Job summary
The Kent and Medway ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome service is looking for an experienced Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist who has extensive experience in rehabilitation and an interest or specific experience in the management of ME/CFS or other long-term conditions. This post has arisen following the retirement of one of our colleagues. You will be joining a small specialist team committed to providing client-centered care. We work with clients both face-to-face and remotely. We also work with them individually and in groups. Experience in running multidisciplinary groups would be desirable.
The ME/CFS service runs 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. It is a peripatetic service covering the Kent and Medway area. The post holder must be willing (and have the ability) to travel across the county as required. The ME/CFS service is not a crisis or emergency service and does not care coordinate.
Main duties of the job
The clinical specialist occupational therapist/physiotherapist is a highly experienced occupational therapist/physiotherapist within the interdisciplinary care team.
To take the lead in identifying, developing and providing the Occupational Therapy / Physiotherapy contribution within the interdisciplinary service in accordance with the needs of service users and the requirements of the service.
To assess, plan, deliver and evaluate therapeutic interventions for identified service users.
To manage a defined caseload of complex service users with occupational needs as a result of ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome using evidence-based, service user-centered, rehabilitation-orientated principles and practice.
About us
Come and work with us in the Garden of England where we combine exceptional professional development opportunities with a tremendous quality of life.
We are Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT), providing mental health and specialist services, serving 1.8 million people across the county.
The Trust (rated Good overall by the CQC and Outstanding for care) has 3,283 staff working in 66 buildings across 33 locations, covering an area of 1,450 square miles.
You will be joining friendly, passionate colleagues, rich in their diversity, who are committed to providing excellent care to our service users.
The nature of our work attracts kindness and compassion as standard and everyone.
Job description
Job responsibilities
KEY RESULT AREAS:
To work collaboratively with ME/CFS members to ensure a flexible and effective interdisciplinary team approach to clinical care.
To provide specialist assessment of service users with ME/CFS, analyse and interpret information gained to form an accurate formulation of function, strengths, capabilities and occupational needs.
To work collaboratively with service users, staff, and carers to identify goals to determine and deliver an appropriate intervention/rehabilitation plan which maximises occupational engagement and performance whilst balancing risk, and promoting choice and independence.
To monitor, evaluate and modify therapy programmes in order to measure progress and increase efficacy for the best possible service user outcomes and experience.
To demonstrate and apply a high level of understanding of impairments to cognition (capacity, psychological and wellbeing) and their impact on function, including strategies to manage impairments and potential risks.
In conjunction with others identify a service users needs for additional care provision/housing/specialist placement/further assessment/referral onto other agencies.
To act as an experienced clinician supporting best practice in line with NICE guidance and professional standards.
To demonstrate clinical leadership skills through the management of dedicated projects and approved quality improvement initiatives including research and development in line with AHP strategy.
To actively participate in relevant clinical meetings/forums.
To oversee the quality and governance of the Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy interventions provided by the team.
To act as a source of clinical expertise for other colleagues regarding service users, providing advice/role modelling to enable and improve service/care provision.
To contribute to policies & procedures for specialist areas impacting on own and/or other professions.
To ensure effective communication and relationships providing and receiving complex sensitive information and managing barriers to understanding.
Please see the attached Job Description for further details regarding the main responsibilities of this role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
KEY RESULT AREAS:
To work collaboratively with ME/CFS members to ensure a flexible and effective interdisciplinary team approach to clinical care.
To provide specialist assessment of service users with ME/CFS, analyse and interpret information gained to form an accurate formulation of function, strengths, capabilities and occupational needs.
To work collaboratively with service users, staff, and carers to identify goals to determine and deliver an appropriate intervention/rehabilitation plan which maximises occupational engagement and performance whilst balancing risk, and promoting choice and independence.
To monitor, evaluate and modify therapy programmes in order to measure progress and increase efficacy for the best possible service user outcomes and experience.
To demonstrate and apply a high level of understanding of impairments to cognition (capacity, psychological and wellbeing) and their impact on function, including strategies to manage impairments and potential risks.
In conjunction with others identify a service users needs for additional care provision/housing/specialist placement/further assessment/referral onto other agencies.
To act as an experienced clinician supporting best practice in line with NICE guidance and professional standards.
To demonstrate clinical leadership skills through the management of dedicated projects and approved quality improvement initiatives including research and development in line with AHP strategy.
To actively participate in relevant clinical meetings/forums.
To oversee the quality and governance of the Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy interventions provided by the team.
To act as a source of clinical expertise for other colleagues regarding service users, providing advice/role modelling to enable and improve service/care provision.
To contribute to policies & procedures for specialist areas impacting on own and/or other professions.
To ensure effective communication and relationships providing and receiving complex sensitive information and managing barriers to understanding.
Please see the attached Job Description for further details regarding the main responsibilities of this role.
Person Specification
Training, qualification and registration
Essential
- oA recognised Occupational Therapist professional qualification
- oRegistration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- oEvidence of post graduate development through formal postgraduate courses or experience e.g. (MSc or equivalent - clinical leadership or clinically related subject)
Desirable
- Registered member of the relevant professional body and / or special interest group
- Membership of Professional clinical interest groups
Experience
Essential
- oExperience in clinical practice, holding a broad range of experience or specialist field within a variety of settings, including physical health.
- oExperience of working with neurological conditions.
- oManaging a case load of service users who have complex needs
- oExperience of undertaking audits, service evaluation and research in specialist field.
- oExperience of delivering and coordinating clinical supervision
- oExperience of managing and developing learners and staff in the work place
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- oAn advanced level of knowledge and skill in providing occupational therapy assessment and rehabilitation to people with neurological / ME/CFS conditions.
- oAbility to make decisions autonomously and co-operatively as part of an inter-professional team
- oSpecialist knowledge in the application of relevant OT theoretical models, and approaches relevant to service user group.
- oSupervisory and appraisal skills
- oAn ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing
Desirable
- oAn understanding and expertise in the principles of risk assessment and risk management
Person Specification
Training, qualification and registration
Essential
- oA recognised Occupational Therapist professional qualification
- oRegistration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- oEvidence of post graduate development through formal postgraduate courses or experience e.g. (MSc or equivalent - clinical leadership or clinically related subject)
Desirable
- Registered member of the relevant professional body and / or special interest group
- Membership of Professional clinical interest groups
Experience
Essential
- oExperience in clinical practice, holding a broad range of experience or specialist field within a variety of settings, including physical health.
- oExperience of working with neurological conditions.
- oManaging a case load of service users who have complex needs
- oExperience of undertaking audits, service evaluation and research in specialist field.
- oExperience of delivering and coordinating clinical supervision
- oExperience of managing and developing learners and staff in the work place
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- oAn advanced level of knowledge and skill in providing occupational therapy assessment and rehabilitation to people with neurological / ME/CFS conditions.
- oAbility to make decisions autonomously and co-operatively as part of an inter-professional team
- oSpecialist knowledge in the application of relevant OT theoretical models, and approaches relevant to service user group.
- oSupervisory and appraisal skills
- oAn ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing
Desirable
- oAn understanding and expertise in the principles of risk assessment and risk management
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).
Additional information
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).
Employer details
Employer name
Kent & Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership Trust
Address
Medway Maritime Hospital, Gillingham
Disablement Services Centre, Windmill Road
Gillingham
ME7 5NY
Employer's website
https://www.kmpt.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)
