Specialist Children's Occupational Therapist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:1.To work autonomously as a specialist childrens OT within the childrens OT team, to provide an effective occupational therapy service across the allocated locality and clinical specialist area, to children and young people 0-19 years old, in a range of settings and environments e.g. childs home, nursery, mainstream, special schools, Family Hubs and other community settings.2.To contribute to the development of good practice within your specialist OT team as part of the BB&T Childrens OT Service3.To provide a high standard of assessment and contribute to the diagnostic process, and based upon clinical findings, develop and implement an individualised intervention programme in conjunction with the child and family/carers referred to the service. To provide specialist advice to multi-disciplinary team, carers and other agencies.4.To work collaboratively with family/carers and all agencies involved in the childs care, encompassing all private and public sectors, in order to provide the highest level of care using best practice principles to maximise the childs level of function in accordance with trust and government recommendations.5.To supervise students and OT assistants/ ApprenticesLeadership1.To provide mentoring and support to peer and more junior members of staff, and to supervise students and support staff working within the team.2.To assist all team members with the day to day activities of the team and attend to urgent enquiries and information.3.To chair team meetings, collating information, setting an agenda, as required on a rotational basis.4.To attend and actively participate in OT team meetings, including researching and presenting on specific topics relevant to your specialism.5.To delegate to support staff appropriately and supervise case work in line with departmental guidelines.Clinical Skills1.To comply with the trusts and departmental guidelines, protocols and policies, whilst adhering to the College of Occupational Therapists guidelines, Health Professionals Council requirements, CYPSS guidelines, and government guidelines.2.To comprehensively assess service user understanding of suggested occupational therapy intervention, gain valid informed consent and to have capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who are unable to consent to treatment.3.To be aware of the childs and families/carers needs, respecting culture, religion, and attempting to communicate therapy needs in an understandable and meaningful way.4.To perform a comprehensive specialist assessment of children, including those with multiple complex pathologies, utilising evidence-based clinical reasoning skills, skilled observation, standardised and non standardised assessments in order to identify specific functional needs of the child within the domains of self-care, productivity (school or play) and leisure.5.To utilise skilled reasoning to develop and provide child centred intervention programmes based on evidence based practices which may be undertaken by parents/carers, teammembers, other agencies involved in the childs care. This may include sensory advice, whole school approaches, hands on treatment, splinting, postural management techniques, and other options.6.Lead on Pre-school school drop ins supported by Occupational Therapy assistant7.To provide advice when requested on the OT advice line8.To provide skilled treatment to the child/young person and inform and educate parents/carers, education and non statutory agencies on the impact of the childs needs and assist them in supporting the childs/young persons skill acquisition.9.To motivate children and carers and gain cooperation for treatment where there may be significant barriers to understanding e.g. learning disability, language, cultural diversity, religious beliefs, pain.10.To provide ongoing periodic reviews of the childs needs when required and modify therapy programmes in order to ensure continued effective intervention according to the childs changing needs, including urgent response to rapid change of needs e.g. deterioration.11.To provide case coordination, linking with key professionals and the child and family/carers for more complex cases where a lead role is undertaken by the OT.12.To provide carers a moving and handling plan, with other team members, for children where moving and handling is a potential risk, within the department.13.To be responsible for equipment used in interventions and follow team policies, including ensuring competence of carers and staff using equipment.14.To have a working knowledge of Thurrock and Essex safeguarding children procedures, to attend conferences, relevant local and legal procedures, court attendances, and attend supervision sessions.15.To ensure that your clinical knowledge and skills are up to date, demonstrating your competence to practice in your specialist clinical area.Computer/AdministrationTo be computer literate and encourage implementation of the Trusts IM&T Strategy.To ensure accurate recording of actions, and updating patients records, maintaining confidentiality at all times.To take part, and assist, in the planning and administration relating to day to day running of the caseload.CommunicationTo have a wide range of knowledge in approaches to communicating and managing patient care.To be able to effectively communicate with colleagues, peers, senior managers and clinical leads within the Trust.To be able to communicate complex patient related information facilitating positive outcomes and ensuring collaborative working.Participate in the review and development of clinical policies and identifies improvements to service provision.TrainingTo act as mentor to students/apprentices, providing effective education, facilitating their development and promoting high standards of Occupational Therapy.Ensure students/apprentices are actively supported to enable them to achieve their learning needs.To ensure own continued professional development and support a culture of lifelong learning in self and others.To undertake, and assist, in the planning of own mandatory training.To undertake a regular appraisal, developing a personal development plan that includes clinical competencies reflecting the health needs of the local population and relates to Trust strategy.To support new staff and their integration within the team.To support training as part of the role including changes to professional development and implementation of new policies and guidelines.

Certificates of Sponsorship

Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points-based system. When calculating the basic salary for sponsorship, HCAS (High-Cost Area Supplement) is not included to ensure fairness and consistency within our Trust.

Use of AI

Please see attached document regarding acceptable use of AI during the recruitment process.

Person Specification

Clinical skills

Essential

• Qualified OT and registered with HCPC
• Car Driver
• 2 years postgraduate experience as OT

Desirable

• Previous experience working with children with additional needs
• experience working with systmn one
• experience working with specialist equipment
• Post graduate training relevant to children's OT

Communication

Essential

• Working with MDT members

Desirable

• supervision of junior members of staff and students

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

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

Address

Great Oaks Clinic

Great Oaks

Basildon

SS141EH

Employer's website

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