Specialist Occupational Therapist in Kendal

Position Overview

We are able to offer an exciting opportunity to join our Occupational Therapy Team based at Royal Lancaster Infirmary as a Specialist Occupational Therapist. The role includes a specialist caseload across Integrated Community Stroke team, Acute frailty & extended stay wards, medical, surgical, orthopaedics and Emergency Department, with opportunities to work alongside our Discharge to Assess service. Knowledge and experience within acute inpatient care, working to facilitate safe and effective care and hospital discharge. Your caseload will be a combination of ward-based work in addition to some community visits. You will continue to develop your knowledge and experience in the assessment, treatment and goal setting with patients presenting with varied physical conditions, and will be motivated to join us in improving our patients’ experiences and outcome. This could be an opportunity for a developmental role during the first 6-12 months in post. Working initially at Band 5 level, you would develop your knowledge and skills in line with Band 6 Specialist Occupational Therapist competencies, progressing to Band 6 upon satisfactory completion.

Key Responsibilities

• Hold a specialist caseload on the rotational clinical area.
• Support other Occupational Therapists and the wider therapy team with their caseloads.
• Work with a dedicated and motivated team of Occupational Therapists and work closely with colleagues across the MDT and complex discharge team.
• Be supported by the Occupational Therapy Team Managers and the role will include supervision and support to Occupational Therapy team members and students.
• Be encouraged and supported to engage in service development.
• Encourage staff to engage in in‑service training and CPD is well supported by the management team.
• Travel to a variety of venues throughout the community to deliver patient assessments within an identified locality and to attend meetings.
• Engage in manual handling tasks and therapeutic handling.
• Be willing to work flexibly to meet unexpected and unusual circumstances related to providing direct patient care.

Qualifications and Experience

• A Diploma or Degree in Occupational Therapy approved by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.
• Registration with HCPC as an Occupational Therapist.
• Post‑graduate training or experience to post‑graduate diploma level or equivalent.
• Accredited training in risk assessment and risk management.
• Practice placement educator accreditation.
• Member of the BAOT.
• Relevant post‑registration experience as an OT to achieve knowledge and skills applicable to this post.
• Post‑registration experience within acute inpatient and rehabilitation clinical areas.
• Experience with patient flow and discharge pathways.
• Experience of research or audit.
• Experience as a supervisor of OT (Band 5) and/or OT support staff and/or OT students.
• Clinical work experience at OT Band 5 grade in a variety of clinical areas in an acute hospital setting and community.
• Ability to meet the physical requirements of the post.
• Ability to participate in manual handling tasks and therapeutic handling.
• Ability to travel to provide assessment and treatment to patients in the community and to attend meetings.
• Willingness to work flexibly to meet unexpected and unusual circumstances related to providing direct patient care.

Required Skills and Competencies

• Assessment, observation, evaluation and reporting skills.
• Ability to develop effective working relationships / team working.
• Ability to analyse professional and ethical issues.
• Ability to work under pressure and recognise when support is required.
• Effective personal organisational skills to manage own workload and to determine priorities to support delivery of the site OT service.
• Evidence of specialist moving and handling skills.
• Evidence of skills in assessing and managing risk.
• Training and facilitation skills.

Workplace

We operate from three main hospitals – Furness General Hospital (FGH) in Barrow, the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI), and Westmorland General Hospital (WGH) in Kendal – as well as a number of community healthcare premises including Millom Hospital and GP Practice, Queen Victoria Hospital in Morecambe, and Ulverston Community Health Centre. FGH and the RLI have a range of General Hospital services, with full Emergency Departments, Critical/Coronary Care units and various Consultant‑led services. WGH provides a range of General Hospital services, together with an Urgent Treatment Centre, that can help with a range of non‑life threatening conditions such as broken bones and minor illnesses. All three main hospitals provide a range of planned care including outpatients, diagnostics, therapies, daycase and inpatient surgery. In addition, a range of local outreach services and diagnostics are provided from community facilities across Morecambe Bay. Our Community Service for adults are provided in people’s homes, community centres, clinics, GP Practices, community hospitals. Our aim is to work with people to help them remain independent, improve their health and manage their conditions through high quality care, advice and support.