Specialist Occupational Therapist

Surrey Downs Health & Care
As a Specialist Occupational Therapist on Ranmore Ward at Dorking Community Hospital, you will be part of a dedicated 28-bed unit specializing in the rehabilitation of frail patients with complex health and social care needs. Your role will be integral to a multidisciplinary team (MDT) that includes nurses, local GPs, pharmacists, therapists, and social care practitioners, all working together to provide a comprehensive support system. You will assess, plan, and implement personalized care to help patients achieve their rehabilitation goals and facilitate a smooth transition back to their homes. This position combines clinical practice, collaboration, and continuous improvement through audit and evaluation of care outcomes.
Main duties of the job

• To work as a key member of the multidisciplinary team in the assessment and management of a caseload of clients.
• To plan, deliver and evaluate the treatment needs of clients with a variety of complex social and health care needs.
• To participate as an active member of the multidisciplinary team in developing and delivering high quality and innovative rehabilitation to the patients we serve.
• To promote effective teamwork within the wider Surrey Downs Health and Care, delegating activities appropriately, to the benefit of the patient and service delivery.
• The expectations within this job description will be achieved through hands-on clinical practice, education and training and research.
• Audit of outcomes / interventions / length of stay.

About us
Surrey Downs Health and Care deliver care closer to people's own communities through our Primary Care Networks, Community Hospitals, Specialist Services and our innovative partnership of local NHS organisations.
Surrey Downs Health and Care has a track record of providing person centered care that goes beyond organisational boundaries to do what is best for the individual. This partnership includes:

• The three GP federations GP Health Partners, Dorking Health Care and Surrey Medical Network representing practices that operate in the Surrey Downs area
• CSH Surrey
• Epsom and St Helier's University Hospitals NHS Trust
• Surrey Council County

Historically, there have been boundary lines between the organisations that provide care to people in their homes, in GP surgeries and in hospitals, but we have always been united in our mission to provide great care to the people who need us.
It's on those grounds that the Surrey Downs Health and Care was formed - we want local people to receive the care that they need in the right environment. By bringing together our expertise, we can improve patient care and enable local people to access the right support, care and treatment more easily than ever before.
In bringing this partnership together, we are working to the same set of values that will translate into better care for our residents.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical
Patient Care

• To be responsible for a clinical caseload working within multi-disciplinary team (MDT), ensuring patients and carers receive optimum level of therapy and holistic care within available resources.
• To undertake timely, holistic assessments of patients, involving functional ability and environmental factors.

• To be able undertake assessments autonomously as well as working with other members of the MDT.

• To be able to undertake assessment and interventions within a community unit as well as well as supporting discharge from the hospital.

• To be able to work with a person/friends and family to identify person centred SMART goals (care plan), using clinical reasoning and evidence based practise.

• To be able to make rapid decisions where required, using clinical reasoning skills, knowledge and experience, with support as appropriate.

• To be able to complete basic observations on a person, interpret these results and act on them appropriately, with support from other members of the MDT.

• Willingness and enthusiasm to work toward cross-disciplinary capabilities.

• To be able to monitor a persons progress and adapt treatment plans and intervention/recommendations as appropriate, using outcome measures and reflective practise.

• To have an awareness of local community services and be able to refer to these appropriately and in a timely manner.
• To contribute to the development of information that enables a person to understand and self-manage their condition whenever possible

Communication/Relationship Skills

• To be able to appropriately gain a persons consent to engage with assessment and intervention as required. Recognising that people may present with complex conditions or may have emotional, physical or physiological conditions, requiring the use of verbal and non-verbal communication skills.

• To be able to assess and identify those who lack the capacity to consent to treatment and be able to work with them within a legal framework.

• To be able to adopt a range of communication methods as appropriate in view of educational, social or identified barriers to effective communication, e.g. language preference, language disorder, cognitive or emotional barriers.

• To communicate effectively with other Surrey Downs Health and Care / Adult Social Care team members, as well as others involved in the persons care, e.g. other professionals, teams and family/carers to ensure a one team approach is maintained.
• Key communication areas include:
• Hospital Staff
• Patients, Families and Carers
• Community Nursing and Therapy Teams
• Primary Care (including Practice Organisations)
• PALS
• Out of Hours Services
• Voluntary Services
• Local Authorities
• Independent Care Home
• To attend and participate in daily team meetings/huddles.

• To attend and participate in meetings held within the community and/or acute setting as required.

• To be able to keep accurate, up-to-date records using agreed system.

• Ensure that all records pertinent to a persons care comply with quality standards of Trust/Professional/Service policies and meet legal requirements.

• To be able to provide comprehensive written and/or verbal reports to other professionals/agencies involved in a persons care.
• To develop awareness and be sensitive to team dynamics. Be able to respond appropriately when considering your own role and the role of others in the team, being sensitive to the needs of your colleagues

Health/Safety and Security Responsibilities

• To undertake and advise on safe moving and handling of a person and apply manual handling techniques to assessment and treatment. To provide a person and/or family/informal carers with education and advice regarding appropriate manual handling techniques, seeking support from senior team members as required.

• To carry out risk assessments when necessary, formulate and carry out action plans to reduce risk.

• To comply and promote safe working practises with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, as well as Epsom Health and Care policies and procedures.

• To have current knowledge of infection control, which may impact on your areas of work.

• To report all clinical and non-clinical incidents/near misses, as per appropriate policy.

• To take independent responsibility for ensuring mandatory training is up to date.
• To ensure that you are able to access all appropriate policies and procedures adopted by Surrey Downs Health and Care / Sutton Health and Care

Planning and Organisational Duties

• To be able to prioritise effectively and be flexible to the demands of the service. To be able to respond to urgent referrals and clinical queries as required throughout the day.

• To demonstrate flexibility according to the needs of the service and the clinical area as directed by senior staff.

• To have an understanding of clinical governance and risk management.

• To enhance and maintain co-operative working relationships with colleagues from all sectors.

• To contribute to and participate in team objectives and service developments.

• To participate in team and service related meetings, planning, organising, chairing or minute taking when required.
• To represent and promote Surrey Downs Health and Care where required.

Managerial
Personal and People Development Responsibilities

• To assist colleagues by monitoring caseloads, recording statistics and prioritising referrals and caseloads as required.

• To develop and maintain professional, clinical and managerial skills through supervision/appraisal, CPD and a personal development plan agreed with the line manager/professional manager.

• To participate in the staff development programme by actively encouraging and engaging in supervision, training and development opportunities within the team, including students e.g. through in services training, 1:1 supervision, Personal Development Plans etc.

• To provide clinical supervision, appraisal and competency framework for junior staff members, support workers, and assistants in the team, by providing theoretical and practical clinical training.

• To clinically supervise OT students and apprentices, having attended practise placement educator course. Support with other discipline practise placements as required.
• To delegate duties to colleagues appropriately

Quality and Service Development Responsibilities

• To abide by the HCPC / COT rules of professional conduct and local professional and quality standards.

• To contribute towards joint assessment processes.

• To collaborate with other colleagues on ways to maintain, monitor and improve services provided, and undertake research project as appropriate.

• To maintain links with own professional group by attending relevant meetings.

• To keep up to date with current research/literature relevant to clinical area.

• To be involved in monitoring and evaluation activities.

• Through supervision and appraisal identify band 6 projects i.e. research, audit, case study, and be responsible for completing these projects.

• To maintain a current knowledge of developments within the NHS and Occupational Therapy.

• To support professional and service development through active participation in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and by participating in any audit or research being undertaken by the service.

• To be professionally and legally responsible for all aspects of professional activities, working within the codes of practise, professional guidelines and Surrey Downs Health and Care / Sutton Health and Care policies and procedures.

• To develop and maintain discipline specific skills, whilst adopting a cross competency approach, with support as required.

• To have an awareness of accountability and delegation guidelines.

• Assist in the development of educational resources to update evidence based clinical knowledge.

• To participate in case based learning sessions, in-service training, case study presentations, journal clubs as a recipient and facilitator.
• To contribute to the development of Occupational Therapy within the service

Please refer to Job description attached for detailed information
Person Specification
Education/Qualification
Essential

• AHP with appropriate diploma / degree
• Current registration with HCPC
• Experience and/or additional education in relevant field to post gradual diploma or equivalent level, combination of education, further training and experience.
• Evidence of CPD relevant to treatment of older adults, physical disability and rehabilitation.
• Evidence of an up to date CPD portfolio

Desirable

• Membership of the RCOT/BAOT
• Qualification in team/service management or prepared to work towards
• Masters level study related to rehabilitation or prepared to work towards

Experience
Essential

• ?Evidence of recent post-graduate experience in core areas including elderly care. ?Experience of working in a community/primary care setting. ?Experience of negotiating and liaising within a multi-disciplinary/ interdisciplinary environment. ?Experience of working and assessing people with complex needs and delivering complex care plans. ?Experience of co-ordinating and managing a team. ?Experience of supervision and teaching others ?Active participation in in service training. ?Experience in service development

Desirable

• ?Experience In multi-agency working ?Experience in promoting services within a locality ?Experience of working with clients requiring intermediate care. ?Experience of working with in a virtual ward model in a community setting

Skills and Knowledge
Essential

• ?Knowledge of principles of care for long term conditions, relevant National Service Frameworks, NICE and other national standards including the out of hospital strategies.
• Advanced skills in the assessment and treatment of adults with complex multi-pathologies.
• Knowledge and understanding of current healthcare policy and relevance to the delivery of healthcare services
• Knowledge of Primary Health Care and collaborative working with other care providers, e.g. social care, acute hospitals and voluntary services
• Knowledge of the audit cycle
• Knowledge of evidence based practice
• Knowledge and understanding of clinical governance
• Knowledge of how equal opportunities can be implemented in practice Has a ra
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