Occupational Therapist in Brentwood

Are you looking to progress your career with a forward thinking, award winning organisation? Do you want to start specialising in Stroke Rehabilitation? We have a vacancy for an Occupational Therapist to work as part of the Inpatient Stroke Rehabilitation Team at Brentwood Community. This is a 25 bed community ward offering a rehabilitation pathway for patients of various ages who have had a stroke. The ward is nurse and therapy led with support from a consultant. Patients are admitted from acute hospitals for a period of active assessment and rehabilitation to optimise their independence and safety prior to returning home.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for a band 5 applicant who is seeking a rewarding career to join us and expand their knowledge and skills in Stroke Rehabilitation. The team comprises Occupational therapists, Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Psychologists and Therapy Assistants. The post holder will be part of a wider professionally led, well established therapy service offering a range of specialisms. If you enjoy working as part of a friendly team, have a positive 'can do' approach and a commitment to enabling patients to achieve their maximum rehabilitation potential then this is the job for you.

About us

Provide is a Community Interest Company (social enterprise). We deliver a broad range of health and social care services in the community, and are committed to making sure that they are safe, responsive and of high quality. Provide is owned by its employees and has primarily social objectives. Any profits we make are reinvested into the local community or back into delivering services. We work from a variety of community settings, such as community hospitals, community clinics, schools, nursing homes and primary care settings, as well as within people's homes to provide more than 40 services to children, families and adults across Essex, Dorset, East Anglia and the North of England. A highly respected, award winning health and social care provider. We expect our staff to demonstrate and uphold our values at all times: Vision: Transforming Lives Values: Care, Innovation and Compassion Mission: An ambitious, employee owned social enterprise, growing in size and influence. We transform lives by treating, caring and educating people. Provide is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills, proud to have LGBT+ and Ethnic Minority Networks. We welcome applicants from underrepresented groups. If you have the skills and experience for the job, please apply regardless of your background.

Job responsibilities

• To ensure the provision of a high quality, efficient and effective occupational therapy service to patients referred into the service.
• To adhere to quality guidelines and participate in service monitoring and clinical audit.
• To adhere to agreed administrative procedures for the service including the collection of statistical data.
• To adhere to the service plan and agreed protocols for the service.
• To contribute to discussions on proposed local clinical guidelines, protocols and care packages.
• To independently maintain the operational running of delegated parts of the service.
• To supervise Therapy Assistants, volunteers and students and contribute to their development.
• To manage equipment and identify resource needs.

Education and Development

• To participate in the Provide annual appraisal scheme.
• To maintain own clinical professional development by keeping up to date with new trends and developments and incorporating them as indicated into own practice.
• To assist other colleagues in the development and provision of in-service training programmes.
• To explain and demonstrate the role of occupational therapist to a wide variety of students and other professionals.
• To reflect on practice with peers and mentors within supervision sessions and identify own strengths and development needs.
• To provide evidence of continuing professional development to Provide, RCOT and HCPC for bi-annual re-registration.
• To assist in the induction of newly appointed junior staff both for clinical and administrative matters.

Clinical and Corporate Governance

• To participate in clinical audit and research.
• To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence-based practice standardised assessments and outcome measures in line with service policies.
• To assist in involving patients, carers and the public in service development and evaluation of service provision.
• To assist in the evaluation of clinical and non-clinical risk and to inform the Clinical Manager of perceived risk.
• To participate in data collection and provide information as requested by the Clinical Manager.
• To maintain patient confidentiality in line with Caldicott principles.

Clinical / Professional/Service

• To provide a comprehensive occupational therapy service to clients referred to the service. This includes assessment, differential diagnosis, clinical decision making and provision of appropriate levels of intervention based on best practice.
• To work effectively with other members of the wider Integrated Care and Stroke teams.
• To carry out physical and functional assessments and treatments using dexterity, coordination, manual and sensory skills to facilitate and promote functional independence.
• To set goals for treatment with patients and/or their carer that are client centered and agreed by the patient and/or their carer.
• To manage own time effectively and prioritise caseload in accordance within agreed protocols, professional guidelines and policies.
• To adapt practice to meet individuals circumstances.
• To monitor patterns of service demand and advise team leader accordingly.
• To work closely with and relay complex information to patients and carers, overcoming communication barriers.
• To demonstrate developing negotiation skills and management of conflict.
• To provide treatment/advisory programmes and written reports to carers, professionals and other agencies as appropriate.
• To keep up to date and accurate clinical notes in line with professional standards and Provide Policies.
• To fulfil statutory requirements towards other agencies.
• To attend team meetings, as appropriate.
• To be able to concentrate for extended periods of time and manage the emotional consequences of working with people with complex needs.

Person Specification

• Qualifications: Degree in Occupational Therapy, HCPC registered.
• Knowledge: Evidence of broad clinical experience, experience of working in an inpatient setting, experience of supervising junior staff, therapy assistants and students, experience of working in Stroke.
• Skills: High standard of written and verbal communication skills, experience of using Systmone, access to own transport and ability to transport patient equipment.

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.