Job responsibilities
Clinical and General Duties
Please see attached JD for full list of duties and for the person specification.
- To use advanced clinical skills to lead in the assessment and evaluation of programmes of care for patients who meet the eligibility criteria for the rehabilitation unit
- To undertake uni-professional, multi-professional and specialist occupational therapy assessments using evidence-based outcome measures on the rehabilitation unit. Clients will have complex multi-pathologies, including neurological conditions, cognitive impairments, mental health disorders, musculoskeletal conditions, history of falls and age related conditions
- To manage and prioritise own clinical caseload and other responsibilities independently demonstrating a flexible approach to the needs of the service.
- To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work ensure that work within professional standard and clinical guidelines
- To be innovative in your practice and constantly seek out opportunities to learn and develop in your role and model this to junior staff and colleagues in the wider MDT
- To agree goal orientated programmes in conjunction with the client, his/her family and multi-disciplinary professionals involved, and provide appropriate Occupational Therapy intervention and multidisciplinary treatment programmes.
- To provide a high standard of therapy and rehabilitative care to patients using an evidence based approach and through the use of outcome measures.
- To assess for and prescribe assistive equipment to enable the client to maintain independence in activities of daily living.
- To adjust the environment to suit the clients needs by providing appropriate equipment and/or adaptations to the home in accordance with relevant policies and procedures.
- To instruct patients/carers on safe use of equipment/adaptations or techniques to increase their safety, independence and quality of life, providing written instructions where possible.
- To make specialist recommendations to other agencies to ensure appropriate levels of care and support are provided in order to maintain functional ability.
- To offer advice and education to carers and / or family around safe manual handling techniques, risk assessment and home management programmes.
- To regularly review group treatment programmes and with other team members be responsible for planning, preparing and implementing daily group treatment session.
- To ensure that clients positioning, seating and wheelchair needs are met in conjunction with the multidisciplinary team and /or specialist wheelchair services.
- To support in the screening of clients referred to the rehab unit with regards to established criteria for admission
- To write functional assessment, progress and home visit / discharge reports as appropriate and to ensure that copies are sent to the relevant professionals involved in the clients care.
- To deal sensitively with distressing or emotional circumstances regarding client care such as realistic expectations of rehabilitation outcome e.g. palliative diagnosis or long term adjustment to disability.
- To deal in a professional manner with clients and carers who are suffering from illness or pain states that may lead to anxiety or aggressive behaviour.
- To demonstrate ability to manage clients with challenging behaviours, and be able to apply appropriate management strategies e.g. cognitive impairment.
- To adapt clinical practice to suit the needs of individual client circumstances, including cultural, religious and linguistic differences.
- To assist in the development of service delivery in order to facilitate the effective use of resources and implement appropriate changes.
- To evaluate therapy practise and set standards of good practise, following the Royal College of Occupational Therapy (RCOT) and the PCT standards and guidelines relating to professional practise.
- To participate in clinical governance objectives as designated by the Community Rehabilitation Services (CRS) or Central London Community Healthcare (CLCH), e.g. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) audit and risk assessment
- To comply with the Trust Manual Handling, Lone Working and Risk Assessment policies at all times.
- To advise clinical therapies lead on issues which may impact service delivery, including clinical caseload capacity and junior staff performance.
- In conjunction with other team members, actively participate in the promotion of CRS , through presentations and education of referrers.
- To act as a specialist resource providing education, training and advice to junior members of the team and other professionals / disciplines.
- To provide clinical supervision and competency attainment for Band 5 and 6 OTs , discharge coordinators and rehab assistants ensuring that they have an up to date Professional Development plan annually, through the KSF structure.
- To be responsible for Occupational Therapy student clinical placements, and provide training, supervision and teaching as required.
- To participate in the recruitment and selection process in conjunction with other senior staff
- To be responsible for non-clinical induction of assistants and staff as required.
- To maintain up to date and accurate client case notes in line with College of Occupational Therapists (COT) professional standards and local trust policies.
- To share information with others, observing data protection guidelines and other relevant legislation at all times.
- To be responsible for gaining valid, informed consent for assessment and treatment interventions, following legal and professional guidelines and to follow these guidelines in circumstances where clients do not have capacity to provide informed consent.
- To participate in research, clinical governance and audit projects in order to evaluate service provision and development of clinical protocols.
- To be accountable for own professional actions, recognising own professional limitations and boundaries, seeking advice when necessary from the line manager.
- To work within defined departmental and national protocols/policies and professional code of conduct.
- To identify clinical and managerial training needs through an individualised personal development plan and KSF Structure.
- Knowledge and Skills
- To contribute to clinical team decisions by discussing own and others input around client needs, ensuring well-co-ordinated rehabilitation programmes and care plans are implemented.
- To discuss information relating to complex conditions to clients, carers, and families; including disease process, impairment and its impact on rehabilitation goals and function.
- To demonstrate skills in motivating clients and/or carers to engage in therapeutic intervention.
- To demonstrate empathy with clients, carers, families and colleagues ensuring that effective communication is achieved in particular where there may be barriers to understanding exist e.g. cognitive impairment, or limited safety awareness following a stroke/head injury.
- To use communication, reasoning and negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations e.g. disagreements with care planning.
- To establish productive working relationships with colleagues from health, local authority and the voluntary sector to ensure effective communication regarding ongoing client care and service development.
- To represent CRU at various PCT, social services, voluntary and health meetings, and disseminate information appropriately, e.g. clinical governance forums and OT professional development meetings.
- To utilise and apply previous clinical knowledge regarding multiple pathologies and impact on an individuals functional performance.
- To be aware of and advise on resources available to support clients within the community, e.g. voluntary agencies and daycentres.
- To provide specialist OT advice to all agencies involved in individual client care, e.g. social services, in order to formulate care plans.
- To participate in continuous professional development and KSF Process and have a personal development plan ensuring that objectives set reflect the service and trust plans, including specific objectives relating to clinical specialism and areas of delegated responsibilities.
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