Band 6/7 Weekend A&E Occupational Therapist

We are looking for a dynamic, forward thinking, enthusiastic experienced Band 6 or band 7 Occupational Therapist with a specialist interest in surgery to develop clinical services within our supportive and friendly Physio and Occupational therapy team. The role offers a broad range of experience across surgery, gastroenterology, and vascular with a focus upon emergency surgery.


With an expanding caseload and growing opportunities for development you will need to advance local service standards based on good working knowledge of National Standards where they exist and on best evidence You will need to have high levels of professionalism and strong communication skills to work effectively in this role building links with the surgical CSU's senior AHP, nursing and medical leads.


Housing one of the largest standalone emergency surgery units in the country working with the Clinical lead and B7 OT/PT team leads you will be overseeing the design and delivery of an effective and clinically relevant training programme to support staff development. You will be expected to encourage staff to participate in CPD, audit, service development , supervision and teaching of junior staff including students and the wider MDT.
To deliver high quality evidence-based Occupational therapy to those presenting with acute and chronic complex surgical and vascular conditions.
To support the VES Occupational therapy team fostering a culture and approach that is person-centred and progressive.
To effectively guide, supervise and develop Occupational Therapists, therapy assistants, and students within the team.
To conduct and supervise projects that seek to improve the quality and experience of clinical services offered by the team.
In their absence to deputise for the clinical lead therapist alongside the band 7 OT & PT team leads to effectively support strategic, governance, and operational functions of the service and department.
To contribute to and participate in development of the senior management team.
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research.


The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.


Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via theOUH YouTube channel.
To undertake the role adhering to regulatory, professional and organisational standards of practice.


To assimilate and analyse a range of information to form accurate therapy diagnoses, clinical problems and treatment plans in a wide range of highly complex conditions.


To work within a legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent or refuse treatment.


To advise and educate patient, carers, relatives, and other health professionals.


To demonstrate the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information to patients, carers and other staff, where there may be barriers to communication e.g. non-English speaking patients those with communication disorders, impaired speech, hearing, and ensure all members of the team do likewise.


To liaise with and advise other Occupational Therapists, physiotherapists, relevant medical and nursing staff, social workers and other health care professionals in clinical and operational matters.


To communicate effectively with all other disciplines involved in the patient's care both in the hospital and in the community thus ensuring a multidisciplinary approach and integrated service.


To identify, assess and manage clinical risk within the teams work and engage with the governance structure of the department to minimise risk of harm.


To participate in weekend duties as part of the Trusts seven day working programme if funding is released.


To demonstrate physical ability to carry out Occupational therapy assessment and interventions including manual therapy techniques and therapeutic handling.


To effectively supervise, teach and appraise junior staff, assistants, and students to maximise their capabilities.


To support the effective management of financial and physical resources in a way that is efficient and maximises utilisation of the Therapy department budget.


To effectively plan, organise and manage your own time, patient caseload, meetings, training in accordance with operational and workforce pressures.


To assist in the planning of juniors, students and assistants timetables and deputise for the senior staff in organisational duties.


To take an active role in assisting senior colleagues with service development.


To resolve informal complaints and to be well versed with the Trusts formal complaints procedure. To ensure that the Clinical Lead Therapist is informed of complaints.


To complete all statutory, mandatory and other necessary training requirements within the required timescales.


To contribute to the education of the MDT, patients, families and carers to ensure optimal care, treatment, health promotion and disease prevention.


To maintain an accurate and contemporary record of personal and professional development.


To oversee the design and delivery of an effective and clinically relevant training programme to support staff development.


To maintain and develop current knowledge of evidence-based practice particularly in emergency surgery and gastroenterology with an overview of developments within vascular care ensuring specialist within the team are equipped to develop services.


To provide expert teaching to undergraduate and post graduate students external to the Trust as required and agreed with the Clinical Lead Therapist.


To initiate and maintain contacts with local and national clinical interest groups, and to demonstrate the ability to share and disseminate knowledge with colleagues working in other care settings.


To lead and supervise clinical audit and quality improvement work aiming to improve the quality of the teams practice.


To maintain clinically applied knowledge formed from contemporary science and evidence-based guidance and ensure this is integrated into the teams clinical delivery by way of policy and procedure.


To engage with senior AHP, nursing and medical leads in order to actively participate in clinical governance at a unit and specialty level.


To develop local service standards based on good working knowledge of National Standards where they exist and on best evidence.


To carry out Occupational therapy assessments and treatments on a daily basis, with moderate physical effort.


To comply with the Trusts manual handling policy and local therapeutic handling guidelines.


To sensitively deal with distressing or emotional circumstances regarding patient care e.g. imparting news of challenging outcomes such as a life limiting or palliative prognosis, lifestyle adjustments (TPN/PEG feeds, long term drains/stomas) or chronic pain management.


To comply with all Trust policies and procedures and Health and Safety at Work Act, including adherence to universal precautions and infection control measures, and ensure that staff within the team are aware of their responsibilities.


This job involves frequent exposure to unpleasant working conditions on a regular / daily basis e.g. bodily fluids (including sputum, blood, vomit, urine, faeces), and occasional exposure to verbal and physical aggression.
oDegree in Occupational Therapy
oEvidence of postgraduate continuing professional development in surgery

oPrevious experience of effectively managing surgical patients with complex comorbidities and high acuity including cognitive impairments.
oBroad range of junior experience across surgery, orthopaedics, gerontology and neurology specialties.
oExperience of working as part of an Occupational Therapy and multidisciplinary team

oAdvanced clinical knowledge and reasoning skills in emergency surgery and gastroenterology, the management of patients post ICU.
oAdvanced understanding of complex socioeconomic needs within the patient group, ability to assess risk and frailty.
oUnderstands and applies the principles of equality, inclusivity and diversity to all aspects of leadership and clinical practice.
oCompetent digital IT skills
oAble to devise evidence-based pathways and quality improvement programmes.
Personal Qualities
oUnderstands constituents of effective team performance
oAbility to comprehend and work within the Trust's policies of data protection, equal opportunities and Health and Safety.

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
John Radcliffe Hospital