Job responsibilities
Clinical Practice:
To work as an autonomous practitioner, managing a caseload of Service Users.
To manage the delivery of the required Therapy, delegating appropriately to others within the team.
To provide Occupational Therapy Services to Service Users with complex care needs including individuals with undifferentiated and undiagnosed conditions, taking into account the whole person in the context of their community, family, lifestyle and environment.
To undertake and document advanced comprehensive and holistic assessment of Service Users functional abilities and rehabilitation needs, using evidence based Occupational Therapy models and assessment tools; This includes detailed assessment of a Service Users physical, cognitive, perceptual, psychological and social abilities and physical, social and cultural environment.
To apply specialist knowledge of the impact of impairment/pathology to achieve maximum function for the Service User.
Assess a Service Users understanding of proposed rehabilitation and seek valid informed consent from Service Users before commencing treatment. Work within a legal framework for Service Users who lack the capacity to provide informed consent to assessment and treatment.
To develop and deliver individual and group specialised programmes of treatment based on assessment findings, goal setting, evidenced based practice, advanced theoretical knowledge, treatment options and clinical reasoning.
Establish a therapeutic relationship with Service Users using advanced empathy, motivational, problem solving and counselling skills.
Develop comprehensive and appropriate discharge plans in liaison with the Service User, family, carers, other health and social care professionals and community organisations based on rehabilitation progress and attainment of goals. This includes communication (written and verbal) regarding health and social needs on discharge.
To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of their own work including the management of Service Users in their care.
To provide specialist advice, teaching and training to other members of the multi disciplinary team regarding the treatment and management of Service Users within the speciality.
To empower Service Users to realise and maintain their potential in relation to health and well-being.
To maintain accurate, legible, comprehensive and up to date documentation, in line with legal and Departmental requirements. To communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines and agencies both verbally and in writing, e.g. medical notes, reports and letters.
To record and submit clinical activity data as required by the Department in an accurate and timely manner.
To work closely with clinicians, managers and other staff to ensure that the services are providing optimum quality of care in line with best practice models and key performance indicators.
To be actively involved in professional clinical groups.
To assess adults for both complex and non-complex assistive equipment and advise and/or assist with the process of obtaining it either by private funding, application for funding from the Social Security Department or through charitable agencies.
To be responsible for safe and competent use of assessment and therapeutic equipment by self, OT Assistants and students and provide adequate plans/instruction where appropriate to Service Users and carers on the use of therapeutic equipment e.g. manual handling equipment (hoists), splinting materials (thermoplastics) and aids and adaptations to promote independence.
To ensure that all equipment defects, accidents, incidents and complaints are reported to the Lead Occupational Therapist immediately and entered onto the online reporting system as per HSSD policy.
To assess adults for both complex and non-complex housing modifications and advise and/or assist with the process of obtaining them either by private funding, application for funding from the Social Security Department or through charitable agencies.
To complete initial risk assessment and continually evaluate risk throughout rehabilitation in relation to all aspects of safety in regard to self, Service Users and colleagues.
To adhere to clinical and HSSD procedures e.g. infection control, therapeutic moving and handling and food hygiene.
Use skilled and specialist moving and handling techniques e.g. therapeutic moving and handling with Service Users, moving and handling of equipment and provision of training for Service Users and carers, in relation to Occupational Therapy intervention programmes.
To plan, organise and prioritise own caseload and have the ability to respond to the changing remit of the service if necessary.
Actively participate in regular monthly structured supervision (professional, clinical and operational) with line manager using critical thinking, reflection and analysis. To document and review the supervision session, agreed action points and discussion points.
Undertake regular review and evaluation of own work through the use and application of evidence-based practice, research and outcome measures.
Provide Occupational Therapy services which are consistent with College of Occupational Therapy and Health and Social Services Department (HSSD) standards of practice, as well as working within clinical governance and national guidelines e.g. NICE.
To actively contribute to the development / review of clinical policies and guidelines relevant to the Community Team.
Adhere to the College of Occupational Therapists code of ethics and professional conduct.
Communication:
To communicate in a clear and concise manner using tact and persuasive skills where it may be necessary to communicate with Service Users and other people, where there may be communication, perceptual or cognitive / understanding difficulties. Information may be complex and sensitive and the post holder must take action to ensure respect, privacy and dignity of the Service User and people in their charge.
Written communication must be legible, minimising jargon and abbreviations.
To identify the range of people involved in communication and potential communication differences.
To give respect and consideration to our Service Users respecting their individual wishes aspirations and beliefs. At all times maintain client and department confidentiality as per the HSSD policy on Confidential Information.
To communicate with people in a form and manner, which; is consistent with their level of understanding, culture, background and preferred ways of communicating.
To communicate with people in a form and manner, which is appropriate to the complexity of the context, encourages effective communication between all involved and enables a constructive outcome to be achieved.
To anticipate barriers to communication and take action to improve communication.
To be proactive in seeking out different styles and methods of communicating to assist longer term needs and aims.
To take a proactive role in producing accurate and complete records of communication and communicate in a manner that is consistent with policy and procedure.
Service Delivery and Improvement:
To positively contribute to the improvement of service delivery.
To appraise service delivery and identify areas for improvement.
To work with Occupational Therapy Lead to develop service specifications and eligibility criteria for the speciality.
To work with Occupational Therapy Lead to develop policies and procedures relevant to the service.
To assess the changing complex health and wellbeing needs of Service Users, taking into account the whole person in the context of their community, family, lifestyle and environment.
To develop, monitor and evaluate interventions to meet those needs.
To participate in clinical audit and research, identifying issues that require further exploration, implementing clinical best practice guidelines and treatment outcomes.
To provide professional feedback on the interpretation of and use of data gleaned through audit/surveys.
To develop and implement clinical pathways, guidelines and client resources within the speciality.
To have expert knowledge, utilising up to date research and evidence based practice.
Personal and People Development:
To provide formal and informal training and supervision and assist in the performance management of junior staff. To contribute to the training, support and informal supervision of peers.
To be responsible for developing self and others within the Occupational Therapy Service and across Therapy Services.
To evaluate own knowledge and skills against the outline for this post and identify own development needs and interests.
Be responsible for identifying own training and development needs in line with service needs and College of Occupational Therapy standards of practice with guidance from the Lead Occupational Therapist.
To fulfil all mandatory training requirements of the Department.
To generate and use appropriate learning opportunities and apply own learning to the future development of services.
To encourage others to make realistic self-assessments of their application of knowledge and skills, challenging poor performance and capabilities that are not in the interest of Service Users.
To devise individual induction programmes for new staff members in your team in conjunction with the Lead Occupational Therapist.
To enable others to develop and apply their knowledge and skills in a manner that is consistent with policy and procedure.
To actively promote the workplace as a learning environment encouraging everyone to learn from each other and from external best practice.
To alert managers to resource issues which affect learning, development and performance.
To gain appropriate support from senior colleges and participate in supervision/peer review to enhance clinical practice.
