Advanced Occupational Therapy/Physiotherapy Practitioner Hand Therapy

Job responsibilities

Provide specialist clinicalexpertise(both within own professional clinical discipline and across the multidisciplinary therapy team), making evidence-based decisions with the patient about theirinjury or surgery. Practitioners will use their clinical-reasoning skills to undertake an assessment of the presenting problem, interpret findings, develop working and differential diagnoses, and formulate, communicate, and implement management plans that take account of individuals needs, goals and wishes, local service availability and relevant local, ICS and national guidelines and policies.

• Enable individuals to make decisions about their care using the principles of shared decision making:

• helping them toidentifythe priorities and outcomes that are important to them.

• explaining in non-technical language all available options (including doingnothing)oexploring with them the risks, benefits, and consequences of each available optionosupporting them to decide on their preferred way forward.

• Deliver and promote programmes of supported patient self-management, in ways thatfacilitatebehavioural change, optimise individuals' rehabilitation and fulfilment of personal goals and independence relevant to theirinjury or surgery

• Provide clinical and strategic leadership within the multidisciplinary team, working with the leadership team, with responsibility for quality, training and clinical governance and research agendas.

• Monitor and lead improvements to standards of care through, supervision of practice, clinical audit, evidence-based practice, teaching and supporting professional colleagues and the provision of skilled professional leadership.

• Lead on the development and delivery of an education programme for AHP, nursing and medical colleagues across primary and secondary care staff and partner organisations focusing on the assessment and management ofthe hand post injury or elective surgery from a Hand Therapy perspective.

EXPERT CLINICAL PRACTICE:

• To be a clinical leader in the multidisciplinary delivery ofhand therapymanagement,demonstratingadvanced, expert knowledge and skills in interventions with patients and carers.

• Takes professional responsibilitydemonstratinghigh-level decision-making and clinicalreasoning skills in the assessment and rehabilitation of patients within relevant clinical speciality both within own professional scope of practice and the holistic MDT.

• Manages a complex caseload with supervision/mentoring asrequired. This includes the gathering and synthesise of information on the nature of the individuals presenting symptoms taking account of how these relate to relevant past medical history and investigations, developing and implementing rehabilitation and treatment plans basedon best evidence,reviewand discharge planning.

• Requestappropriate investigationsbased on their level of competence and interpret the findings tofacilitatediagnosis and management plans of patients.

• To receive referrals from and make referrals to healthcare professionals review the patient and act, accordingly, thereby reducing length of time patients wait for intervention.

• According to current legislation to undertake independent prescribing and makeappropriate useof the administration of medication using Patient Group Directions.

• Advise, initiate, evaluate andmodifya range of interventions, which may includeself managementand lifestyle advice, specialist therapies, social and independent prescribing.

• Record the information gathered through taking individuals history concisely and accurately for clinical management, and in compliance with local protocols, legal and professional requirements.

• Be accountable for their own decisions and actions and the outcomes of their interventions viaappropriate professionalbody, supported by a professional culture of peer networking/review, reflective practice, and engagement in evidence-based practice.

COMMUNICATION AND KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

• Demonstrate effective person-centred communication skills, supporting people in making decisions, planningcareorseekingto make positive changes, using a person-centred approach.

• Adapt how they engage with others (including those with communication, cognitive and sensory impairments) through using different verbal and non-verbal communication styles, and in ways that are responsive to individuals communication and language needs and preferences. Conveying information and discussing issues in ways that avoid jargon, negative descriptors, and assumptions.

• Ability to communicate complex clinical information both written and verbal, in an easily understood form, to patients, carers, and all members of the multi-disciplinary team.

• Ability to deal with difficult or distressed patients and carers, conveying difficult and sometimes unwelcome information relating to clinical issues.

• Demonstrate leadership, providing clinical and emotional support for staff working in high flow and demanding environments, includingFracture Clinicand Elective Consultant Clinics.

• Work collaboratively withan appropriate rangeof multi-agency and inter-professional resources, developing,maintaining, and evaluating links to manage risk and issues across organisations and settings.

• Advise on local non-clinical services that individuals and their carers maybenefitfrom accessing to help manage their injuries, including those relating to employment, voluntary activities, counselling services and leisure facilities.

• Makeappropriate referralsusingappropriate documentationto other health and care professionals and agencies when this is in individuals best interests.

• Respect and draw on colleagues knowledge andexpertisewithin the multi-disciplinary team and across pathways. Communicating with colleagues in ways that build and sustain relationships,seeking, gathering, and sharing information appropriately, efficiently, and effectively toexpediteand integrate individuals care.

• Participate as an effective team member and understand the importance of effective team dynamics. Contributing effectively to multi-disciplinary team activity (including service delivery processes and learning and development).

• Facilitate collaboration and close working relationships with all services engaged in delivery ofrelevanthandelective and trauma management.

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT:

• Develop and implement robust governance systems based on an understanding of the level of practicerequiredto deliver the service and assure safe quality standards of practice for service users.

• Ensure that practice is carried outin accordance withprofessional rules of conduct, professional standards, departmental and Trust policies, national policies and guidelines and statute.

• Lead new practice and service redesign solutions in response to feedback, evaluation and need.

• Act as a clinical role model, educator, coach, and mentorseekingto instill and develop the confidence of the workforce.

• Develop and initiate systems to collect feedback and involvement from individuals, families, carers, communities, and colleagues to assure and improve the quality of care and service delivery.

• Work with theTherapy Leads on the monitoring of complaints, incidents, and patient/service user outcomes and feedback.

• Demonstrate receptiveness to challenge and preparedness to constructively challenge others, dealing with concerns that affect individual patients, colleagues and overall service safety and quality.

• To lead the development of relevant policies and clinical protocols inhand therapyandbe responsible forpolicy implementation and service development.

• Negotiate a personal and individual scope of practice for staff tooperatewithin legal, ethical, professional, and organisational policies,governanceand procedures, with a focus on managing risk and upholding safety.

• Demonstrates an awareness of their own limitations and through this, recognise the parameters of their scope of practice.

• Represent ELHT on relevant committees and meetings, as a lead clinician, provide input in relation to specialist issues and clinical matters asrequiredat a local,regionalandnationallevel.

• Act as an advocate for and contribute to a culture of organisational learning to inspire and develop future and existing staff.

See job description for further details of Education, Learning and Development, Research, Audit and Service Evaluation and Professional Responsibilities sections

Qualifications

Essential

• Profession Specific Degree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy
• Health & Care Professions Council Registration (HCPC)
• Appropriate post graduate BAHT clinical courses

Desirable

• Member of the British Association of Hand Therapists (BAHT)
• Masters Level Post graduate clinical courses linked to the Hand

Knowledge

Essential

• In depth knowledge of local and national NHS/Social Care agenda and its relevance to service area
• In depth knowledge of national policy, clinical practice standards and guidelines relevant to service area
• Able to manage high levels of risk in relationship to patient care
• Advanced workload management skills including prioritisation and delegation
• Advanced knowledge of a variety of assessment and clinical interventions skills relevant to service area
• Highly developed supervision and appraisal skills
• Advanced written and verbal skills to optimise patient management
• Able to demonstrate skills in advanced clinical reasoning skills
• Highly developed negotiation and problem-solving skills
• Excellent analytical skills and the ability to process relevant clinical and performance data and systems
• Highly developed ability to reflect and critically appraise own professional competency level and seek help from others appropriately

Personal

Essential

• Highly developed ability to work effectively alone as well as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Able to work in a pressurised, unpredictable environment, with a proven ability to multi-task and support others
• Listen to views and opinions of others, demonstrate compassion, kindness and self-awareness
• Compassionate leadership
• Able to deal with challenging behaviour of patients, carers and/or families
• Value difference, diversity and inclusion and ensure fairness for all
• Commitment to continuous professional development

Other

Essential

• Access to private vehicle to be able to travel across ELHT sites, including to patient's usual place of residence, where required
• Ability to travel between sites in a timely manner as required in accordance with the agreed job plan

Experience

Essential

• Significant post graduate experience, including experience in a relevant specialist role
• Demonstrate clinical expertise in the management of highly complex patients within clinical area
• Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team and wider system partners
• Experience of leading service change and quality improvement projects for safe, personal, and effective care
• Experience of undergraduate student, junior staff and/or support staff supervision
• Contribution to clinical education of junior staff, students and assistants
• Clinical supervision, including formal appraisal and objective setting
• Experience of clinical guidance, pathway and protocol development and implementation
• Involvement in audit, research and evidenced based practice with demonstrable impact on quality improvement
• Experience of formal presentations including presenting to MDT, leadership, and clinical teams.

Desirable

• Committee membership e.g., Safety Committee

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).