Rotational Occupational Therapist

Are you a newly qualified Band 5 Occupational Therapist or about to graduate? Or are you wanting Band 5 experience in a busy acute hospital in a joint therapy team? We have the job for you.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, well‑motivated Occupational Therapist to join us in the Therapy department at Northampton General Hospital, part of the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire group. The post will involve working as part of the joint therapy team (OTs, Physios and Support Staff) with rotations including Acute Medicine, Elderly Care, Urgent Care and Frailty, Surgery, Trauma and Orthopaedics, Stroke, Respiratory and Hand Therapy. The successful candidate would be expected to work as part of our 7‑day service where weekend working will be required.

Responsibilities

• Provide a professional Occupational Therapy service to patients on your own caseload, under the supervision of senior colleagues.
• Take part in delivering a quality Occupational Therapy Service and work closely with the Multidisciplinary Team including Physiotherapy, Technical Instructors, Nurses, Medics and the Hospital Complex Case Discharge Team.
• Contribute to the discharge planning process by selecting and implementing appropriate assessments and interventions to address the needs of patients, including those with acute illness, injury, surgery or chronic conditions.
• Support the team in the day‑to‑day running of the therapy service.
• Provide professional input into the work of the Trust to support the achievement of our vision and values.

Clinical Tasks and Patient Care

• Under the regular supervision of senior Therapy colleagues, select, plan and implement assessments and treatment interventions for patients either in the hospital or in their own home or community setting.
• Use clinical reasoning to balance risk, safety, patient choice and eligibility for services.
• Manage a caseload on designated ward/s, seeking guidance from Therapy colleagues as required.
• Assess patients’ function for safe discharge, referring to appropriate community services.
• Assess and prescribe equipment, adaptations, ongoing rehabilitation and care provision as appropriate and necessary for a safe discharge from the service.
• Carry out assessments within patients’ homes as appropriate within departmental guidelines.
• Communicate effectively with patients, family members, carers, members of the multi‑disciplinary team, Therapy colleagues and other agencies.
• Provide support to patients and carers, sharing information to enable them to make informed decisions regarding Occupational Therapy recommendations and discharge arrangements.
• Advise patients and carers, demonstrating the safe use of equipment or other techniques to optimise functional ability, safety and independence.

Team Leadership and Training

• Liaise with health and social care professionals and other related statutory, private and voluntary organisations, providing verbal and written reports and referrals where appropriate, in accordance with data protection principles.
• Respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of patients and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs.
• Exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance.
• Submit accurate timesheets within set department timescales for additional hours worked.
• In the absence of Therapy colleagues through planned or unplanned leave, work flexibly to meet the prioritised needs of the Therapy service both within specific clinical areas and across all service areas.
• Give guidance and training to Therapy Support Workers and Administrative Support staff where required.
• Assist Therapy colleagues in the induction, training and education of other staff and students within the Therapy services.

Record Keeping and Reporting

• Maintain accurate and up‑to‑date records of clinical interventions, consistent with legal and organisational requirements.
• Provide formal clinical reports for the multi‑disciplinary team as required.
• Collect, record and submit accurate clinical and personal statistical data in line with departmental requirements and guidelines.

Professional Development and Research

• Participate in the Therapy in‑service training programme, taking the lead in designated sessions where appropriate.
• Regularly attend and participate in Therapy service staff meetings.
• Identify own learning and development needs with support from senior Therapy colleagues, contributing to the production of a Personal Development Plan.
• Build an ongoing Continuing Professional Development portfolio, reflecting on and recording learning outcomes of development opportunities.
• Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate current Occupational Therapy research and apply this to practice in conjunction with the Therapy team.
• Contribute to audit and research activity within the Therapy Service as appropriate.
• Review and reflect on own practice and actively participate in regular supervision and annual appraisal.

Corporate Responsibilities

• Build safe working knowledge of all equipment used to provide safe patient care and participate in maintenance and training.

People / Management Excellence

• Contribute to the Therapy Service governance arrangements and to the work of selected departmental groups (e.g. Risk Management, Health & Safety).
• Delegate work tasks appropriately to Therapy Support Workers and Administrative Support staff.

Supporting Financial Excellence

• Make the best use of the NHS resources.

Professional Responsibilities, Quality Assurance and Monitoring

• Contribute towards service development activities through participation in team meetings and service development sessions.
• Propose changes to processes and procedures carried out within the Therapy Service to improve effectiveness and efficiency.
• Comply with departmental guidelines for the safe use, care and maintenance of equipment and stock.
• Maintain and develop professional knowledge and skills to ensure fitness to practice as an Occupational Therapist, in line with competencies detailed in the Knowledge & Skills Framework Outline for this post.
• Comply with the College of Occupational Therapists Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, and the Health Professional Council Standards of Conduct, Performance & Ethics, national and Trust policy, protocols and guidelines.

Organisation and Values

Our Excellence Values:

• Compassion
• Accountability
• Respect
• Integrity
• Courage

Northampton General Hospital is one of the largest employers in the area and we are on an exciting journey. All of our divisions are committed to doing things better, with greater efficiency as we update, modernise and advance. We have also entered into a Group Model with neighbouring Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.

We encourage applications from people who identify from all protected groups, especially those from BAME, Disabled and LGBTQ+ backgrounds as these are underrepresented in our hospitals. We have active networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds and help everyone feel supported and have a sense of belonging working for our hospitals.

Please submit your application as soon as possible, as we reserve the right to close any advert before the closing date once we have received sufficient applications.

We look forward to hearing from you.