Specialist Occupational Therapist- Rotational

Rotational Occupational Therapist, Neuro Rehabilitation Service

We are seeking an enthusiastic, motivated & holistic Occupational Therapist to join our Band 6 Neuro Rehab Service rotation. The Neuro Rehab Service consists of the following rotations:

• Southwark Community Stroke Team
• Southwark Neuro Rehab Team
• Lambeth Neuro Rehab Team
• Inpatient Neuro Rehab Unit (2b)
• Acute Stroke Unit - St Thomas' Hospital

We are looking for therapists with experience & a keen interest in neurological rehabilitation to provide high quality, person-centred and goal-orientated rehabilitation for patients in the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark. We have several working bases across Brixton, Bermondsey & Oval as well as in-patient bases in Brixton & St Thomas' Hospital. You have the opportunity to rotate every 9 months & gain experience across acute care, in-patient rehabilitation & community rehabilitation.

We are a multi-disciplinary service consisting of Occupational Therapists, Speech & Language Therapists, Physiotherapists, Rehab Assistants, Clinical Psychologists, Rehab Consultant & Social Workers. We provide a combination of early intensive rehabilitation & condition management to support clients with neurological conditions to lead a meaningful independent life throughout the span of their condition. We are looking for a Band 6 Occupational Therapist seeking a new challenge, or an experienced Band 5 ready to progress into a Band 6 role.

You will be an Occupational Therapist with postgraduate experience working with adults with acquired neurological impairments (physical, sensory, cognitive, and communication). The position will suit individuals keen to enhance their specialism in neurological rehabilitation for example in upper limb rehab, cognitive rehab, seating or pre-vocational rehab input. Ideally you will have some community neurological rehabilitation experience. You will also be expected to contribute to multidisciplinary service improvement initiatives through audit and quality improvement projects.

We have a strong team ethos of personal & professional development and we value sharing our knowledge & skills within the MDT. You will be well-supported through regular & direct clinical supervision and appraisal from a Band 7 Occupational Therapist plus specialist support from a Band 8 Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist. You will have access to a planned programme of in-service training within the wider community neuro rehabilitation team of over 15 OTs as well as the wider GSTT OT community. You will also have access to the benefits of belonging to Guys and St Thomas' Foundation Trust and Kings Health Partners, an Academic Health Science Centre.

Job Summary

The post holder will provide a specialist Occupational Therapy service as part of the Neuro Rehab Service and will work closely with team members to ensure a coordinated approach to client care. These services work across the two London boroughs of Southwark and Lambeth in both community and acute positions. They provide MDT neuro rehabilitation and condition management to patients living with both long term and acute neurological conditions, such as Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury, Parkinson's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neuron Disease and Neuro-Oncology diagnoses. Intervention is person centred and goal oriented. The service uses a self-management approach, encouraging patients to participate actively in their rehab. The post holder will independently and effectively manage a caseload of individuals who have complex neurological needs. The post holder will use evidence based, client-centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions to minimise the impact of the neurological condition on the individual's occupational roles and daily living.

Duties and Responsibilities

Professional

The post holder will:

Work as an autonomous practitioner within the standards of professional practice laid down by the Royal College of Occupational Therapy (RCOT) and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work.

Maintain close liaison with other senior colleagues in the team and ensure effective communication with all team members for day to day smooth running of the service.

Keep abreast of current issues with the profession, taking responsibility for personal growth and development such as reading relevant journal and research papers or participating in appropriate work journal clubs and related research / evaluation projects.

Maintain and record ongoing continuing professional development, using a professional portfolio.

Attend professional body / clinical interest group meetings as appropriate.

Participate in clinical training for OT students.

Attend training courses, participate in experiential learning as identified in PDP and impart information to colleagues.

Clinical

The post holder will:

Provide a comprehensive assessment, treatment and management service to a caseload of individuals who have a neurological condition with a wide variety of comorbidities, following local operational policies and agreed standards and guidelines.

Provide specialist interventions based on clinical reasoning and evidence based practice, occupational analysis and risk evaluation, using graded activities to address therapeutic goals and optimise functional independence.

Consider and address occupational performance components and their impact on the individual's occupations. For example reviewing arm care, posture and tone management; cognitive assessment and rehabilitation; fatigue management or pre-vocational rehab.

Monitor the effectiveness of interventions through goal setting, outcome measurement and evaluation of practice.

Be responsible for prioritising and managing own caseload.

Work collaboratively with individuals and carers, members of the MDT and external agencies to ensure a coordinated approach to service delivery.

Educate individuals, carers and family members of the impact of their neurological condition on physical, cognitive and psychological wellbeing and actively promoting healthy lifestyle.

Empower individuals to take responsibility for self-management during the treatment period and following discharge.

Respect the individual's dignity, privacy, culture and wishes during treatment with a commitment to equal access to occupational therapy.

Maintain and develop close links with colleagues in the acute sector, local authority services, voluntary organisations and other members of primary health care services.

Be responsible for delegating appropriate tasks to junior staff and OT students as well as being accountable for own professional practice and that of the support staff / students delegated to.

Participate in the service supervision structure which includes regular supervision with a senior OT, joint sessions and supervision of junior staff and OT students where appropriate.

Attend all appropriate team, professional and other meetings related to clinical caseload.

Participate in the Trust staff appraisal scheme.

Be responsible for safekeeping, cleanliness and maintenance of equipment, ensuring standards of infection control are met; reporting all equipment defects, accidents and complaints to the Clinical Manager.

Participate in ongoing review of service delivery and any ensuing service developments.

Information management

The post holder will:

Keep accurate and contemporaneous records of assessment and treatment in accordance with standards set and input data onto electronic record system.

Provide accurate and timely statistical data.

Education and Professional Development

The post holder will:

Contribute to the planning, organisation and delivery of training for staff in the Neuro Rehab Service and from other disciplines and organisations; through in-service training, supervision, joint working, practical demonstrations, etc.

Contribute to student education and development.

Assist with service development and service promotion.

Undertake all mandatory and statutory training in line with the Trust policy.