Rotational Senior Occupational Therapist

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an innovative and motivated individual to join our team as a rotational band 6 Occupational Therapist within the Therapy department at Northampton General Hospital, part of the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire. This role will help you to develop your core and specialist clinical skills, as well as allowing you the opportunity to be involved in staff development, audit and service improvement. The successful candidate will rotate through the following areas (each rotation lasting for six months) where you will consolidate your skills in each area:

• Urgent Care & Frailty
• Acute medicine
• Elderly care
• Respiratory
• Oncology and Haematology
• Surgical
• Stroke

We welcome applicants looking to further develop their band 6 skills or those seeking development into their first band 6 role.

Main duties of the job

As an occupational therapist within a joint therapy service, you will be required to take part in delivering a quality Occupational Therapy Service working closely with other members of the Multidisciplinary Team including Physiotherapy, Therapy Technical Instructors, Nurses, Medics and the Hospital Complex case discharge Team. You will need to have an enthusiastic attitude, be forward thinking and have a problem-solving approach to patient management. The ability to work within a fast paced and pressured environment is essential, along with having excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and demonstration of the ability to support other team members.

As an occupational therapist, various training and development opportunities are available including protected time for CPD and supervision, to ensure that you are equipped with the competence and confidence required for this post. Robust peer support from fellow Band 6s is encouraged. You will also supervise Band 5 staff and Therapy Technical Instructors colleagues to provide clinical support and guidance. Within this post you will also have numerous opportunities to support Therapy students from our partner Universities.

Job responsibilities

• To work autonomously within departmental clinical teams to provide excellent Occupational therapy assessment and treatment to a diverse client group.
• Manage a caseload independently on designated ward/s, supporting junior staff with their caseload management.
• To undertake comprehensive assessments of patients including those with diverse or complex presentation/multiple pathologies/cognitive impairment/mental health problems; use advanced clinical reasoning skills and manual assessment techniques.
• Assess patients' functional abilities and make recommendations for equipment, adaptations, ongoing rehabilitation and care provision as appropriate and necessary for a safe discharge from the service.
• Formulate and deliver a complete specialised Occupational Therapy treatment programme based on sound knowledge of evidence-based practice and treatment options.
• Ensure that all patients have a documented problem list and goals that the patient has been involved in creating.
• Work to identified guidelines and eligibility criteria relating to the provision of home adaptations, equipment and wheelchairs to ensure equity of service to all patients.
• Carry out assessments within patients' homes as appropriate within departmental guidelines.
• Represent the Therapy service and/or individual patients at multidisciplinary team meetings. This will include discussion of patient care, progress and involvement in discharge planning.
• Support junior members of staff to develop the skills required effectively attend and contribute to MDT meetings and board rounds.
• Use clinical reasoning to balance risk, safety, patient choice and eligibility for services.
• Communicate effectively with patients, their families, 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, through demonstrating the safe use of equipment or other techniques to optimise the patients' functional ability, safety and independence.
• 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.
• Lead on appropriate 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.
• 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 the specific clinical areas and across all service areas.
• Comply with departmental guidelines for the safe use, care and maintenance of equipment and stock.
• To provide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to colleagues, relatives and carers when appropriate to promote understanding of the aims of therapy.
• Delegate work tasks appropriately to junior Therapy staff and Administrative Support staff.
• Take the lead in training and education of other staff and students within the Therapy services.
• Where appropriate, take the lead in the induction of new staff.
• 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.
• Maintain and develop professional knowledge and skills to ensure fitness to practice as an Occupational Therapist, in line with HCPC standards.
• When required, take the lead in delivering of Inservice training.
• Regularly attend and participate in Therapy service staff meetings.
• Identify own learning and development needs which will contribute to the production of a Personal Development Plan.

Person Specification

Education, training and Qualifications

• BSc Honours (or equivalent) in Occupational Therapy.
• Health and Care Professions Council Registration.
• Pursuing or willing to undertake post graduate training.

Knowledge and Experience

• Participation in work based learning.
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development.
• Evidence of knowledge and understanding of the Clinical Quality Care standards.
• Experience of working in the NHS.
• Completion of some core band 5 rotations (orthopaedics, medical, surgical, stroke, elderly medicine).
• Current band 5 experience within an acute hospital setting.
• Experience of leading work based learning.
• Experience and knowledge of Clinical Governance.

Skills

• Experience of interpersonal working.
• Good written and verbal communication.
• Able to manage caseload autonomously.
• Able to assess a patient's needs and formulate a treatment plan (with short and long term aims).
• Have experience in supporting and mentoring students.
• Ability to drive Trust vehicles for assessments in patient's homes.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.

University Hospitals of Northamptonshire £39,959 to £48,117 a year per annum / pro rata Contract Permanent Reference number 265-8029816-CSS Job locations University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.