Job summary
As part of the Neuro / Stroke Inpatient Team, providing care to a multi cultural and diverse population, to deliver a high standard of Occupational Therapy care to Stroke/Neuro patients and their carers.
To perform comprehensive Occupational Therapy assessment of patients with diverse presentations and complex physical and psychological conditions, following a Stroke or Neurological condition. To use this assessment to provide a clinical diagnosis and develop and deliver an individualised treatment program.
To hold responsibility for your own caseload and working without direct supervision but together with the other members of the MDT, deliver a comprehensive package of care to Stroke/ Neurological patients and their carers. Supervision takes the form of monthly meetings, formal training and clinical reasoning sessions, peer review, case review and joint sessions. Access to advice and support from the wider MDT is available when required.
To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner.
With support and guidance from more senior staff, to undertake evidence-based audit and or research projects to further own and teams clinical practice. Make recommendations to clinical lead/manager of service for changes to practice by the team.
Main duties of the job
Clinical
-To undertake a comprehensive assessment of stroke / neuro patients using a high level of clinical reasoning and assessment techniques to provide an accurate clinical diagnosis.
-To utilise an extensive knowledge of evidence-based practice and treatment options to select and deliver a Stroke/ Neuro specialised occupational therapy program.
-To take responsibility for a delegated caseload
-To be responsible for maintaining accurate comprehensive patient treatment records
-Represent the occupational therapy service and/or individual patients at the multi-disciplinary team meetings,
-To offer supervision, appraisals and support to rehabilitation assistants within the service as required .
-To use relevant clinical outcome measures to demonstrate efficacy of intervention.
- Complete Access, Home and Discharge visits as appropriate
Professional
-To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through relevant CPD activities
-To assist in the teaching, and contribute to the performance assessment and appraisal of newly qualified staff and RAs.
-Be an active member of the in-service training programme
Organisational
-To be responsible for organising own clinical caseload to meet service and patient priorities.
- To undertake the accurate collection of data for use in service reporting, audit and for monitoring.
-Deputise for the band 7 occupational therapist in their absence.
About us
North Mid is part of North Central London integrated care system - consisting of the NHS and Local authority organisations in Camden, Islington, Barnet, Enfield and Haringey. As with other ICS's, we are working increasingly closely with partners and indeed many of our financial and performance objectives are measured at this system level. Whilst all organisations remain as standalone, statutory bodies we have an ICS infrastructure for making shared decisions and agreeing shared approaches.
We are proud of our staff and want to ensure their training allows them to provide excellent clinical care. We are also a training unit for medical students from UCL and St George's University Grenada, and for nursing and midwifery students from Middlesex and City Universities.
Take a tour of our hospital here
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical
- To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work and that work delegated to support staff.
- To undertake a comprehensive assessment of stroke / neuro patients including those with diverse or complex presentations/multi pathologies: using a high level of clinical reasoning and assessment techniques to provide an accurate clinical diagnosis.
- To utilise an extensive knowledge of evidence-based practice and treatment options to select and deliver a Stroke/ Neuro specialised occupational therapy program to individual patients and plan their successful discharge.
- To take responsibility for a delegated caseload, ensuring that the MDT is fully involved as require.
- To ensure that patients and carers are involved in the planning of their care packages, using negotiation skills as appropriate
- To assess patient understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
- Use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with stroke / neurological patients and carers to progress rehabilitation and treatment programs. In this patient group in particular it will regularly include patients who may have difficulties in understanding or communicating.
- When working in the community, work as lone practitioner with telephone support from a more senior occupational therapist as required.
- To be responsible for maintaining accurate comprehensive patient treatment records in line with COT standards of practice and ECS/BEHMHT policies and to communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines in the form of reports and letters.
- Represent the occupational therapy service and/or individual patients at the multi-disciplinary team meetings, to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service, and integrate occupational therapy treatment into the treatment program. This will include discussion of patient care, patient progress and involvement in discharge planning.
- Provide specialist clinical advice to others regarding the management and care of stroke/neuro patients.
12 To offer supervision and support to rehabilitation assistants within the service as required and to alert line manager if any significant concerns are identified.
- To use relevant clinical outcome measures to demonstrate efficacy of intervention.
- Apply a sound knowledge of clinical governance and risk management both to own caseload and that delegated to support staff.
Professional
- To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through relevant CPD activities and maintain a CPD portfolio which reflects personal development.
- To implement knowledge of stroke related evidence-based practice, developing a more specialist knowledge of particular conditions and patient types.
- Where appropriate to be responsible for supervising student occupational therapist to graduate level on occupational therapy skills and knowledge within stroke care with over all supervision and direction from more senior staff.
- To assist in the teaching, and contribute to the performance assessment and appraisal of newly qualified staff and RAs.
- Undertake evidence-based projects and support service improvement initiatives
- Participate in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee and be responsible for complying with agreed personal development programmes to meet individual and service objectives.
- Where appropriate, to undertake the appraisal of junior and RA staff.
- Undertake measurement and evaluation of own work and current practices through the use of evidence based practice projects, audit and outcome measures, either individually or as part of a team with more senior occupational therapists.
- Be an active member of the in-service training programme, attending tutorials, individual training sessions, external courses and peer review sessions as appropriate and as identified in own PDP.
- Be actively involved in relevant professional clinical groups, OT Clinical Interest Groups, Peer Review Groups and other professional development activities such as journal clubs.
Organisational
- To be responsible for organising and planning own clinical caseload to meet service and patient priorities. Readjusting plans as situations change/arise.
- To optimise the over all effective and efficient use of clinical and organisational skills and resources to ensure that you are highly responsive to clinical and local service priorities and needs.
- To undertake the accurate collection of data for use in service reporting, audit and for monitoring the Service level agreement. In particular to complete RiO/other patient based system data in a timely fashion, fully complying with data quality requirements.
- To keep patient and other confidential data secure in line with Trust policy.
- Be responsible for the safe and competent use of equipment, through teaching and supervision of practice.
- Deputise for the band 7 occupational therapist in their absence allocating and organising the work of more junior staff and assistant staff to meet service priorities on a daily basis.
- To communicate regularly and effectively with other members of the occupational therapy service in order to ensure seamless occupational therapy provision to patients moving between different areas of the service.
- To be aware of Health and Safety aspects of your work and implement any policies, which may be required to improve the safety of your work area, including your prompt recording and reporting of accidents to senior staff, and ensuring that equipment use is safe.
- To be aware of and support any CSRT and Adult Therapies service plans.
- To comply with the organisational and departmental policies and procedures and to be involved in the reviewing and updating as appropriate.
- To undertake any other duties that might be considered appropriate by the B7 Occupational therapists / Adult Therapies manager.
Effort
- Carry out assessments and treatments of stroke patients with moderate physical, and significant mental and emotional effort on a daily basis.
- To manage the pressure resulting from frequent interruptions and requests from other professionals that require thoughtful, timely and decisive action and which necessitate adjustment and re-prioritisation of the work plan for self and team.
- On a daily basis to implement decisions on allocation of limited resources which directly affect level of occupational therapy intervention to specific patients and have to justify those decisions to patients, carers and others.
- To undertake therapeutic manual handling in compliance with Trust manual handling policies and local guidance at all times.
- To deal sensitively with patients and carers who have high levels of anxiety and aggression e.g.: caused by loss of mobility and independence, cognitive impairment
- To interact with patients through an interpreter when English is not the patients first language.
- When working in a community setting, to work as lone practitioner with telephone support from a more senior occupational therapist as required. In these instances the working environment is out of your control, e.g. may be cramped, poorly lit and therefore not suitable for all treatment and interventions.
- The job involves the potential for regular exposure to unpleasant working conditions on a regular (daily basis) e.g. bodily fluids including sputum, vomit, urine, and occasional exposure to fleas, lice, verbal and physical aggression.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical
- To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work and that work delegated to support staff.
- To undertake a comprehensive assessment of stroke / neuro patients including those with diverse or complex presentations/multi pathologies: using a high level of clinical reasoning and assessment techniques to provide an accurate clinical diagnosis.
- To utilise an extensive knowledge of evidence-based practice and treatment options to select and deliver a Stroke/ Neuro specialised occupational therapy program to individual patients and plan their successful discharge.
- To take responsibility for a delegated caseload, ensuring that the MDT is fully involved as require.
- To ensure that patients and carers are involved in the planning of their care packages, using negotiation skills as appropriate
- To assess patient understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
- Use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with stroke / neurological patients and carers to progress rehabilitation and treatment programs. In this patient group in particular it will regularly include patients who may have difficulties in understanding or communicating.
- When working in the community, work as lone practitioner with telephone support from a more senior occupational therapist as required.
- To be responsible for maintaining accurate comprehensive patient treatment records in line with COT standards of practice and ECS/BEHMHT policies and to communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines in the form of reports and letters.
- Represent the occupational therapy service and/or individual patients at the multi-disciplinary team meetings, to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service, and integrate occupational therapy treatment into the treatment program. This will include discussion of patient care, patient progress and involvement in discharge planning.
- Provide specialist clinical advice to others regarding the management and care of stroke/neuro patients.
12 To offer supervision and support to rehabilitation assistants within the service as required and to alert line manager if any significant concerns are identified.
- To use relevant clinical outcome measures to demonstrate efficacy of intervention.
- Apply a sound knowledge of clinical governance and risk management both to own caseload and that delegated to support staff.
Professional
- To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through relevant CPD activities and maintain a CPD portfolio which reflects personal development.
- To implement knowledge of stroke related evidence-based practice, developing a more specialist knowledge of particular conditions and patient types.
- Where appropriate to be responsible for supervising student occupational therapist to graduate level on occupational therapy skills and knowledge within stroke care with over all supervision and direction from more senior staff.
- To assist in the teaching, and contribute to the performance assessment and appraisal of newly qualified staff and RAs.
- Undertake evidence-based projects and support service improvement initiatives
- Participate in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee and be responsible for complying with agreed personal development programmes to meet individual and service objectives.
- Where appropriate, to undertake the appraisal of junior and RA staff.
- Undertake measurement and evaluation of own work and current practices through the use of evidence based practice projects, audit and outcome measures, either individually or as part of a team with more senior occupational therapists.
- Be an active member of the in-service training programme, attending tutorials, individual training sessions, external courses and peer review sessions as appropriate and as identified in own PDP.
- Be actively involved in relevant professional clinical groups, OT Clinical Interest Groups, Peer Review Groups and other professional development activities such as journal clubs.
Organisational
- To be responsible for organising and planning own clinical caseload to meet service and patient priorities. Readjusting plans as situations change/arise.
- To optimise the over all effective and efficient use of clinical and organisational skills and resources to ensure that you are highly responsive to clinical and local service priorities and needs.
- To undertake the accurate collection of data for use in service reporting, audit and for monitoring the Service level agreement. In particular to complete RiO/other patient based system data in a timely fashion, fully complying with data quality requirements.
- To keep patient and other confidential data secure in line with Trust policy.
- Be responsible for the safe and competent use of equipment, through teaching and supervision of practice.
- Deputise for the band 7 occupational therapist in their absence allocating and organising the work of more junior staff and assistant staff to meet service priorities on a daily basis.
- To communicate regularly and effectively with other members of the occupational therapy service in order to ensure seamless occupational therapy provision to patients moving between different areas of the service.
- To be aware of Health and Safety aspects of your work and implement any policies, which may be required to improve the safety of your work area, including your prompt recording and reporting of accidents to senior staff, and ensuring that equipment use is safe.
- To be aware of and support any CSRT and Adult Therapies service plans.
- To comply with the organisational and departmental policies and procedures and to be involved in the reviewing and updating as appropriate.
- To undertake any other duties that might be considered appropriate by the B7 Occupational therapists / Adult Therapies manager.
Effort
- Carry out assessments and treatments of stroke patients with moderate physical, and significant mental and emotional effort on a daily basis.
- To manage the pressure resulting from frequent interruptions and requests from other professionals that require thoughtful, timely and decisive action and which necessitate adjustment and re-prioritisation of the work plan for self and team.
- On a daily basis to implement decisions on allocation of limited resources which directly affect level of occupational therapy intervention to specific patients and have to justify those decisions to patients, carers and others.
- To undertake therapeutic manual handling in compliance with Trust manual handling policies and local guidance at all times.
- To deal sensitively with patients and carers who have high levels of anxiety and aggression e.g.: caused by loss of mobility and independence, cognitive impairment
- To interact with patients through an interpreter when English is not the patients first language.
- When working in a community setting, to work as lone practitioner with telephone support from a more senior occupational therapist as required. In these instances the working environment is out of your control, e.g. may be cramped, poorly lit and therefore not suitable for all treatment and interventions.
- The job involves the potential for regular exposure to unpleasant working conditions on a regular (daily basis) e.g. bodily fluids including sputum, vomit, urine, and occasional exposure to fleas, lice, verbal and physical aggression.
Person Specification
EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
- Diploma/Degree Occupational Therapy.
- HPC Registered.
- Evidence of ongoing CPD in portfolio.
Desirable
- Member of COT
- Attendance at relevant PostGraduate Courses.
- Member of relevant clinical interest group.
EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE
Essential
- Minimum of 12-18 months post graduate clinical experience. Within that a substantial level of experience working with people with stroke/neurological problems
- Experience of working as part of a neuro or stroke team.
- Active contribution to training others e.g. in IST
- Awareness of own knowledge and development needs. Well developed knowledge and understanding of evidence based stroke care
- Extensive knowledge base underpinning broad occupational therapy skills.
- A good working knowledge of the NHS systems of care and awareness of current profession and on stroke care NHS policies and issues which impact on the OT
- Ability to process and manage complex. information in relation to patient care
- Ability to recognise and work with diversity
- Ability to develop further occupational therapy skills and knowledge in stroke care
- Have a good understanding of the legal responsibilities of the profession
- Have a comprehensive understanding of clinical governance in relation to occupational therapy and ability to apply principles to own area.
- Able to work safely in line with Trust Policies and Procedures
Desirable
- Participation in project /audit activities.
- Experience of working in the NHS
- Experience of working in a community setting
- Participation in weekend working
- Supervision of students, technical Instructors or assistants.
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Essential
- Ability to prioritise, organise and work in a busy environment
- Ability to keep accurate and legible patient notes
- Well developed stroke rehabilitation skills.
- Insight into the needs of strokes / neuro patients and their carers.
- Able to demonstrate a high level of clinical reasoning.
- Supportive of other staff
- Good team skills
- Ability to develop good supervisory skills.
- Motivated, friendly, approachable.
- Good communication skills, able to present information (written and oral) in a clear and logical manner.
- Reliable, professional and flexible
- Able to deal with difficult situations, e.g. dealing with aggressive and/or emotional patients or carers
Desirable
- Good presentation skills.
- Experience of organising internal or external training session/course.
- Competent IT skills.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Essential
- Fluent in written and spoken English
- Ability to meet the mental and physical demands of the post, carrying out moderate to intense physical effort
- Car owner/driver with valid UK driving license.
Person Specification
EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
- Diploma/Degree Occupational Therapy.
- HPC Registered.
- Evidence of ongoing CPD in portfolio.
Desirable
- Member of COT
- Attendance at relevant PostGraduate Courses.
- Member of relevant clinical interest group.
EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE
Essential
- Minimum of 12-18 months post graduate clinical experience. Within that a substantial level of experience working with people with stroke/neurological problems
- Experience of working as part of a neuro or stroke team.
- Active contribution to training others e.g. in IST
- Awareness of own knowledge and development needs. Well developed knowledge and understanding of evidence based stroke care
- Extensive knowledge base underpinning broad occupational therapy skills.
- A good working knowledge of the NHS systems of care and awareness of current profession and on stroke care NHS policies and issues which impact on the OT
- Ability to process and manage complex. information in relation to patient care
- Ability to recognise and work with diversity
- Ability to develop further occupational therapy skills and knowledge in stroke care
- Have a good understanding of the legal responsibilities of the profession
- Have a comprehensive understanding of clinical governance in relation to occupational therapy and ability to apply principles to own area.
- Able to work safely in line with Trust Policies and Procedures
Desirable
- Participation in project /audit activities.
- Experience of working in the NHS
- Experience of working in a community setting
- Participation in weekend working
- Supervision of students, technical Instructors or assistants.
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Essential
- Ability to prioritise, organise and work in a busy environment
- Ability to keep accurate and legible patient notes
- Well developed stroke rehabilitation skills.
- Insight into the needs of strokes / neuro patients and their carers.
- Able to demonstrate a high level of clinical reasoning.
- Supportive of other staff
- Good team skills
- Ability to develop good supervisory skills.
- Motivated, friendly, approachable.
- Good communication skills, able to present information (written and oral) in a clear and logical manner.
- Reliable, professional and flexible
- Able to deal with difficult situations, e.g. dealing with aggressive and/or emotional patients or carers
Desirable
- Good presentation skills.
- Experience of organising internal or external training session/course.
- Competent IT skills.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Essential
- Fluent in written and spoken English
- Ability to meet the mental and physical demands of the post, carrying out moderate to intense physical effort
- Car owner/driver with valid UK driving license.
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.
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).
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.
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).
