Occupational Therapist - Band 7 Forest Gate

We are seeking an enthusiastic and experienced occupational therapist to join our welcoming team. Our service offers specialised, coordinated advice and treatment aimed at maximizing independence, slowing disease progression, minimising hospital admissions, and ensuring a smooth transition home after hospital discharge.

As part of a multi-disciplinary team, you will manage a complex clinical caseload and deliver high-quality care to adults with various neurological conditions. Additionally, our team provides an Early Supported Discharge Service for stroke patients, and your role will be crucial in delivering this essential service. Furthermore, the Occupational Therapy team offers Vocational Rehabilitation for patients returning to work, helping them navigate the process of re-entering the workforce.

Main duties of the job

To deliver an expertly tailored, client-focused occupational therapy service to adults who have experienced a stroke, both in their homes and in various community and workplace settings. This service caters to clients with complex physical, cognitive, psycho-social, and housing challenges stemming from their neurological condition and any other pre-existing medical issues.

As a vital member of the multidisciplinary team, you will provide specialized, integrated, and goal-oriented rehabilitation for clients with neurological disabilities, taking on the role of key worker for designated individuals. You will operate as an independent practitioner, managing a complex clinical caseload while applying your specialized knowledge and skills in occupational therapy within the neurology field to assess client needs. Based on your assessments, you will formulate diagnoses and treatment plans aimed at alleviating the effects of disability.

Additionally, you will take a lead role in the supervision, training, and evaluation of junior occupational therapists, assistants, students, and other multidisciplinary team members. Collaboration is key; you will work alongside fellow clinicians and adult social care occupational therapists to drive service development and ensure the delivery of high-quality care. This includes spearheading and implementing practice changes that align with the Stroke Clinical guidelines.

About us

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

Job responsibilities

Please see attached detailed job description and person specification outlining key skills, experience and knowledge for this role.

Person Specification

Education

• Essential: Occupational Therapy Degree
• Registration with Allied Health Professionals Council
• Evidence of successful completion of courses relevant to area of highly specialist knowledge and skills
• Maintenance of continuous professional development portfolio
• Desirable: Member of Royal College of Occupational Therapists

Experience

• Essential: Minimum of 3 years clinical post registration occupational therapy practice, including neurology.
• Experience of working in the NHS
• Experience in training, supervising and managing others
• Experience of service development

Knowledge and Skills

• Essential: Evidence of highly specialist knowledge of theory and practice of occupational therapy in relation to the rehabilitation of clients with neurological conditions.
• Evidence of general understanding of physical disability issues in relation to clients who have neurological conditions
• Knowledge of legislation affecting work in Occupational Therapy, particularly in relation to neurology.
• Evidence of sound knowledge of the roles of other agencies involved.
• Knowledge of standardised assessments and their application to this client group
• Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance and its application
• Highly specialised skills in relation to occupational therapy in the field of neurology
• Ability to work and communicate and negotiate with a wide range of professionals as a member of a multidisciplinary team e.g. other health professionals, Social Services and other statutory and voluntary organisations.
• Highly advanced clinical reasoning skills, using knowledge, a model and experience to inform sound clinical judgment and decision making.
• Ability to apply highly specialist knowledge and skills in the training and advising of others on the care and treatment of clients in relation to specific specialism
• Evidence of good communication skills, both written and verbal, in relation to clinical and other areas of work.
• Ability to demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills with the client/family/carers, including observation, listening, empathy and negotiation, ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where barriers to understanding exist.
• Ability to provide emotional support to the client/family/carers in stressful situations e.g. coming to terms with the impact of a new or deteriorating diagnosis and its implications.
• Ability to manage clients and family/carers who can exhibit challenging behaviours
• Ability and commitment to working within a non-discriminatory client centred framework
• Ability to carry out therapeutic interventions including gross and fine motor activities using manual dexterity skills and physical stamina
• Evidence of ability to clinically lead, supervise and manage junior staff and students
• Ability to reflect and critically appraise own and others performance
• Able to manage workload independently, with excellent organisational, prioritisation and time management skills, taking into account both clinical and non-clinical elements
• Ability to assist and educate junior staff in prioritising their workload
• Knowledge of current clinical guidelines related to neurology

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.