Senior Children's Occupational Therapist

Job responsibilities

Please see the job description for the details regarding the post

Communication and working relationship

Communicate complex condition-related information from assessment to clients, carers, families and members of the multidisciplinary team/other professions in a way that is accessible and easily understood. This will include facilitating strategies for people with communication disorders where barriers to understanding may exist

Demonstrate empathy with clients, carers, families and colleagues, ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where barriers to communication exist, or sensitive issues are being dealt with. Patient, carers and family will frequently have difficulty accepting the information provided

Form productive relationships with others who may be under stress and/or have challenging difficulties

Employ good presentation skills to promote multi-disciplinary and interagency liaison and collaborative practice to a broad range of audiences including other professionals and users

Write reports reflecting knowledge of paediatrics that can be accessible to both lay and professional people

Contribute to clinical pathways both multi and uni-professional by discussing own and others input around clients needs, ensuring a well-coordinated care plan

Deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible

Demonstrate good negotiation skills across a range of issues

Analytical and judgement

Demonstrate specialist Occupational Therapy knowledge across a range of therapeutic interventions

Use knowledge and experience to inform sound clinical judgement/decision making for case management

Integrate evidence from a variety of sources to make a differential diagnosis, of occupational performance, seeking advice as appropriate

Demonstrate the ability to reflect on practice with peers and mentors and identify own strengths and development needs

Planning and organisation

Responsible for organising and planning own caseload to meet service and patient priorities. Readjusting plans as situations change/arise

Responsible for the supervision and co-ordination of Occupational Therapy Technicians on a daily basis

Responsible for the supervision of Band 5 staff on a regular basis

Responsibility for patient/client care, treatment and therapy

Undertakes all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner including professional and legal accountability and clinical risk management for all aspects of own work

Some aspects of work will involve delivery of the care as part of a multidisciplinary, multi-agency team. Otherwise to be the sole professional with responsibility for that patients episode of care and for onward referral as required

Perform advanced therapeutic assessment of children who present with developmental problems, long term conditions and may have severe communication impairment, learning disability, complex and severe physical and sensory disability

Use advanced questioning and communication, manual assessment techniques and clinical reasoning skills to provide a diagnosis and prognosis enabling the delivery of an individualised occupational therapy treatment programme. This includes but is not exclusive to the appropriate selection of referrals for inclusion in a range of treatment and management options, including neuro developmental, motor co-ordination, sensory differences, specialised equipment and environmental adaptations.

Supervision takes the form of annual appraisal with line-manager plus planned management supervision, clinical supervision on a planned regular basis. Clinical work is not routinely evaluated. Access to advice and support is available from peers, the paediatric team and clinical manager

Responsible for own caseload as an autonomous practitioner

Responsible for tasks and duties as delegated by the Clinical Team Manager or Specialist Childrens Occupational Therapist.

To use routine outcome measures and goal-based approach, collaboratively with service users, in ways that inform treatment and clinical care

Work closely with clients, carers, and families agreeing decision making relevant to the patient/client management

Co-produce specialist clear care plans based on best practice with children, young people and their families/carers

Ensure care plans are written in an understandable format for the child, young person and their family/carer

Provide specialist Occupational Therapy intervention including 1:1 / group therapy, parent/ carer-based interventions and consultancy/coaching mentoring within a range of community settings. Outcomes to then be evaluated To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence-based practice and outcome measures

To always consider safeguarding and child protection issues, following relevant policies and procedures and receiving safeguarding supervision as required

Responsibility for policy and service development implementation

Deputise for the Clinical Team Manager or Specialist Occupational Therapist in their absence, taking responsibility for operation management of the team, allocating and organising the work of less experienced occupational therapist and assistant staff to meet priorities on a daily basis

Provide children and young people with the opportunity to express their views in an age appropriate way, to have their opinions considered and to be able to influence the shaping of services

Interpret and assist in the implementation of local and national guidelines, policies and procedures affecting the development of childrens services

To follow their employers policies, procedures and guidance as well as professional standards and guidelines

Responsibility for finance, equipment and other resources

Work to the financial policies and procedures as laid down by the employer

Take appropriate care of equipment entrusted to them for use

Responsible for maintaining a clear desk policy and protecting all confidential information in accordance with the organisations policies and procedures

Required to act responsibly in terms of providing best value practice and protecting service resources

Responsibility for any specific materials you are required to use, maintaining their general standard and ensuring that adequate supplies are maintained

Ensure all equipment used is maintained to the required standard to ensure patient and staff safety

Maintain stock control, ordering supplies in a timely manner through the agreed process

Complete an assessment, order, set up the provision of specialist equipment for identified children. Demonstrate to parents/ staff how to maintain and adjust as appropriate

Responsibility for human resources, e.g. supervision, training, HR advice and management

Contribute to the delivery of a range of training opportunities, as appropriate using a broad range of technology to develop and deliver

Supervise the work of Occupational Therapy Technicians and/or Integrated Therapy Assistants where necessary

Mentor and supervise newly qualified occupational therapists as required

Access clinical supervision at the frequency determined by the organisation

Oversee the caseload management of newly qualified staff and Occupational Therapy Technicians

Demonstrate the ability to target training (formal and informal) appropriately to the needs of course participants, reflecting and evaluating training provided.

To participate in the appraisal process

Ensure prompt action is taken in raising issues with regard to staff performance, sickness, attendance levels and any disciplinary, capability or grievance matters

Responsibility for information resources and administrative duties

Responsible for accurate and timely inputting of data into relevant data collection system to ensure workload is accurately reflected

Responsible for the inputting of accurate and contemporaneous case notes on the relevant clinical systems in line with professional and organisational standards

A sound knowledge of IT

Computer literate

Ensure all employers policies, procedures and guidelines are followed

Complete all statutory and mandatory training as required by the employer

Identify and manage risks through incident reporting when appropriate

Take part in activities designed to improve service delivery or quality of care such as staff surveys, participation and service development

Responsibility for research and development

Participates in clinical audit

Participate in clinical research as appropriate

Freedom to act

Acts as an autonomous professional

Works within codes of practice as defined by Royal College of Occupational Therapy and HCPC

Works within organisational policies and procedures

Please contact us to discuss the post more fully.

Qualifications

Essential

• oDegree in Occupational Therapy
• oHCPC registration
• oDiploma level specialist training or experience

Desirable

• oPost-graduate certified courses specific to children's needs (e.g. Sensory training; ADOS, 3di etc)

Experience

Essential

• oTo work within trust clinical guidelines and Royal College of OT and HCPC standards. To have working knowledge of national and local standards and monitor own quality and safety of practice
• o Extensive knowledge of Occupational Therapy models of practice and specialist approaches
• oExtensive knowledge of legislation affecting clinical practice such as manual handling, housing and SEND
• of Occupational Therapy therapeutic interventions for children and young people including but not inclusive to: manual handling, specialist equipment, 24-hour postural management, fine motor, sensory differences and housing adaptations
• oKnowledge of a wide range of Occupational Therapy assessment tools appropriate to meet a wide range of needs in the paediatric population
• oKnowledge and use of evidence-based practice and outcome measures
• oWell-developed knowledge and understanding of legislation around SEND
• oKnowledge of normal child development and a broad range of paediatric conditions
• oSubstantial clinical experience in a range of children's OT assessment and interventions
• oCommunity based Children's Occupational Therapy experience
• oEvidence of working as an autonomous practitioner
• oDeveloped skills in working with individuals and families with physical and sensory needs
• oKnowledge and experience of gaining meaningful feedback from children, young people and families' voice and inform meaningful change
• oExperience of working in a 'person-centred' way which shows you can demonstrate values that are important to children, young people and families

Desirable

• oResearch skills

Specific

Essential

• oExcellent communication and interaction skills
• oAbility to maintain sensitivity at all times to clients, carers and families
• oExcellent interpersonal skills - including observation, listening and empathy skills
• oExcellent presentation skills, both written and verbal
• oWell-developed negotiation and problem-solving skills
• oAbility to keep accurate and legible children/young people and families clinical notes in line with RCOT and HCPC guidance
• oWell-developed analytical and reflection skills
• oWell-developed auditory and perceptual skills
• oProven ability to work on own initiative and without supervision in a variety of community settings
• oEvidence of ability to make decisions under pressure and in stressful situations
• oAbility to demonstrate advanced clinical reasoning skills
• oAbility to plan organise and prioritise effectively
• oKnowledge and experience of gaining meaningful feedback from children, young people and families' voice and inform meaningful change

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).