilepsy etc

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Essential

• Clear and effective communication through written, verbal and non-verbal modes
• Broad knowledge of current best practice in OT, Learning Disabilities and mental health
• Understanding of team dynamics
• Group work skills
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with relevant stakeholders

Desirable

• Experience of AMBIT

ANALYTICAL SKILLS

Essential

• Contributing to formulations and care planning formally and informally
• Broad knowledge of current best practice in OT and mental health
• Planning and co-ordination of treatment packages
• Ability to identify and analyse problems and be proactive in their solution
• Ability to analyse professional and ethical issues
• Applied knowledge of mental health legislation
• Applied knowledge and risk assessment and management
• Understanding of OT outcome measures

Desirable

• Project Management/CQI

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).