Senior Specialist Occupational Therapist

To work as part of a multi-disciplinary team providing occupational therapy input within the BIRT Neurobehavioural model to service users with acquired brain injury (ABI) and to lead on OT provision within the service.

• To work within a specialist clinical area as an autonomous professional with highly developed skills and knowledge in neurological rehabilitation, potentially as the sole clinician but with supervision (which may be remote) of a more senior OT.
• To manage and prioritise a caseload of service users with complex mental/physical health needs and/or challenging behaviour.
• To complete the OT process and to use evidence-based/service user-centred principles and clinical reasoning to assess, formulate a treatment plan, implement and evaluate interventions bringing specialist knowledge to more complex cases.
• To address occupational performance and skill deficits enabling the service user in areas of self-maintenance, productivity, education and leisure.
• To develop programmes of care, ensure adequate and detailed handover of programmes to rehabilitation support workers or therapy assistants, monitor through data gathering, evaluate and modify treatment in order to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of intervention according to the neurobehavioural model.
• To delegate tasks appropriately according to the competence of colleagues and take responsibility for handover, monitoring and review.
• To use highly developed interpersonal skills and empathy to engage those service users and families who may be resistant to the rehabilitation process or may be distressed.
• To carry out detailed risk assessments including for more complex issues and ensure these are regularly reviewed and updated and communicate this with the team effectively.
• To maintain detailed and accurate documentation in line with Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) guidance and produce professional reports demonstrating highly specialist knowledge.
• To work with service users, family/carers and outside agencies in a sensitive and flexible way considering the most appropriate environment for assessment and intervention and responding to changing needs, circumstances and cultural issues. To maintain the highest levels of integrity during all communications.
• To work as a member of the multi-disciplinary team bringing specialist knowledge, actively listening, participating in meetings, engaging in shared decision making, contributing to overall treatment objectives agreed in the rehabilitation plan and working collaboratively to establish service user-centred therapeutic goals that promote service user choices.
• To use highly developed critical thinking skills when making professional judgements and communicate this process succinctly and effectively including in more complex or unpredictable contexts.
• To support the clinical lead for some service users leading on maintaining contact with family and other outside agencies, co-ordinating the rehabilitation programme and facilitating the discharge planning process.
• To assess for, issue and refer to outside agencies for appropriate equipment ensuring adequate training for staff, service user and family and with all risk assessments in place.
• To plan, implement and evaluate appropriate goal-directed group interventions and have an overview of the needs of the service in relation to group interventions.
• To provide intervention and advice on social and lifestyle needs including referral to other agencies and services.
• To work within infection control and health and safety guidelines in order to deal appropriately with conditions related to service user contact as they arise: for example, exposure to body fluids or infectious conditions.

• To manage a designated workload, identify priorities and manage time and resources effectively.
• To act where performance and practice of self and others should be recognised, reported or improved. Act as a role model and take responsibility for monitoring quality in the work of others where tasks have been delegated or a supervisory relationship is established.
• To accept professional accountability and responsibility.
• To support and challenge others to maintain health, safety and security at work, report actual or potential problems and suggest solutions.
• To understand and navigate the political and economic climate, locally, nationally and internationally, which impacts on service delivery.
• To promote the profession and the organisation and use and develop partnerships across organisation and agency boundaries.
• To take an active role in the occupational therapy and clinical speciality's clinical governance arrangements and quality agenda including attendance at Trust-wide OT meetings, contributing to discussion and CPD and implementing agreed outcome measures.
• To support the service manager in recruitment of OT staff, students and volunteers.
• To provide operational leadership for quality improvement and service development projects, in conjunction with stakeholders.
• To recognise current and potential resource issues which may affect learning, development and performance.
• To monitor workloads, critically review skill mix and build business cases where needed.

• To undertake systematic information searches and critical appraisal of available evidence in order to inform practice.
• To participate (as resources allow) in research and audit projects within the organisation in conjunction with peers and lead clinicians and facilitate involvement of service users, students and other staff members.
• To identify evidence gaps and contribute to the formulation of critical question(s) which warrant further research, audit or service evaluation, considering policy drivers and future research priorities.
• To implement RCOT clinical guidelines and have detailed understanding of other relevant guidance in the ABI/rehabilitation field of practice.
• To contribute to the development of guidelines and policy at a local level.
• To understand and comply with research governance including ethics, data protection and confidentiality.

Our employees are incredibly enthusiastic about the jobs they do – you will find a dedicated team spirit across our services and amazing colleagues who always pull together and look out for each other.

We treat people with a range of brain injuries – sustained through trauma, illness, substance abuse and more – to recover and meet their personal goals.

We aim to improve the lives of people with brain injuries in the UK.

We offer excellent benefits, including handy discounts on many brands and services.

You can look forward to a competitive salary of £43,742 - £50,056 DOE, 38 days annual leave inclusive of bank holidays (pro-rata), access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), excellent training and support, group life assurance, company pension, eye voucher scheme, long service and staff awards, free parking, nationwide employee staff discounts incl. eating out and shopping, Blue Light Card: provides those in the NHS, emergency services, social care sector and armed forces with discounts online and in-store.

We also put a big focus on employee wellbeing and support. It matters to us that you feel at your best. Career development is a priority. We will ensure you get all the training and learning opportunities you need to achieve your goals.

We are committed to providing a supportive and inclusive work environment that values diversity and promotes equality of opportunity.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all qualified candidates.

Please note that we are unable to accept applications from agencies.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to join our team.