Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist (Adaptations)

Job description

Job responsibilities

To take clinical responsibility for the management of a specific paediatric caseload; to assess and review level of need and to organise this efficiently and effectively regarding clinical priorities and available resources.

To undertake skilled assessment of the needs of children and/or young people with complex needs requiring housing adaptations.

To provide specialist occupational therapy advice in the process of housing adaptations to other professionals including architects, housing officers and colleagues in social care.

To explain and discuss treatment options and develop an agreed individualised, outcome-focussed treatment plan with the child or young person and their parent / carers using excellent clinical knowledge and sound clinical reasoning skills.

To discuss prognosis with child or young person and their parent / carers and develop negotiated person-centred goals.

To assess patient and parent / carer understanding of treatment proposals and methods, gaining valid informed consent from appropriate person(s) taking into account factors such as age, mental capacity, parental responsibility etc.

To continually assess and manage clinical risk within patient caseload.

To demonstrate safe therapeutic manual handling skills continually assessing the frequently changing levels of risks involved.

To prescribe specialist moving & handling equipment, demonstrate its safe use to carers, providing training where required and completing relevant risk assessment documentation, which may include that from other agencies e.g. Education and/or Social Services.

To assess for, trial and prescribe, specialist, non-stock items of equipment from specialist suppliers. This will include demonstration of safe use of this equipment to all appropriate agencies, the provision of training where required and the completion of relevant risk assessment documentation, which may include that from other agencies e.g. Education and/or Social Care.

To provide planned specialist advice, teaching and instruction to parents, carers and other relevant professionals in health, social and educational services, to promote understanding of the aims of occupational therapy and to ensure a consistent, coordinated approach to optimise patient care.

To act as a consultant for the paediatric occupational therapy service regarding housing adaptations, particularly working closely with the child's therapist

To provide advice for Education, Health & Care Plans and child specific advice for Educational Manual Handling Risk Assessment.

To provide specialist advice and peer support to health, social care and educational colleagues in the overall management of the child presenting with complex problems in a range of community settings.

To work collaboratively with multi-agency professionals to develop comprehensive support packages for children and their families living with complex disabling conditions and to ensure that occupational therapy aims are included within the integrated care plan. This will include the discussion of patient treatment, patient progress and involvement in discharge planning and may necessitate the preparation of reports and attendance at multi-disciplinary and multi-agency meetings and case conferences.

To delegate tasks to occupational therapy assistants, ensuring that the assistants have the competencies required to undertake these tasks, including competencies regarding the safe use of items of equipment.

To participate in the training of occupational therapy assistants and students within the department.

To promote evidence-based practice within the occupational therapy team by challenging and supporting all occupational therapy practitioners to access up-to-date information regarding clinical conditions, therapy approaches etc.

To represent the occupational therapy team when requested by the Service Lead, Team Leader or more senior managers.

To provide clinical support to more junior members of the paediatric occupational therapy team.

Person Specification

Education and Qualification

Essential

• Graduate Diploma/Degree in Occupational Therapy
• Member of HCPC
• Evidence of Post Graduate development

Desirable

• Post Graduate qualification
• Evidence of leadership

Skills and Ability

Essential

• Sound knowledge of current best practice.
• Understanding of professional conduct and confidentiality
• Sound understanding of the requirements of clinical governance.
• Experience of research, audit, reflective practice or outcome measures
• Sound understanding of relevant legislation, eligibility criteria / policies and procedures relating to children.
• Maintenance of a comprehensive portfolio of evidence of CPD
• Post graduate training related to relevant clinical areas.
• Ability to relate theory to clinical situations.
• Excellent caseload management skills.
• Clinical planning and organizational skills.
• Demonstrable knowledge of a wide range of paediatric therapy assessment and intervention, including equipment.
• Knowledge and practical experience of manual handling skills
• Able to use own initiative
• Ability to work under pressure and recognize when support is required.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to lead in a given situation.
• Car owner/driver.

Experience & Knowledge

Essential

• Extensive general post graduate occupational therapy experience in relevant settings including experience within paediatrics
• 18 months relevant experience at band 6 level or equivalent
• Recent experience of working within community settings
• Experience of supervising junior and support staff
• Experience of educating and supporting student occupational therapists
• Experience of delivering training to colleagues in health/social care and/or other agencies.
• Experience of working with major adaptations.

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

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

St Anne's Primary Care Centre

Durham Avenue

Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde

FY8 2EP

Employer's website

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