Specialist Occupational Therapist (Temp) in Newry

Hours: 22.5-31 hours per week Mon - Fri (flexibility around hours)

Services: Inpatient Unit

Base: St John’s House, Newry

Reports to: AHP Lead

Closing date for completed applications is Tuesday 1 September @ 10am

Main Purpose of Job

Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team, to provide a high standard specialist occupational therapy service to patients in Evora Hospice with specialist palliative care needs, including those with a highly complex presentation - patients may be suffering from malignant and non-malignant conditions, e.g., MND, COPD.

To participate in the assessment, planning, implementing, and evaluation of care of patients encompassing the Hospice’s philosophy of specialist palliative care.

To ensure effective communication and close working relationships with all members of the multi-disciplinary team, demonstrating a broad knowledge of occupational therapy interventions.

To maintain own clinical professional development by keeping up to date with new developments and evidence and incorporating into practice.

To contribute to the development and implementation of the clinical governance strategy within the hospice.

Main Responsibilities

Clinical Responsibilities

• To plan, establish and deliver occupational therapy services across all clinical areas within the Hospice environment.
• To assess and address the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of a patient’s activities of daily living and where possible improve, maintain or maximise the patient’s independence and quality of life.
• To plan, implement and monitor patient centred treatment and rehabilitation programmes, being prepared to adapt or withdraw treatment programmes in response to changes in a patient’s condition.
• To evaluate outcomes of treatment programmes with the patient, carers and multi-disciplinary team at agreed times.
• To provide appropriate symptom based occupational therapy interventions on a group or individual basis (anxiety, dyspnoea and fatigue management).
• To promote the use of creative activities as a therapeutic media to maximise quality of life.
• To use skilled communication techniques to communicate with patients and their carers regarding patients’ occupational therapy needs and interventions.
• To provide training advice to carers on activities of daily living as part of the intervention process.
• To communicate and work closely with all members of the multidisciplinary team, attend and contribute to multidisciplinary meetings.
• To liaise with external services to gain equipment and supplies specific for the patients needs.
• To liaise with statutory and voluntary agencies as appropriate to optimise patient care.
• To establish and maintain an efficient system of stock control for occupational therapy equipment and supplies.
• To assess and provide specialised equipment to optimise patient care and ensure that it is safely and accurately installed and used.
• To carry out environmental assessments, reporting and making recommendations where necessary.
• To carry out appropriate manual and therapeutic handling of patients with a range of dependency needs on a daily basis and act as a support regarding manual handling.
• Take a key role within the Hospice in facilitating discharge planning from the inpatient unit.
• To work in collaboration with other members of the multi-disciplinary team to facilitate patient discharges.
• To maintain accurate patient records, producing written reports and reporting verbally to relevant members of the multi-disciplinary team.
• To maintain accurate statistics on therapy interventions.

General Responsibilities

• To take responsibility for managing and prioritising own workload in conjunction with the Lead AHP.
• To work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team within Evora and within the Trust and seek opportunities to support the development of the service.
• To work independently, as part of the multidisciplinary team and as part of the wider Hospice team.
• To always promote and be an advocate for Evora Hospice.

Reporting, Records & Evaluation

• Maintain accurate records (manually/ electronically) as requested, ensuring all documentation is legible, accurate, written in black ink and clearly signed and time dated.
• To adhere to all Evora Hospices policies, including Confidentiality and Data Protection (GDPR).
• If working remotely, to ensure sensitive information is treated with due care and respect to maintain confidentiality and security and that any Evora Hospice property is stored out of site in the boot of your car whilst away from Hospice premises (and that your car is locked when unattended).
• To maintain up to date and comprehensive treatment records.
• To collect and provide statistical information as required by the Hospice.
• To prioritise workload to meet the changing needs of the service and allow time for administration.
• To attend relevant meetings, providing effective communication to ensure continuity of patient care.
• To participate in the development of clinical standards and clinical audit, working within the Hospice’s Clinical Governance framework.
• To work in conjunction with the AHP Lead to plan and evaluate OT services, implementing changes as appropriate, and actively participating in service development projects, taking the lead with service development projects where appropriate.

Professional Responsibilities

• To maintain professional registration with the HCPC, always adhering to the HCPC code.
• To ensure professional and personal development and accountability in accordance with the HCPC requirements.
• To practice in accordance with Evora Hospices policies and procedures.
• To actively participate in the annual performance review process to identify opportunities for learning and development.
• To participate in continual professional development as required, ensuring required training is kept up-to-date and renewed on a timely basis.
• To actively participate in clinical supervision and team meetings.
• To maintain appropriate car insurance to cover business travel purposes and provide evidence of this at the time of annual renewal.

Regulations & Standards

• Relevant Evora Hospice policies must be adhered to at all times.
• All work must be undertaken in adherence to the ethical standards of practice as set down by the Department of Health (NI), and in accordance with RQIA requirements.
• All safeguarding measures must be adhered to in undertaking the duties of this role.

Health & Safety

Under the Health and Safety at Work (NI) Order 1978, you are required to take all reasonable steps while at work to ensure your own health and safety and safety of those who may be affected by your acts or omissions at work. You are also required to co-operate fully with regard to the implementation of health and safety arrangements and should not interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of health, safety or welfare at work. You must familiarise yourself with and comply with all health and safety policies which are relevant to your area of work.

Equal Opportunities

Evora Hospice operates an equal opportunities policy in accordance with the Fair Employment (NI) Acts 1976 and 1989, the Sex Discrimination (NI) Order 1976, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the Race Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1997. All employees have a responsibility to be familiar with policies on equal opportunities and to help ensure a working environment in which the dignity of all fellow employees is respected.

Values & Behaviours

All employees of Evora Hospice are required to promote and support its mission and values: Dignity, Compassion, Integrity, Innovation, Excellence and Equality. Employees are expected to:

• Always operate with honesty and integrity
• Show respect for and a sensitivity towards all those you meet in your working day.
• Always maintain the highest level of confidentiality
• Actively develop self and others where possible
• Participate in corporate or fund-raising events to enable all employees to make a personal contribution to the success of the charity.
• Operate with tact, patience and diplomacy and maintain a sensitive and professional approach towards colleagues and service users.

This job description will be reviewed in the light of new developments. It should not be regarded as restrictive or definitive but acts as a broad guide to the demands of the post.

Essential Criteria

• Diploma of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists or Degree in Occupational Therapy recognised by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT)
• Registered with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• Membership of The Royal College of Occupational Therapists (or able to provide details of liability insurance from another body)
• A minimum of 3 years’ post graduate experience
• Experience of multi-disciplinary team working
• Experience in providing OT intervention to palliative care patients in either an acute and/or community setting
• Experience in postural management assessment and prescription of specialised seating systems including static and mobile systems
• Experience of assessment of adaptive equipment e.g shower stool, perching stool
• Excellent communication skills (both verbal and written)
• Appropriate computer skills to enable required communication, presentations, data collection and research
• Good organisational and administrative skills
• Ability to work flexibly and use a high standard of prioritisation skills to meet service demand
• Ability to teach and act as a resource for the multidisciplinary team and to liaise with and contribute to other multi-disciplinary teams encountered in the course of working
• Knowledge of the practical application of Health and Safety at Work
• A sound knowledge of recent developments/principles and techniques and treatment in relation to OT
• Knowledge and understanding of RQIA standards

Desirable Criteria

• Membership of appropriate special interest group
• Evidence of post graduate professional development- specialist short courses to Masters equivalent level, e.g. module from the Post Graduate Diploma/MSc in Palliative Care
• Experience in fatigue, anxiety and dyspnoea management
• Experience in facilitating group activities
• Knowledge of current oncology/palliative care guidelines
• Experience of participating in audit/research
• Experience of cognitive screening tools
• Full driving license with eligibility to drive in the UK and access to a car for work purposes (or able to demonstrate other means of fulfilling this aspect of the role)